Asbestos and Lead at The Apthorp - The Apthorp is one of the most famous and regal buildings on the Upper West Side, but in recent years it’s been recognized mostly for dysfunctional ownership and courtroom battles. Add this to the mix: residents have been testing the dust that’s been released by some recent renovation work done to the building and say it’s filled with unsafe levels of lead and asbestos, New York magazine reported. An expert hired by tenants supposedly found lead levels 10 times the legal limit.