Upper West Side Condos

We at New Construction Manhattan have had our collective eye -- we just share one, it's more convenient -- on Upper West Side luxury condo Linden 78 since it was first announced back in 2009. There's a lot to like, after all: top-tier new construction finishes and amenities share space with elegant condos that have spacious dimensions and soaring ceilings that are more-or-less pre-war in their graciousness. But while Linden 78 inarguably rates among the most interesting new condo listings on the Upper West Side, it has spent the last six months as just that: a listing. Calls to Linden 78's sales office weren't answered, and the building was wrapped up in a series of legal and financial entanglements. Now, finally, comes some good news: the phones are being picked up at Linden 78's sales office, and indications are that Linden 78 could begin sales within the next month. This is good news for a number of reasons.

Even among the many pre-war condo listings on the Upper West Side, The Apthorp stands out for its impressive pedigree. The building, at 390 West End Avenue, was built by William Waldorf Astor in 1908, and was modeled after the famed Pitti Palace in Florence, Italy. That doesn't exactly bespeak modesty, but a recent restoration has highlighted just how grand (and occasionally grandiose) Astor's vision for The Apthorp actually was. The building itself is stunning, and one of the most impressive pre-war condos in Manhattan. But while The Apthorp is a great building, it has yet to take off as a star NYC condo listing because of the ongoing tussle over that ambitious restoration. Now, The Real Deal reports, New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has entered the mix. And no, he's not looking to buy a condo.