8. All of its exterior ornamentation was stripped and melted for bullets and tanks in WWII

The Ansonia

Not only the exterior ornament of The Ansonia came down in support of WWII. The pipes and pneumatic tubes were ripped out too, and the skylight which was the pinnacle of the winding marble staircase was tarred over for blackout regulations. It remains blacked out to this day, like the skylights at City Hall subway station.

9. Its owner wanted to demolish the building and build a 40-story skyscraper

Residential hotels like The Ansonia came under the protection of the Rent Stabilization Board in 1968. The tenants petitioned to freeze rents until repairs were made to the crumbling building. Pushed into a corner, owner Jake Starr proclaimed that the neighborhood would be better served if The Ansonia was demolished and replaced with a 40-story skyscraper. With extensive community petitioning, The Ansonia was named an exterior landmark.

10. A Sex Shop was once on the ground floor

During the era of Plato’s Retreat, a sex shop moved in as ground floor retail, fitted to the already unscrupulous reputation of The Ansonia. Today, The Ansonia is home to retailers like The North Face and American Apparel.