Which buildings in NYC first had doormen?

They've always had doormen. The pilgrims brought them on the Mayflower along with the "212" area code.

The first purpose-built apartment building (tenements excepted) was the Stuyvesant of 1869. The first co-ops were the Hubert Home Clubs from around 1880. All were staffed.

If you want citations and references, you'd best visit a library.

What's a library? Is that something from Google?

Hmmmm. The first luxury highrise doorman building with "hotel style service" with the Ansonia, according to various sources. As in concierge, uniforms, etc. This one also was the first air conditioned one. So it depends, perhaps, on what you mean by "doorman." But I could be wrong.

You might enjoy Andrew Alpern's book "Luxury Apartment Houses of Manhattan."

ali r.
DG Neary Realty

Luxury Apartment Houses of Manhattan is a great book.
Go do research at the Main Library on Fifth/42nd St., newmove.