1901 Hotel Chastaignery
The former Hotel Wales—a turn-of-the-century landmark on the corner of Manhattan’s East 92nd Street and Madison Avenue in Carnegie Hill—was designed by architect Louis Korn and initially opened in 1901 as the 92-room Hotel Chastaignery. After four name changes, which included Hotel Bibo, Hotel Bon Ray, and the Carnegie Hill Hotel, the building finally became Hotel Wales in 2000. Since closing its doors to guests in 2020, The Hotel Wales has been transformed into 21 luxury condominiums.
The Wales was one of the very first structures in the historic landmarked neighborhood (that Woody Allen famously fought to preserve) and was built in 1899. It harkens to a bygone era of pre-war detail, quality construction, and impeccable design. The facade includes a cornice sized down by a team of preservationist architects so that the penthouse would not be too visible from the street per Landmark requirements.
One of the most important additions to this historic structure is the full-floor 4,179 SF Penthouse complete with five bedrooms, five full baths, and two powder rooms. The Penthouse is new construction above the historic structure. The architecturally significant duplex penthouse is the pièce de résistance—organically ushering the turn-of-the-century, Beaux-Arts structure into the 21st century. A standout element is the massive private wraparound terrace spanning 3,114 SF across two levels with an outdoor kitchen, fireplace, wet bar, and incredible views of Central Park.
The floating Penthouse at The Wales
Credit: VMI Studios
Living Room Penthouse at The Wales
Credit: VMI Studios
Pinto is considered France’s premier design firm founded by the late Alberto Pinto. The firm designed the interiors of the residences and common spaces at the 10-story historic structure The extent to which the original architecture and history of The Wales has been preserved while exemplifying the modern elegance of the times is befitting to the opulent Carnegie Hill marker.
Carnegie Hill is a quintessential NYC neighborhood bordered by 86th Street to the south, 96th to the north, Central Park to the west, and Lexington Avenue to the east. Named for Andrew Carnegie, this industrial magnate lived in a 64-floor mansion (built from 1899 to 1902) at Fifth Avenue and 92nd Street now known as the Cooper Hewitt Museum. Celebrities and titans alike have called Carnegie Hill home (i.e. Bette Midler, Gwyneth Paltrow, Woody Allen, and David Rockefeller). Museums like The Guggenheim, The Jewish Museum, Neue Galerie, and The Cooper Hewitt attract tourists from across the globe.
The Wales 2023
Credit: VMI Studios
The Wales was developed by Adellco, the team behind27 East 79th Street. HQ Preservation’s Principal Bill Higgins is leading the building’s historic restoration, including the reintroduction of the landmark’s original cornice, which was previously removed to accommodate an earlier addition. This is the first time in New York City history that a cornice has been rescaled using its original detail.Led by a special team of preservationist architects, the meticulous process ensures the penthouse is not fully visible from the street in order to meet city landmark requirements.