121 West 19th Street
121 West 19th Street, New York, NY 10011
BBL 1007957501 · BIN 1087260
- Year built
- 1903
- Type
- Condominium
- Landmark status
- Not an individual landmark; not in a historic district
- NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission and City Planning records, updated February 2026
- Pets
- Pets permitted; species and limits not stated
- Doorman
- Full-time doorman
The Lion's Head Condominium sales history: 167 recorded sales
Every recorded sale at this building, 2006–2026
Price-per-square-foot over time, the line- and floor-premium curves, and every recorded sale.
- Median $/sf, 2026 to date
- $1,724
- floor-adjusted, 1 sale
- Listing discount
- 3.9%
- Recorded sales
- 167
- On record
- 2006–2026
Own an apartment here? See what it would sell for.
A Private Pricing Opinion — what your apartment at The Lion's Head Condominium would likely sell for today, what it costs to sell, and what you’d walk away with — reviewed personally against condition, exposures, renovation quality, and the competition actually on the market.
121 West 19th Street, the Lion's Head Condominium, is one of the more characterful loft conversions on the Chelsea–Flatiron border. The building dates to 1903 as a masonry commercial loft, and it takes its name from the carved lion's-head ornament on its façade — a detail that gives the address both its identity and its personality. Acquired and converted by Alchemy Properties, with FXFOWLE and Hustvedt Cutler designing the residential transformation, it reopened in 2005 as 67 loft-style condominiums.
The appeal is the loft proposition done well: dramatic ceiling heights — between roughly 10 and 16 feet across the building — oversized European tilt-and-turn windows, and the open volume that comes from a real early-1900s floor plate, paired with the financing latitude and ownership flexibility of condominium structure. The location is among the most central downtown can offer, a few steps from both Chelsea's gallery district and the Flatiron's restaurant-and-retail core, with the West 23rd Street and Union Square subway hubs close at hand.
For buyers, it is a chance to own genuine loft scale — high ceilings, big light, open layouts — in a full-service condominium with a large roof deck, in a neighborhood that keeps its value.
Architecture and unit composition
The 1903 building is a solid masonry loft, and the 2005 conversion leaned into rather than against its industrial bones. The Lion's Head residences range broadly in size — from compact one-bedrooms to large lofts of nearly 4,000 square feet, including four duplex penthouses with skylights and private terraces. Ceiling heights of 10 to 16 feet and oversized tilt-and-turn windows define the interior character. Assess daylight and noise in the specific apartment, including its exposure, glazing and nearby activity; these dimensions alone do not establish either performance. Finishes at conversion were high-specification — rich oak floors, custom cabinetry, and professional-grade appliances were standard — and many homes have since been further upgraded. The carved lion's-head façade detail remains the building's signature flourish.
Building operations
The Lion's Head runs as a full-service condominium with a 24-hour doorman and a live-in superintendent, crowned by a landscaped roof deck of roughly 5,000 square feet with open city views — generous shared outdoor space for a building of 67 homes. As a condominium, there is no co-op board admission; purchases run through the condominium's right-of-first-refusal process. Confirm financing, leasing and ownership-entity rules in the current declaration, bylaws and house rules. The building is pet-friendly.
Application and transaction fees
Fees below are from building management's published schedule, as of September 2026. They are shown as published, item by item; no total is added because the total depends on the transaction. Deposits are listed apart from nonrefundable charges.
Purchase
9 items
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Processing FeePaid to management | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $700 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Background CheckPaid to management | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $150 | Refundable Not stated |
| Common ChargesPaid to the building | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount Equal to one month of common charges building improvements fund | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Move-In FeePaid to the building | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $2,000 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Working Capital ContributionPaid to the building | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount Equal to two month's common charges | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Move Out FeePaid to the building | Paid by Seller | When With the application | Amount $2,000 | Refundable Not stated |
| Closing Document Preparation FeePaid to management | Paid by Seller | When At closing | Amount $350 | Refundable Not stated |
Deposits
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Move-In DepositPaid to the building | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $2,500 | Refundable Refundable |
| Move-Out DepositLess damagePaid to the building | Paid by Seller | When With the application | Amount $2,500 | Refundable Refundable |
Rental or lease
9 items
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lease FeeRecurringPaid to the building | Paid by Landlord | When With the application | Amount Equal to equal to the greater of one month of common charges or 5% of the annual lease amount. | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Move Out FeePaid to the building | Paid by Landlord | When With the application | Amount $2,000 | Refundable Not stated |
| Application Processing FeePaid to management | Paid by Tenant | When With the application | Amount $550 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Background Check FeePer applicantPaid to management | Paid by Tenant | When With the application | Amount $150 per applicant | Refundable Not stated |
| Move-In FeePaid to the building | Paid by Tenant | When With the application | Amount $2,000 | Refundable Non-refundable |
Deposits
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Move-Out DepositLess damagePaid to the building | Paid by Landlord | When With the application | Amount $2,500 | Refundable Refundable |
| Move-In DepositPaid to the building | Paid by Tenant | When With the application | Amount $2,500 | Refundable Refundable |
Lease renewal
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sublet FeeRecurringPaid to the building | Paid by Landlord | When With the application | Amount Equal to equal to the greater of one month of common charges or 5% of the annual lease amount. | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Application Processing FeePaid to management | Paid by Tenant | When With the application | Amount $225 | Refundable Non-refundable |
Alteration
3 items
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AKAM Alteration FeePaid to management | Paid by Buyer | When At closing | Amount $600 | Refundable Not stated |
| Alteration FeePaid to the building | Paid by Buyer | When At closing | Amount $750 for major alterations, $300 for minor alterations | Refundable Not stated |
Deposits
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Security DepositLess damagePaid to the building | Paid by Buyer | When At closing | Amount $2,500 | Refundable Refundable |
Management updates its schedule without a public filing. The date is when management last updated the page, not when a rule changed. Confirm the current schedule with management before you apply.
