The Milan

The Milan rises on the former site of El Morocco, the nightclub that was one of the most fashionable rooms in New York from the 1930s through the 1960s. El Morocco was known for its blue-and-white zebra-striped banquettes and a clientele that mixed old money with movie stars, and for decades it and the Stork Club were considered the city's two most exclusive nightspots. The building takes its name from the city of Milan, a nod to the sleek, European feel the developers wanted for the tower.

The condominium was built in 2004 by the World Wide Group, whose principal Victor Elmaleh is also a painter, and designed by Peter Claman of SLCE Architects. The 32-story tower has a setback massing similar to nearby Three Ten (310 East 53rd Street), but its base and tower share the same glass curtain wall, which architecture critic Carter Horsley called one of the most handsome facades in the city. The building has chamfered corners and angled windows that give the glass skin extra depth.

Inside, the lobby and atrium club room were designed by Jay Valgora of Studio V, and the outdoor bamboo garden off the lobby was designed by Ken Smith, the landscape architect behind the roof garden at the Museum of Modern Art. The 118 apartments are mostly two-bedroom layouts with 10-foot ceilings, Brazilian cherry floors, and marble bathrooms; penthouse units have wraparound terraces with river and skyline views, and the top penthouse has three fireplaces.