- Year built
- 1909
- Type
- Cooperative
- Floors
- 8
- Amenities
- Furnished common roof deck, bike room, video intercom. No doorman
- Landmark status
- Not an individual landmark; not in a historic district
- NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission and City Planning records, updated February 2026
- Subletting by shareholders
- Permitted with conditions
- Pied-à-terre
- Permitted with conditions
- Pets
- Pets permitted with conditions; species not stated
- Maximum financing
- 80% of the purchase price
- Doorman
- No doorman
Every recorded sale at this building, 2002–2026
Price-per-square-foot over time, the line- and floor-premium curves, and every recorded sale.
- Median $/sf, 2026 to date
- $900
- floor-adjusted, 1 sale
- Listing discount
- 0.5%
- Recorded sales
- 19
- On record
- 2002–2026
Own an apartment here? See what it would sell for.
A Private Pricing Opinion — what your apartment at 139 West 19th Street 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.
This is one of the small number of genuinely early loft conversions left in Chelsea that is still a cooperative rather than a condominium. The property grew from manufacturing lofts of the early 1900s — a 1906 trade report describes a new eight-story loft at 139–141 West 19th adjoining an existing seven-story factory, and the two were still conveyed separately in 1910 — and the shareholders' corporation — Chelsea Lofts Corp. — took title at the beginning of 1978, before the loft conversion wave that Article 7-C and the 1982 Loft Law would later formalize. It converted the old-fashioned way: an owner-occupant group bought the building, filed alterations, and took a J-51 benefit on the work in 1981.
That history produces the building's defining characteristic, which is apartment scale. Twenty-one residences occupy roughly 59,000 square feet of residential area across eight floors of a 120-foot-wide, 92-foot-deep plate. The arithmetic yields roughly 2, 810 gross residential square feet per recorded unit, including shared and structural space; it is not an average apartment-interior measurement and does not establish the size of any individual loft. Apartments carry loft-building designations rather than conventional letters (2A, 3SW, 4NE, PH7NE), and the stack runs from full-width lower floors to penthouse units under the roof deck.
The second structural fact is the retail. About 9,600 square feet of the building's roughly 68,700 square feet is commercial — a ground floor and lower level fronting West 19th Street. The commercial area alone does not establish ownership of the retail interest, actual rent received or a subsidy to residential maintenance. Confirm the corporation's interest, any current leases and collection history, lease expirations, and the budget effect of a vacancy. The corporation's own financial statements answer those questions; the public record does not.
The third is the recorded financing history. The underlying mortgage was refinanced in October 2016 at $1,400,000, with a $250,000 line alongside it — roughly $67,000 per residential unit against apartments trading in the low millions. The 2016 loan amounts do not establish current leverage or available credit. Review current debt, reserves, loan terms and planned capital work before evaluating funding through a line, assessments or new borrowing.
Architecture and unit composition
The building presents a dark two-story base beneath a lighter rusticated upper facade, eight stories of loft fenestration across a 120-foot frontage. It reads as one building and operates as one cooperative on a single consolidated tax lot, but contemporary records show it began as at least two structures: an eight-story loft at 139–141 planned in 1906 and an adjoining seven-story factory at 143–149. When and how they were joined has not been traced.
Interiors are loft interiors: high ceilings, exposed masonry and structural elements in many apartments, large window openings on the street and rear elevations, and layouts that were cut from open floor plates rather than laid out as apartments. Because floors were subdivided differently over time and several apartments have been combined — Department of Buildings filings record a combination of units 2D and 3SW by internal stair in 2009, among others — the mix is genuinely irregular. There is no line-by-line consistency in this building, and comparables must be drawn unit by unit.
Facade restoration was carried out in 2008 under a full sidewalk shed and hoist, and parapet, roof and cap-flashing work followed in 2018.
Building operations
Self-service: one elevator (replaced in recent years per management-sourced records), a furnished common roof deck, a bike room, and video intercom. There is no doorman and no attended lobby; reconcile current staffing costs and any commercial income with the audited statements before assessing maintenance.
The certificate of occupancy is worth attention. In April 2009 the cooperative filed an Alteration Type 1 application to amend the certificate of occupancy, principally to change the first floor from a cultural establishment to a store. A permit was issued in 2010. The Department of Buildings then issued a run of temporary certificates of occupancy against that job between June 2016 and November 2018 — the last one on November 28, 2018, showing 18 dwelling units. No final certificate of occupancy appears in the published record for that job. This is not unusual for a small cooperative that filed an amendment and never closed it out, and the pre-existing certificate governs the parts of the building the job did not touch. It is nonetheless a live diligence item: a purchaser's attorney should ask the managing agent for the current certificate of occupancy and the open-job status before contract.