Considering an apartment here? Send Corey the listing to discuss the building's costs and purchase requirements.
Own an apartment here? Request an apartment-specific pricing review.
Pets and in-unit washer/dryer
- Pets
- Pets permitted; species and limits not statedSource: The Roebling Team's building profile
- In-unit washer/dryer
- Not verified
Considering an apartment here? Send Corey the listing to confirm the pet and washer/dryer rules for that apartment.
Monthly carrying charges in recent sales
- Common charges + taxes, per room
- $1,016 per room a monthMedian of 3 recorded sales since October 2023Source: recorded sales, refreshed October 2026
- Common charges + taxes, per square foot
- $2.54 per square foot a monthMedian of 5 recorded sales since October 2023Source: recorded sales, refreshed October 2026
- Common charges alone, per square foot
- $1.06 per square foot a monthMedian of 3 listings since October 2023 that give the annual taxSource: listing records, refreshed October 2026
- Real estate taxes alone, per square foot
- $1.62 per square foot a monthMedian of 3 listings since October 2023 that give the annual taxSource: listing records, refreshed October 2026
Common charges plus real estate taxes, combined into one monthly figure the way New York condominium listings show them. Add a mortgage payment for the monthly outlay. The split into common charges and taxes comes from the listings that also give the annual tax, a different sample, so the two lines need not add up exactly to the combined median; a tax abatement can hold taxes below the full amount until it expires. A summary of recorded sales and listings, not a current bill; charges change.
Building staffing and amenities
- Doorman
- Full-time doormanSource: The Roebling Team's building profile
- Live-in superintendent
- YesSource: The Roebling Team's building profile
- Elevator
- YesSource: NYC Department of Buildings elevator records
- Amenities noted
- Roof deckSource: The Roebling Team's building profile
Staffing and amenities as our building profile and recent listing records describe them. A feature not listed is not confirmed absent. Outdoor space, parking and some facilities can belong to particular apartments or to a separate owner; confirm access for the specific apartment.
Local Law 97
- 2024–2029 annual penalty
- $0 (under cap)
- 2030–2034 annual penalty
- $69,224/yr
- Per unit / month range
- $0 – $86
- Modeled exposure split equally across 67 units (the residential count on the city's lot record). Not an assessed amount; condominium owners are typically charged by each unit's common-interest percentage.
Source: NYC LL84 benchmarking and PLUTO · The Roebling Research Library. City data last refreshed October 2026.
See full Local Law 97 analysis — emissions history, scenarios, methodology →Facade safety — Local Law 11
The latest available filing classified the facade as SWARMP — Safe With A Repair and Maintenance Program: the inspector (QEWI) identified conditions requiring monitoring or repair, with repairs due by the deadline stated in the filing. The scope, timeline, and how the building funds the work are building-specific — we review the filings and board materials for you.
How to read this, and where it comes from
QEWI = Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector — a licensed professional engineer or registered architect who meets DOB’s FISP qualifications and signs the report (the independent expert, not the managing agent).
Penalties shown are amounts DOB assessed against filings on record across 2005–10 to 2020–25. The FISP dataset does not record whether they were paid, contested or remain open, so treat the figure as history rather than a current balance and confirm the building’s standing with the managing agent.
Source: NYC DOB facade filings (FISP) · The Roebling Research Library. City data last refreshed October 2026.
Recent sales
Recent closings at this building, from The Roebling Research Library. Prices are the transfer amounts recorded with the NYC Department of Finance; apartment-level detail is checked against the building’s own file in The Roebling Research Library before publishing.
