Barbizon 63 facts for kids

Barbizon Hotel for Women
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Barbizon Hotel for Women, July 2007
Location in New York City Show map of New York City Location in New York Show map of New York Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	140 E. 63rd St., Manhattan, New York City
Area	less than one acre
Built	1927
Architect	Palmer H. Ogden, Everett F. Murgatroyd
Architectural style	Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals, Late Gothic Revival
NRHP reference No.	82001186
Quick facts for kids Significant dates
Added to NRHP	October 29, 1982

The Barbizon (known since 2005 as Barbizon 63) is a famous building. It is located at 140 East 63rd Street in Manhattan, New York City. For many years, it was a special hotel just for young women. These women came to New York City for jobs or to start their careers. The Barbizon offered them a safe and comfortable place to live. It felt like a family home.

The Barbizon was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. This means it is an important historical building. In 2012, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission also named it a city landmark.

The Barbizon's Story

The Barbizon building was finished in 1927. Its design mixes different styles. These include Italian Renaissance, Late Gothic Revival, and Islamic art. It is a tall building, 23 stories high. It is made of a steel frame covered in concrete. The outside is made of salmon-colored bricks. It also has fancy decorations made from limestone and terra cotta.

For most of its history, the Barbizon was a hotel only for women. Men were not allowed above the ground floor. The hotel also had strict rules about how guests should dress and behave. In 1981, the hotel started letting men stay as guests. This made it more like a regular hotel.

In 2002, the building had a big makeover that cost $40 million. Its name was changed to The Melrose Hotel. Then, in 2005, the hotel closed completely. The inside of the building was taken apart and rebuilt. It was turned into condominiums, which are apartments that people own. At this time, it was renamed Barbizon 63.

Even after the big changes, some women still lived there in 2006. They had special agreements from the old hotel rules. The building also has a large indoor swimming pool. This pool is now part of an Equinox Fitness club. When the building was first built, the owners bought special rights. These rights allowed them to use the space above nearby buildings.

Famous People Who Stayed Here

Many famous women and men stayed at the Barbizon. Some lived there when they were just starting their careers. Others were already well-known.

Female Residents

Male Residents

• Ricky Gervais
• Boris Johnson

See also

In Spanish: Barbizon 63 para niños