The Majestic, the prewar co-op at 115 Central Park West, between 71st and 72nd Streets, might be known for its charming Art Deco architecture and twin-towered facade, but there’s a more sinister history you may not be aware of.
Built between 1930 and 1931 by architect and developer Irwin S. Chanin, the building was originally set to be a luxury, 45-story hotel. But when the Great Depression hit, plans changed: the building was limited to 29 stories, and a higher volume of smaller apartments would be constructed.
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The Majestic also became home to several well known mobsters including Lucky Luciano, Frank Costello and Meyer Lansky, all part of the Genovese crime family (formerly known as the Luciano crime family).
Apparently, several mobsters – including Lansky and Luciano – lived together in Apt # 17J during 1933.
And, according to Walk About NY, Frank Costello and his wife rented a nine-room, eighteenth-floor apartment for $3,900 per month; the same apartment would later sell for over $5 million in 2014.
Frank Costello, 1964 [public domain]
A 2014 write-up by Infamous New York notes how Costello dreamed of legitimacy and acceptance from high-society types, so a spread at the CPW building would be sure to get him closer to those goals.
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Even though he “mobbed out” his apartment with a gold-plated piano, Costello was still accepted enough to rub shoulders with some of his less dangerous neighbors, including Berle and Mostel mentioned above.
But actual legitimacy would remain just a dream. Costello would soon serve a 14 month prison sentence, and when he returned in 1957, Vincent “The Chin” Gigante shot him in the Majestic’s lobby.
Mugshot of Vincent Gigante taken in 1960 [ public domain ]
Costello was only grazed from the shooting. A 1957 NY Times report stated that “The 66-year old ‘boss of racketeers’ was apparently attacked in old gangland style. A thug was reported to have followed Costello as he entered his apartment building, fired the single shot from six to ten feet away and then fled in a large black limousine with the lights out.”
Costello ended up living out the rest of his days at the Majestic, until 1973.
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My sailing buddy (now deceased) Christopher Robinson purchased one of the Majestic’s mobster apartments in 1975 for $60K. It was on the CPW/72nd St corner around 17th or so floor (had one of the few wraparound terraces – we celebrated more than one New Years Eve on that terrace.)
On the living room wall was a b&w photo of an elegant gentleman in a well-tailored suit, extracting a cigarette from a silver case. I asked Christopher about it and he said that was the prior occupant. He had bought it from the ‘estate’ (“Actually” he said . . . “the IRS.”). It had been fully furnished except for the clothes the widow had come and reclaimed. Christopher, an accountant by training, had sold most of these furnishings to recoup part of his purchase payment, keeping only the photo & some exotic aperitif glasses.
Christopher sold the apartment in 1984 for (about) $1.6 million to, I believe, one of the (Estee) Lauders. We had a wonderful black tie “Farewell” party on the premises that spring just before the closing.
Christopher put most of the proceeds into the stock market which was still at about 1,000 on the Dow Jones and went sailing on the 40 ft. boat he already owned. Starting in 1985 he took 12 years to – literally – sail around the world. I greeted him on the last leg, last day in Oyster Bay, LI. His buoyant investment returns financed both the trip and a house in Old Lyme before he returned ultimately with wife to his native London.
A wonderful apartment, many memories including some great Christmases and Thanksgivings. I once asked Christopher how he came upon it. “Easy!” he said. “I liked neighborhood & building, saw a Brown Harris management sign by the door so phoned them from the booth 50 ft. away on the corner.” “We have 3 for sale in that building.” He had the pick, though in 1975 such a purchase was not necessarily considered wise . . . even at $60K.
Meyer Lansky lived in the Beresford. His son was in my class at Horace Mann, and later went to West Point.
Emmy award winning writer Stan Hart was a resident of the Majestic.