As New York City sees more real estate developers delivering communal housing options (Common) and micro-unit apartments (Carmel Place) aimed to create safe, instant communities, it’s the end of an era at the Brandon Residence for Women.
The Brandon House for Women was built in 1927 and served single women renters for 60 years.
Located at 340 W. 85th Street in the heart of the Upper West Side, the 9-story brick building was just sold for $42 million. According to The Real Deal, the buyer is the West Side Federation for Seniors and Supportive Housing, with money for the purchase coming from the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
The sale puts an end to the Brandon Residence’s run as a safe haven for single women dating back to 1953. According to Brandon House website, thousands of women over the decades had rented private rooms with shared baths on each floor. While in operation, Brandon Residence accepted residents by application and a personal interview. The minimum stay was 30 days with monthly rates ranging from $1,118 to $1,332. There are still some residents located at the SRO, but no new residents are being accepted.
So, who stays in the Brandon? In this first-person article in nymag.com:
Women here are mainly twentysomething working professionals, Juilliard School or international students, and interns. Some of the residents are displaced Manhattanites in their 50s, 60s, and 70s who ended up here because of layoffs, divorce, and other life-altering circumstances. All of us are here for the location and the price.
In addition to safety and security, the Brandon also featured breakfast and dinner served seven days a week — a meal plan that was included in a resident’s rent. There was also maid and linen service, cooking facilities, laundry, a lending library, communal TV room, voicemail and individual mailboxes, rehearsal space with pianos and organized social events.
Of course, before we wax completely romantic about the bygone days of a place that sounds like it was all kumbaya, there are some interesting notes on TripAdvisor and Yelp from residents who stayed at Brandon House in the years prior to its closing. And given the need for more affordable senior and supportive housing, this looks like a good option for the brick building.
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