Policy framework
Ownership form: Cooperative. Purchase is a share transfer accompanied by an assignment of the proprietary lease, subject to a board package and an interview. Every closing in this building recorded in ACRIS is a share transfer, which is what a real cooperative looks like in the public record.
Financing: Up to 80 percent permitted, 20 percent minimum down, per listing records. That is a permissive ceiling by Manhattan cooperative standards and widens the buyer pool materially relative to a 50 percent building.
Pied-à-terre and subletting: Permitted with conditions; listing records describe both as case-by-case with board approval. "Case-by-case" is not a policy; it is the absence of one. Ask the managing agent for the sublet rule as written in the house rules, including any seasoning requirement, term cap and sublet fee.
Pets: Permitted per management-sourced records.
Flip tax: Not documented in public records. Small cooperatives frequently carry one and just as frequently do not publish it. Confirm before pricing.
Trusts, LLCs and guarantors: Not documented; confirm in the proprietary lease, house rules and application instructions, and obtain the answer in writing before an offer is structured around them.
Taxes: The exemption roll shows no exemption; confirm against the building's tax bill. Underwrite the current real estate tax component of maintenance.
Financing and purchase requirements
- Maximum financing
- 80% of the purchase priceSource: The Roebling Team's building profile
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.
Sublet and pied-à-terre policy
A condominium owner leasing a unit and a co-op shareholder subletting are different rules, and a building-wide rule is different from a restriction on one apartment. This is the building's rule; confirm it for the specific apartment.
- Subletting by shareholders
- Permitted with conditionsBoard approvalSource: The Roebling Team's building profile
- Pied-à-terre ownership
- Permitted with conditionsCase by case, board discretionSource: The Roebling Team's building profile
Considering an apartment here? Send Corey the listing to discuss the sublet and pied-à-terre rules for that apartment.
Pets and in-unit washer/dryer
- Pets
- Pets permitted with conditions; species not statedPermitted per management-sourced records — confirm any weight or breed rules in the house rulesSource: 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.
Building staffing and amenities
- Doorman
- No doormanSource: The Roebling Team's building profile
- Virtual or video entry
- YesSource: The Roebling Team's building profile
- Elevator
- YesSource: NYC Department of City Planning records (PLUTO)
- Amenities noted
- Roof deck, bike storageSource: 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
- $8,417/yr
- Per unit / month range
- $0 – $33
- Modeled exposure split equally across 21 units (the residential count on the city's lot record). Not an assessed amount; co-op shareholders are typically charged by share allocation.
Source: NYC LL84 benchmarking and PLUTO · The Roebling Research Library. City data last refreshed September 2026.
See full Local Law 97 analysis — emissions history, scenarios, methodology →Facade safety — Local Law 11
The latest available FISP filing classified the facade as Safe — no repairs were required at that inspection. A filed Safe grade is not a guarantee of current condition: owners still maintain the facade and, where required, observe parapets each year. Future inspection timing (Local Law 49 of 2025 changed the cycle framework from October 1, 2026), repair and any assessment decisions remain building-specific.
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 2025–30. 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 September 2026.
Recent sales
139 West 19th Street trades as a large-format prewar loft cooperative — priced on volume and room count rather than on amenity. The building's recorded share transfers span a wide band because the apartments do: small upper-floor units and penthouse studios sit at one end of the range and full-floor and combined lofts at the other. Test price differences against matched Chelsea condominiums and smaller prewar walk-up cooperatives, adjusting for area, condition, services, carrying costs, ownership terms and sale date; tenure and staffing alone do not establish a discount or premium.
Compare total sale prices with consistent room counts and reliable floor areas, adjusting for renovation condition alongside address, layout, exposure and sale date. A specific renovation-related price spread requires matched transaction evidence. Unit-level transaction history is maintained in The Roebling Research Library and shared with clients during diligence.
