Even during the 2008 economic downturn, one new Manhattan apartment building continued to set the bar for real-estate prices: 15 Central Park West. Designed by Robert A. M. Stern Architects, the lavish, limestone-clad structure is one of the most luxurious residential buildings to rise in the city in decades. In this film, Stern explains why apartment dwellings of the past appealed to affluent New Yorkers and explores the lessons learned by examining design and construction methods. Rounding out the study are glimpses of modern residential towers in lower Manhattan designed by today’s vanguard architects. In addition, Elizabeth Hawes, author of New York, New York: How the Apartment House Transformed the Life of the City (1869-1930), provides informative cultural observations about this form of high-rise living. (24 minutes)