1009 Fifth Avenue (Stuyvesant Fish House)
1009 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028
- Year built
- 1899
- Type
- Cooperative
- Units
- 5
- Floors
- 7
- Landmark
- Designated
- Pets
- Confirm directly with management
- Subletting
- Restrictive (typical of tier-one Fifth Avenue cooperatives)
1009 Fifth Avenue — the Stuyvesant Fish House — is among the most architecturally consequential single addresses on Fifth Avenue and among the few Manhattan cooperative buildings that originated as a freestanding single-family Gilded Age mansion. The 1899–1901 Welch, Smith & Provot commission for Mary Stuyvesant Fish produced one of the great residential Beaux-Arts buildings of the era — a limestone-clad mansion with the architectural sophistication and material quality of the most ambitious freestanding Fifth Avenue houses of the Gilded Age.
The Stuyvesant Fish residential tradition is itself culturally significant. Mary Stuyvesant Fish and her husband Stuyvesant Fish — the Illinois Central Railroad president and one of the most consequential figures in late-19th century American transportation — were among the central figures of New York's Gilded Age society. The Fish residence at 1009 Fifth functioned as one of the era's most consequential entertainment venues, with Mrs. Fish's invitations among the most coveted in the city. The building's architectural quality reflected the family's social position and the era's residential ambitions.
The cooperative conversion in the second half of the 20th century produced an unusual outcome. Where most Fifth Avenue cooperatives originated as purpose-built apartment buildings during the 1910s–1930s construction booms, 1009 Fifth was converted from a single-family mansion into a small-scale cooperative of approximately five units — including a substantial duplex penthouse encompassing portions of the upper stories. The conversion preserved the building's individual landmark status and much of the original Beaux-Arts interior detail (marble fireplaces, paneled rooms, original millwork) while creating ownership arrangements that function structurally like a luxury cooperative.
The Met Museum corner positioning is structurally distinctive. The Metropolitan Museum's main entrance is directly across Fifth Avenue from 1009 Fifth; the Met's main facade is the visual anchor of the avenue view from many apartments. Among Fifth Avenue cooperative inventory, the Stuyvesant Fish House occupies a particular tier — Beaux-Arts architectural pedigree, individual landmark status, exceptionally small scale (5 units), and direct Met frontage at one of the most consequential single addresses on the corridor.
For buyers, 1009 Fifth represents a particular category of Fifth Avenue inventory that has no direct comparable: a small-scale cooperative occupying a Gilded Age Beaux-Arts mansion with preserved original detail, individual landmark status, and direct Met frontage. When inventory is available — which is rare given the 5-unit scale — pricing reflects the unique character.
Architecture and unit composition
The approximately 5 apartments span configurations from substantial single-floor residences to a duplex penthouse encompassing portions of the upper stories. The apartments incorporate the Beaux-Arts architectural detail preserved through the cooperative conversion — marble fireplaces, paneled rooms, original millwork, classical proportioning that reflects the building's 1899–1901 single-family mansion origin.
The 7-story height produces apartments at the lower scale of Fifth Avenue luxury inventory but with the exceptional ceiling heights and architectural detail of Gilded Age single-family residential construction. Park-facing apartments command direct Central Park views and Met Museum frontage.
Building operations
1009 Fifth Avenue operates as a boutique-scale cooperative with concierge service, on-site superintendent, and private storage. The 5-unit scale produces a service infrastructure distinct from purpose-built pre-war cooperative inventory — fewer institutional staff but higher per-resident service intensity.
Specific policy details (financing posture, flip tax structure, sublet policy specifics, pied-à-terre allowance) should be confirmed directly with property management during due diligence. The board posture follows tier-one Museum Mile Fifth Avenue norms.
Recent sales
Last 5–10 closed sales at 1009 Fifth Avenue (replace this section with current ACRIS data — pull at publication time and refresh quarterly):
[Recent sales table to be populated from ACRIS]
Sales context at 1009 Fifth:
- Inventory turnover is exceptionally limited given the 5-unit scale — apartments transact rarely and often through private channels before public listing.
- Pricing reflects the unique character — substantial residences in the $15M–$50M+ range when available.
- Public listing through StreetEasy and Compass private exclusive is supplemented by private-network outreach for inventory of this character.
What to know if you’re buying
The Stuyvesant Fish House is structurally unique. Among the few Fifth Avenue cooperatives that originated as a single-family Gilded Age mansion. The building has no direct comparable.
The Beaux-Arts architectural pedigree is real. Welch, Smith & Provot's 1899–1901 design and Mary Stuyvesant Fish's commissioning context produce architectural and cultural significance that exceeds typical Fifth Avenue cooperative inventory.
The Met Museum frontage is among the most consequential individual addresses on Fifth Avenue.
Confirm specific policies directly with management. Financing posture, flip tax structure, sublet specifics, and pied-à-terre allowance should be obtained directly during the contract review process.
Board approval follows tier-one Fifth Avenue norms, with particular attention to apartment use and preservation. The individual landmark status produces additional scrutiny around interior renovation scope.
View permanence is essentially absolute. The Met facade is permanently protected; Central Park is permanent.
Inventory is rare. The 5-unit scale and stable residential culture mean transactions are infrequent.
What to know if you’re selling
The building's history is the primary marketing asset. Listing copy should reference Mary Stuyvesant Fish's residency, the Welch, Smith & Provot Beaux-Arts authorship, the individual landmark status, and the Met Museum corner positioning. These credentials are rare in Fifth Avenue cooperative inventory.
Pricing requires apartment-level context. Given the 5-unit scale and the unique character of each residence, comparable analysis is intensive.
Closing timelines are co-op standard but the small board scale produces particular dynamics. 6–10 weeks from contract signing to closing, with board approval timelines reflecting the boutique service model.
The Roebling Team at 1009 Fifth / Stuyvesant Fish House
The Roebling Team at Compass specializes in Central Park West, the Upper East Side, and the broader Park-facing Manhattan market — including the small inventory of Gilded Age mansion-converted cooperatives that represents a particular category of trophy inventory. We publish this building profile because buyers and sellers of inventory at this character deserve building-specific intelligence — architecture, board culture, transactional mechanics, and pricing at the apartment level — not generic market commentary.
If you're considering a purchase or sale at 1009 Fifth, a 30-minute consultation is the right starting point.