Recent transfers 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 5, 2026 | 4NE | 3 BR · 2 BA · 2,500 sf | $2,250,000 | $900/sf | +0.0% |
| Aug 24, 2024 | 2A | 1 BR · 2 BA · 1,200 sf | $2,160,000 | $1,800/sf | +0.5% |
| Nov 15, 2022 | 5SW | 3 BR · 2 BA · 3,178 sf | $3,700,000 | $1,164/sf | -11.9% |
| Feb 15, 2022 | 3SW2D | 4 BR · 4 BA · 3,853 sf | $5,425,000 | $1,408/sf | -1.1% |
| Aug 31, 2016 | 2A | 1 BR · 1,200 sf | $2,000,000 | $1,667/sf | +5.5% |
| May 20, 2016 | PH8E | 2 BR | $3,700,000 | -5.0% | |
| Apr 19, 2011 | 3SW | 3 BR · 3,000 sf | $1,600,000 | $533/sf | — |
| Sep 5, 2010 | PHPENTHSE7NE | 4 BR · 3,000 sf | $2,575,000 | $858/sf | — |
Market read. Most recent trades (2026 to date) cleared a median $900/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 0.5% 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 1-00795-0014). 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 on co-ops is not officially recorded, figures shown are approximate.
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What to know if you’re buying
Underwrite the commercial lease, not just the apartment. Roughly a seventh of the building's floor area is classified as commercial; confirm the corporation's ownership interest and any rent actually received. Ask for the lease, the expiration, the escalation schedule and the corporation's plan if the tenant leaves. Evaluate the lease exposure alongside staffing, taxes, debt service and the full capital plan before ranking its effect on future maintenance.
Update the 2016 financing record. The recorded $1.4 million mortgage and $250, 000 credit line are historical amounts. Read current audited statements and lender records for balances, available credit, maturities, reserves and any assessments.
Get the certificate of occupancy status in writing. The 2009 amendment produced temporary certificates through 2018 and no final. Have your attorney resolve it with the managing agent rather than assume it away.
The apartments are large and irregular. Do not price this building on a per-square-foot average. Combinations, penthouse units and full-floor plates trade on entirely different math, and the roof deck is a shared amenity, not private outdoor space.
80 percent financing is the pool-widener. Run the Co-op Board Qualification Calculator before offering — a permissive financing ceiling does not mean a permissive board on post-closing liquidity, and the two are underwritten separately.
What to know if you’re selling
Lead with scale and ceiling height. Document the specific loft's measured area and ceiling heights, and compare them with matched Chelsea condominium inventory. Compare actual carrying costs and layouts rather than inferring an advantage from construction era or tenure.
Prepare the board package before you list. Confirm board composition and current application instructions. Assemble the financial statements, house rules and sublet policy in advance so buyers can review them; the shareholder count does not establish the board's style or guarantee a shorter closing.
Be forthright about the certificate of occupancy and the retail. Buyers' counsel will find both. Presenting them with the corporation's own answer is a materially better outcome than letting them surface in diligence.
Price the line, not the building. Penthouse and full-floor units clear at a different level than lower-floor apartments here. Run the Renovation Cost Calculator against the condition of your specific apartment before setting an ask.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering 139 West 19th Street, also evaluate:
- 121 West 19th Street — the condominium on the same tax block; the condo alternative with different policy and financing rules
- 142 West 19th Street — condominium directly across the street on the south-side block; compare tenure, building scale and the specific apartment
- 130 West 19th Street — Chelsea condominium nearby; new-development economics on the same street
- 16 West 19th Street — Flatiron-edge loft building on the same street; the eastern comparable
- 27 West 19th Street — nearby West 19th Street comparison; verify construction history and designation scope
- 210 West 19th Street — Chelsea building west of Seventh Avenue; compare ownership terms and apartment layouts
- 241 West 19th Street — West Chelsea building; verify ownership terms and matched prices
- 100 Seventh Avenue — Seventh Avenue prewar cooperative; full-service alternative nearby
- 160 Seventh Avenue — Chelsea cooperative on the avenue; doorman building for buyers who want staff
More Chelsea buildings
- 133 West 22nd Street — 2008 condominium by CetraRuddy Architects
- 136 West 17th Street — new-construction condominium
- 136 West 23rd Street — 1889 condominium
- 140 West 22nd Street — 1911 condominium
- Chadwin House (140 Seventh Avenue) — 1962 condominium by Horace Ginsbern & Associates
- 141 West 24th Street (The Glassworks) — 1901 condominium
The neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, transit, and pricing across Chelsea — read The Roebling Team Guide to Chelsea.
The full playbook — what goes in the package, how boards read your financials, the interview, and the timeline — plus sample cover, reference, and personal letters you can adapt.
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 139 West 19th Street?
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646.939.7375 · c.cohen@compass.com