The Ansonia (New York City)

Completed at the turn of the century, the Ansonia was a luxurious rival to its nearby neighbor, the Dakota. The ornate beaux-arts structure, designed by the architect Paul Duboy, is a popular tourist destination on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The building has been home to a number of celebrities over the past century, including Babe Ruth and Igor Stravinsky. The building was also the home to a less noble tenant--the swingers' club, Plato's Retreat, was once located in the building's basement (which is now a Gristedes Grocery Store).