- Year built
- 1962
- Type
- Cooperative
- Units
- 147
- Landmark
- No
Every recorded sale at this building, 2003–2025
Bedroom-by-bedroom medians, the full transfer record, and how units trade against ask.
- 1BR median
- $610K
- Recent range
- $500K – $1.4M
- Listing discount
- 2.4%
- Recorded transfers
- 89
1206 First Avenue is a substantial postwar cooperative on the eastern, riverward side of the Upper East Side — full-service doorman living at the value end of the neighborhood's deep co-op market. Completed in 1962, it belongs to the wave of brick elevator apartment houses that filled in First and York Avenues in the postwar decades, built for practical, light-filled apartment living and designed to deliver doorman service at attainable cost. At roughly 147 apartments, it is a mid-to-large building with the shareholder base to support full staffing and spread operating costs.
The location is the trade-off and the value. On First Avenue in the upper 60s, residents are a few avenues east of the Lexington and Park spines, closer to the river, the East River esplanade, and the quieter residential pockets of the Upper East Side — at pricing meaningfully below the central avenues. For buyers who want full-service doorman living on the Upper East Side without the central-avenue premium, this is exactly the tier 1206 First serves.
Architecture and unit composition
The 1962 vintage places 1206 First in the postwar idiom: an efficient brick elevator building with ground-floor retail along First Avenue, designed for functional apartment living rather than pre-war ornament. Layouts run to the postwar standard — studios, one-, and two-bedroom apartments with practical plans, ample closets, and large windows — with larger combinations and the better light and exposures on the upper floors.
With approximately 147 apartments, the building runs at the mid-to-large postwar density, and individual apartments are best evaluated at the unit level on floor, exposure, and renovation history.
Building operations
1206 First operates as a full-service postwar cooperative. A full-time doorman staffs the attended lobby, with a resident superintendent on site and central laundry and private storage in the building. As with most Upper East Side postwar co-ops, the board reviews purchases through a formal application and interview, and prospective buyers should expect financing requirements, a flip-tax structure, and sublet rules set by the proprietary lease and house rules — the specific financial terms are the policy slate we walk clients through, and the current percentages should be confirmed at offer stage.
Recent sales
Recent transfers at this building, curated by The Roebling Team research desk. Apartment-level facts are independently verified before publishing; sale prices reflect the recorded transfer amount at the NYC Department of Finance.
| Date | Unit | Apartment | Price | PPSF | vs. Ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2025 | 12J | 1 BR · 1 BA | $610,000 | -2.4% | |
| Jul 16, 2025 | 13EF | 2 BR · 2 BA | $875,000 | -22.2% | |
| Jan 29, 2025 | 12F | 2 BR · 1 BA | $730,000 | -5.8% | |
| Jan 16, 2025 | 5A | 2 BR · 2 BA | $1,120,000 | -6.3% | |
| Aug 1, 2024 | 2J | 1 BR · 1 BA | $544,000 | +0.9% | |
| Jul 31, 2024 | 4J | 1 BR · 1 BA | $555,000 | +0.9% | |
| May 30, 2024 | 14H | 1 BR · 1 BA | $550,000 | +0.9% | |
| May 30, 2024 | 16E | 1 BR · 850 sf | $720,000 | $847/sf | off-mkt |
Market read. Most recent trades (2024) cleared a median $874/sf across 2 sales. Median listing discount 3.0% from the last ask — a recurring negotiation gap worth pricing into any offer or listing strategy.
The retrade record
Lines that have traded more than once in the public record — the building’s appreciation arc, apartment by apartment.
Other recent transfers
| Date | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 20, 2024 | 12D | $620,000 |
| Oct 25, 2023 | 8A | $1,395,000 |
| Jun 15, 2023 | 6E | $500,000 |
| Jul 14, 2022 | 11HI | $995,000 |
| Jan 8, 2020 | 8J | $520,000 |
| Oct 5, 2016 | 2D | $710,000 |
Full closing history with price-per-square-foot over time, the complete retrade record, and every line that has traded.
Sales sourced from NYC Department of Finance recorded transfers (BBL 1-01460-0001) and verified listing data. Apartment-level facts (line, condition, asking-price context) curated and cross-verified by The Roebling Team research desk. Not all transactions cross-verify with ACRIS records — sponsor and LLC purchases sometimes record at stipulated values rather than market price; square footage on co-ops is not officially recorded, figures shown are approximate.
What to know if you’re buying
This is full-service postwar value on the Upper East Side. Doorman service and an elevatored building near the river, at pricing well below the central avenues.
The shareholder base supports carrying costs. A ~147-unit building spreads operating and capital costs across a sizable base — confirm the current maintenance, assessment history, and reserve position in diligence.
Co-op financial policy governs the purchase. Expect board review, financing limits, a flip tax, and sublet rules; confirm the current terms at offer stage.
Location is the value. First Avenue living near the East River esplanade, with the full Upper East Side amenity base a few avenues west.
What to know if you’re selling
Lead with full-service value. The doorman service, the elevatored postwar building, and the attainable Upper East Side pricing are the marketing assets.
Price to the building's own comps. With ~147 units, the persuasive evidence is 1206 First's own recent trades adjusted for floor, exposure, and condition.
Closing timelines are co-op standard. Plan for roughly 6–10 weeks from contract to closing, subject to board package and approval pacing.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering 1206 First Avenue, also evaluate:
- 1344 First Avenue — postwar First Avenue cooperative nearby
- 1131 Third Avenue — postwar Lenox Hill cooperative for a comparable tier
- 1402 Third Avenue — postwar Upper East Side cooperative nearby
- 160 East 65th Street — full-service Lenox Hill building nearby
- 1355 First Avenue — newer First Avenue condominium nearby for a tenure contrast
The Roebling Team at 1206 First Avenue
The Roebling Team at Compass specializes in the Upper East Side, Central Park West, and the broader Park-facing Manhattan market. We publish this building profile because Upper East Side buyers and sellers deserve building-specific intelligence — building operations, board culture, transactional mechanics, and apartment-level pricing — not generic market commentary.
If you're considering a purchase or sale at 1206 First, a 30-minute consultation is the right starting point.
The neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, schools, transit, and pricing across Upper East Side — read The Roebling Team Guide to Upper East Side.
Get the full picture on this building.
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