Thank you so much for your reply. I may purchase the book. The address of my building is 303 Hamilton Place. The information I cited before was written in the co-op paperwork in 1986 when the building was a co-op. It is currently condos. "928" is an older system from 1904 according the co-op documents. From maps I've seen, the building was not in existence in 1896. I do not have an exact date when it was built. The co-op and condo documents state circa 1920. Also, just today, I took a peak underneath our awning and found another clue...carved into the stone over our double door entry is the word "Riviera." I'm going to try to do some internet searches to see if anything comes up.
Our building seems to have a number of features I rarely see in other apartment buildings either for early 1900s or more recent buildings, particularly: foyers, sizable kitchens and rooms, tall ceilings, dumbwaiters (not currently working). My kitchen also has a very interesting type of metal cabinet built into the wall under the window...seems like some specialty storage cabinet. Also, behind the fridge is an opening for drainage for what I assume to be the old iceboxes.
I'd like to know more about the architect, when and why the building was built, as well as who lived here. I'm really not sure where to begin. I greatly appreciate your help and advice.