- Year built
- 1958
- Type
- Cooperative
- Units
- 116
- Landmark
- No
Every recorded sale at this building, 2003–2025
Bedroom-by-bedroom medians, the full transfer record, and how units trade against ask.
- 2BR median
- $905K
- Recent range
- $618K – $2.1M
- Listing discount
- 3.7%
- Recorded transfers
- 116
1270 Third Avenue — addressed on its side street as 181 East 73rd Street — is a 19-story post-war cooperative on a tree-lined Lenox Hill block between Lexington and Third Avenues. Completed in 1958, it rose during the building wave that reshaped Third Avenue after the elevated railway came down in the mid-1950s, an event that turned the avenue from a dark, transit-shadowed corridor into prime residential frontage almost overnight. Buildings of this generation traded pre-war ornament for efficient layouts, larger windows, and the conveniences of modern construction — and 1270 Third is among the more amenity-rich of them.
The location is the everyday argument for the building. Residents step out to grocers, restaurants, and shops along Third and Lexington, with the 6 train at 68th and 77th Streets and the Q at 72nd Street close by, and Central Park and the Madison Avenue retail-and-gallery spine a short walk west. For buyers, this is one of the more practical entry points into Lenox Hill: a true full-service building — doorman, on-site garage, deep amenity set — at pricing that typically sits below the pre-war Park and Fifth Avenue co-ops and the newer luxury towers nearby.
At 116 apartments across 19 stories, 1270 Third is a substantial mid-century building. That scale spreads operating costs across a broad shareholder base and produces a steady internal rhythm of availability — a practical advantage over the smaller pre-war co-ops of the surrounding blocks.
Architecture and unit composition
The building's 1958 vintage places its apartments squarely in the mid-century idiom: efficient, well-proportioned layouts, larger window openings than the pre-war norm, and the practical room planning that defined post-war design. Ceiling heights run lower than pre-war buildings — the era's trade-off for light, efficiency, and modern systems — and original detail is minimal by design, so renovation history varies considerably from apartment to apartment. A number of units carry private balconies or terraces, a desirable feature uncommon in pre-war stock.
With 116 units across 19 floors, the building averages several apartments per landing, the denser format typical of mid-century construction. The unit mix runs toward studios, one-, and two-bedroom configurations characteristic of the era, with floor altitude and exposure driving value within each line.
Building operations
1270 Third is a full-service post-war elevator cooperative converted to co-op ownership in 1987. The building is staffed with a full-time doorman and a live-in resident manager, and offers an on-site full-service parking garage, a central laundry room, a bike room, and private resident storage. The roughly 116-apartment scale supports that staffing comfortably while keeping monthly maintenance competitive for the neighborhood.
On house rules, the building is run as a primary-residence co-op. Cats are permitted; dogs are not. In-unit washer/dryers are not permitted. A 2% flip tax applies on resale. Financing is capped — the building permits up to 70% financing, with a 30% minimum down payment. Subletting is not permitted, which keeps the building owner-occupied; pied-à-terre purchases are considered on a case-by-case basis, and guarantors and co-purchasers are allowed.
Local Law 97
- 2024–2029 annual penalty
- $0 (under cap)
- 2030–2034 annual penalty
- $89,251/yr
- Per unit / month range
- $0 – $64
Facade safety — Local Law 11
Safe to live in today — but the last inspection flagged repairs that are due on a deadline, so facade work and its cost are coming. Whether that’s a real concern depends on the scope, the timing, and how the building plans to pay for it — reserves or an assessment — which is exactly what we’d dig into for you.
QEWI = Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector — the licensed engineer the city requires to sign the report (the independent expert, not the managing agent). Source: NYC DOB facade filings (FISP) · The Roebling Research Library.
See the full facade history →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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 6, 2025 | 2B | 1 BR · 1 BA | $617,500 | -5.0% | |
| Aug 29, 2025 | 2C | 1 BR · 1 BA · 925 sf | $680,000 | $735/sf | -6.2% |
| Aug 1, 2025 | 16B | 1 BR · 1 BA | $700,000 | -7.8% | |
| Aug 1, 2025 | 8A | 2 BR · 2 BA | $905,000 | -13.8% | |
| Jul 24, 2025 | 9G | 2 BR · 1 BA | $833,625 | -3.6% | |
| Feb 26, 2025 | 5A | 2 BR · 2 BA · 1,200 sf | $905,000 | $754/sf | -21.3% |
| Nov 29, 2024 | 6A | 2 BR · 2 BA · 1,250 sf | $1,110,000 | $888/sf | -3.5% |
| Sep 23, 2024 | 7AB | 3 BR · 3 BA | $2,150,000 | -13.8% |
Market read. Most recent trades (2025) cleared a median $746/sf across 2 sales. Median listing discount 3.7% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 20, 2022 | 12A | $1,290,000 |
| Dec 16, 2021 | 20C | $2,000,000 |
| Nov 28, 2018 | 4A | $1,200,000 |
| Jan 25, 2018 | 16D | $710,000 |
| Jun 15, 2017 | 2F | $1,427,500 |
| Jun 3, 2016 | 19C | $795,000 |
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 1-01408-0033) 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
The amenity package punches above the price tier. A doorman, an on-site garage, a bike room, and resident storage in a full-service Lenox Hill co-op — at pricing below the pre-war avenue stock — is the core of the value case.
The house rules favor owner-occupants. No subletting, 70% maximum financing, and a cats-only pet policy keep the building stable and residential; budget the 2% flip tax into any resale.
The mid-century format is structural. Efficient layouts, larger windows, and lower ceilings than pre-war buildings define the apartments; renovation scope matters in any purchase, and balcony lines trade at a premium.
Scale shapes the experience. A 116-unit building offers cost efficiency and steady availability with a more institutional community than the small pre-war co-ops two blocks west.
What to know if you’re selling
Lead with the full-service package and location. The doorman, the garage, the storage, and the walk-everything Lenox Hill position are the marketing assets — most directly competitive buildings on the surrounding blocks lack the on-site garage.
Price at the apartment level. Floor, line, exposure, terrace, and renovation history drive value far more than any building average; the 2% flip tax should be modeled into seller proceeds.
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 1270 Third Avenue, also evaluate:
- 1230 Third Avenue — mid-century Third Avenue co-op nearby
- 1250 Third Avenue — mid-century Third Avenue peer nearby
- 1218 Third Avenue — Third Avenue co-op to the south
- 315 East 72nd Street — nearby Lenox Hill full-service co-op
The Roebling Team at 1270 Third 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 Lenox Hill buyers and sellers deserve building-specific intelligence — amenities, board rules, transactional mechanics, and apartment-level pricing — not generic market commentary.
If you're considering a purchase or sale at 1270 Third, 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.
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