| Date | Unit | Apartment | Price | PPSF | vs. Ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | PHF | 4 BR · 3.5 BA · 2,665 sf | $4,400,000 | $1,651/sf | -7.4% |
| Jul 15, 2026 | 10G | 3 BR · 2.5 BA · 1,950 sf | $3,500,000 | $1,795/sf | +0.0% |
| Oct 24, 2025 | 8F | 1 BR · 1 BA · 1,364 sf | $2,100,000 | $1,540/sf | — |
| Aug 7, 2025 | 9E | 1 BR · 2 BA · 1,529 sf | $2,175,000 | $1,422/sf | -13.0% |
| Apr 30, 2025 | 10C | 1 BA · 766 sf | $1,136,000 | $1,483/sf | -4.9% |
| Mar 14, 2025 | 3B | 2 BR · 2 BA · 1,920 sf | $2,392,500 | $1,246/sf | -10.6% |
| Oct 16, 2024 | 2E | 1 BR · 1 BA · 1,125 sf | $1,700,000 | $1,511/sf | — |
| Feb 8, 2023 | 7A | 2 BR · 2 BA · 1,572 sf | $2,500,000 | $1,590/sf | -15.3% |
Market read. Most recent trades (2026 to date) cleared a median $1,724/sf (floor-adjusted) across 1 sale. Floor-adjusted means each sale is restated to a constant mix of floors, so the figure can differ from the plain median of the sales listed above. Median listing discount 3.9% 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.
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 1-00795-7501; each condominium apartment is its own tax lot). Apartment-level facts (line, condition, asking-price context) curated and cross-verified in The Roebling Research Library. Not all transactions cross-verify with ACRIS records — sponsor and LLC purchases sometimes record at stipulated values rather than market price; square footage from recorded condo declarations and offering plans.
Closed rents at The Lion's Head Condominium, last 36 months
| Size | Leases | Median / month |
|---|---|---|
| 1 bedroom | 5 | $8,000 |
| 2 bedroom | 3 | $12,500 |
| 3 bedroom | 2 | $16,247 |
11 closed leases, October 2023 to September 2026. Most recent lease August 2026. Sizes with fewer than 2 leases are not shown. Compiled by The Roebling Team at Compass from closed leases.
What would your apartment rent for?
The figures above are the building's closed leases. Enter your apartment and I'll send you what yours would rent for, from comparable leases at The Lion's Head Condominium and nearby.
At the recent median sale of $2.28M (6 sales in the past 24 months, since October 31, 2024), a buyer putting 25% down would pay about $95,567 to close, or 4.2% of the price.
- Mansion tax: $28,547
- Mortgage recording tax: $32,972
- Title insurance: $10,277
- Attorneys, lender, building fees, reserves and filings: $23,772
Assumes a resale (the seller pays transfer taxes), a $4,500 attorney fee and a mortgage on the rest.
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What to know if you’re buying
You're buying loft scale and condominium ownership together. Ceilings of 10 to 16 feet, oversized windows, and open layouts come with a right-of-first-refusal process rather than a board interview; confirm financing, part-time use and trust or LLC ownership in the current declaration, bylaws and house rules.
Home-to-home variation is wide here. A converted loft building spans compact one-bedrooms to near-4,000-square-foot duplexes; ceiling height, light exposure, and renovation level vary meaningfully between residences. Evaluate the specific home rather than a building-wide average.
Diligence is condominium-standard. Review the association's financials, reserves, and common charges, and — given the building's age — the condition and capacity of systems updated at conversion. The large roof deck is a genuine amenity that supports both lifestyle and resale.
What to know if you’re selling
Lead with the lofts and the light. Ceiling height, oversized windows, and open volume are the building's defining advantages — they are what set a Lion's Head home apart from a conventional Chelsea apartment.
Benchmark to converted-loft condominiums, not new towers or pre-war co-ops. The right comparison set is Chelsea and Flatiron's loft conversions, where buyers pay for volume, light, and character.
The roof deck and full-service staffing are closing arguments. A 5,000-square-foot landscaped roof and a 24-hour doorman are scarce at this size; feature them.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering the Lion's Head, also evaluate Chelsea and Flatiron's loft and boutique condominiums:
- 15 West 20th Street — Chelsea loft condominium nearby
- 101 West 24th Street — Chelsea condominium tower
- 148 West 23rd Street — converted Chelsea loft condominium
- 212 West 18th Street — full-service Chelsea condominium
- 100 West 15th Street — a 44-unit factory-conversion co-op
- 16 West 19th Street — loft condominium on the next block
More Chelsea buildings
- 120 West 20th Street — 1950 co-op
- 121 West 15th Street — 1920 condominium
- 121 West 17th Street — 1911 co-op
- 121 West 20th Street — condominium
- 124 West 24th Street — condominium
- Citizen (124 West 23rd Street) — 2012 condominium by BKSK Architects
The neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, transit, and pricing across Chelsea — read The Roebling Team Guide to Chelsea.
How to read the facts on this page. Items attributed to an offering plan describe the building as it was offered at that filing — unit mix, square footage, the amenity program as planned. They are not a statement about how the building operates today. Tax and compliance figures are sourced separately to current City records and carry their own dates. House rules, staffing and fee policy can change by board resolution without any public filing: treat every policy line here as a starting point for diligence and confirm it with the managing agent. Where this page compares one building or neighborhood to another, that is our analysis of the recorded record — it names the measure, the period and the sample it rests on, and it is an observation about medians rather than a prediction about any particular apartment.
Considering a move at The Lion's Head Condominium?
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646.939.7375 · c.cohen@compass.com