- Year built
- 1986
- Type
- Condominium
- Units
- 54
- Floors
- 23
- Landmark
- No
- Pets
- Small pets permitted under condominium rules
- Subletting
- Permitted under the condominium declaration; confirm current terms at offer stage
- Pied-à-terre
- Allowed
Every recorded sale at this building, 2004–2024
Price-per-square-foot over time, the line- and floor-premium curves, and every recorded sale.
- Median $/sf
- $964
- Listing discount
- 5.4%
- Recorded sales
- 24
- On record
- 2004–2024
The Bentley is one of the more recognizable towers on the Kips Bay / Murray Hill edge: a 23-story, dark-red-brick condominium built in 1986, distinguished by the rounded corners that give the building its silhouette and give its apartments the wraparound light and angled exposures that come with a curved façade. At 54 residences across 23 stories, it is a true high-rise condominium — the height delivers open views and strong light from the upper floors that low- and mid-rise neighbors cannot match.
For buyers, the building's argument is condominium flexibility combined with full-service operation and a genuinely useful amenity: an on-site parking garage, a rarity at this price point and this location. A full-time doorman, a live-in superintendent, and an elevator round out the service package.
The location is central East Side: a short walk to the 6 at 33rd Street, close to Murray Hill and Kips Bay dining and services, and within easy reach of Midtown and Gramercy.
Architecture and unit composition
The 54 residences distribute across 23 stories in a dark-red-brick high-rise envelope, with the building's signature rounded corners producing curved-glass exposures and wraparound light in the corner lines. The unit mix runs from studios and one-bedrooms through larger two-bedroom layouts, with some apartments carrying private terraces — a meaningful differentiator within the building.
As with any condominium of this vintage, renovation quality varies apartment to apartment and, together with floor, exposure, and outdoor access, drives most of the pricing spread. The upper-floor and terraced lines command the premium.
Building operations
The Bentley operates as a full-service condominium: a full-time doorman, a live-in superintendent, an on-site parking garage, resident storage, central laundry, and an elevator. Washer-dryers are permitted in units, and the building allows small pets under condominium rules. There is no dedicated gym or roof deck, but the on-site garage and full doorman staffing set it apart from smaller boutique buildings nearby.
As a 1980s high-rise, the mechanical systems and envelope are mid-life; as with any condominium, buyers should review current financial statements, the reserve study, board minutes, and any active or planned capital projects — façade, elevators, and garage systems in particular — during due diligence.
Recent sales
The Bentley prices as a full-service East Side condominium, read on a dollars-per-square-foot basis. Recent closed sales have run roughly in the high-$900s to around $1,000 per square foot, with the unit-level variables — floor, exposure, whether a residence is a corner or terraced line, outdoor access, and finish condition — driving most of the spread. Upper-floor apartments with open views and terraced units command the premium; lower-floor interior lines trade below the building average.
As a condominium, comparable analysis is best read at the apartment level rather than against a single building-wide number. Specific recent figures should be confirmed against current recorded transfers at offer stage.
Recent closings 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 9, 2024 | 3C | 2 BR · 1 BA · 825 sf | $800,000 | $970/sf | -8.6% |
| Jun 29, 2023 | 22AB | 2 BR · 2.5 BA · 1,744 sf | $2,185,000 | $1,253/sf | +1.6% |
| Jan 20, 2022 | 17 | 3 BR · 1,776 sf | $1,750,000 | $985/sf | -5.4% |
| Oct 28, 2021 | 5D | 1 BR · 2 BA · 789 sf | $850,000 | $1,077/sf | +0.1% |
| Oct 1, 2021 | 8B | 1 BR · 1 BA · 656 sf | $750,000 | $1,143/sf | off-mkt |
| Sep 30, 2021 | 6A | 1 BR · 539 sf | $560,000 | $1,039/sf | -3.3% |
| Sep 17, 2021 | 18B | 2 BR · 2 BA · 1,075 sf | $1,222,000 | $1,137/sf | -5.6% |
| Jul 15, 2020 | 4C | 2 BR · 816 sf | $720,000 | $882/sf | -8.3% |
Market read. Most recent trades (2024) cleared a median $964/sf across 1 sale. Median listing discount 5.4% 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 26, 2019 | 5B | $750,000 |
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 1-00886-7502) 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 from recorded condo declarations and offering plans.
What to know if you’re buying
Height and exposure are the assets. A 23-story tower with rounded corners delivers light and views the low-rise neighbors cannot. Confirm exactly what a given line sees and how high it sits.
The garage is a genuine differentiator. On-site parking is rare at this location and price point. If a parking space matters to you, confirm availability, cost, and whether it conveys or is licensed separately.
Condo flexibility is real. 30–45 day closings; pied-à-terre, investment, LLC, trust, and foreign-buyer purchases are permitted under the declaration; subletting is allowed. Confirm current sublet rules with management at offer stage.
Condition and terraces drive price. Renovation quality and outdoor access are primary variables. Inspect finishes and price terraced and corner lines distinctly.
Mansion tax may apply. At the upper end of the building's pricing the mansion tax and its cliff thresholds can be in play. Run pricing through the Mansion Tax Calculator.
What to know if you’re selling
Lead with the view and the light. For upper-floor and corner lines, the height and wraparound exposure are the headline. Photography should foreground the outlook.
Market terraces distinctly. Terraced residences are their own sub-market within the building and should be presented accordingly.
Closing timelines are condo-fast. 30–45 days from contract to closing.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering 159 East 30th Street, also evaluate the broader Gramercy, Kips Bay, and Murray Hill condominium market — full-service post-war and later towers where floor, exposure, outdoor access, and finish condition drive apartment-level pricing more than any building-wide average.
The Roebling Team at The Bentley
The Roebling Team at Compass works across the Gramercy, Kips Bay, and Murray Hill condominium market. We publish this profile because buyers and sellers deserve building-specific intelligence: architecture, operations, and pricing read at the apartment level, not generic market commentary.
If you're considering a purchase or sale at 159 East 30th Street, a 30-minute consultation is the right starting point. We'll bring the full context this page provides plus the transactional specifics your situation requires.
The neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, schools, transit, and pricing across Gramercy — read The Roebling Team Guide to Gramercy.
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