159 West 53rd Street (Tower 53)
159 West 53rd Street, New York, NY 10019
BBL 1010067501 · BIN 1023166
- Year built
- 1968
- Type
- Condominium
- Units
- About 209
- Floors
- 37
- Landmark status
- Not an individual landmark; not in a historic district
- NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission and City Planning records, updated February 2026
- Leasing by owners
- Permitted with conditions
- Dogs
- Permitted with conditions
- Cats
- Not stated
- Washer/dryer
- Not permitted
- Doorman
- Full-time doorman
Every recorded sale at this building, 2003–2026
Price-per-square-foot over time, the line- and floor-premium curves, and every recorded sale.
- Median $/sf, 2026 to date
- $1,254
- floor-adjusted, 1 sale
- Listing discount
- 2.9%
- Recorded sales
- 212
- On record
- 2003–2026
Own an apartment here? See what it would sell for.
A Private Pricing Opinion — what your apartment at Tower 53 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.
159 West 53rd Street — Tower 53 — is a quintessential Midtown West full-service condominium. Completed in 1968, the building rises roughly 37 to 38 stories and holds approximately 209 residential units, making it one of the larger postwar condominium addresses in the corridor. It trades on location and views rather than architectural flash: a full-service building, steps from Carnegie Hall, MoMA, and the Theater District, and a short walk to the southern edge of Central Park.
The building's proposition is straightforward. Buyers who want a doorman building with skyline outlooks — below the price points of the ultra-luxury new construction a few blocks north and west — have long found Tower 53 a practical fit. Mid- and high-floor units, many with open city or Central Park views, are the primary draw, and the listed full-service amenities can be compared with specific alternatives without assuming smaller buildings cannot provide them.
A note for buyers and search: Tower 53 at 159 West 53rd Street is a different and separate building from the newer tower at 53 West 53rd Street. The two are frequently conflated; they are not the same address or the same building.
Architecture and unit composition
Tower 53 is a postwar high-rise — its value is in altitude, light, and views rather than ornament. The building's height delivers wide Midtown outlooks, with upper-floor units capturing Central Park and skyline exposures depending on orientation. The unit mix runs to studios, one-bedrooms, and two-bedrooms, with footage typically in the high hundreds to low thousands of square feet per apartment.
Because the building is large and the floor plates are stacked, the value map runs vertically: higher floors and better exposures command premiums, while lower and interior units price below. The postwar construction supports central air and a consistent, efficient layout language across the building.
Building operations
159 West 53rd Street operates as a full-service condominium with a 24-hour doorman, concierge, an on-site parking garage, a common roof deck, on-site laundry, and central air. The building provides the listed services, and common charges include gas and electric utilities.
As with any condominium, common charges and property taxes drive the monthly carry. Dogs are permitted up to roughly 35 pounds, with certain breeds excluded. The Roebling Research Library can provide the offering plan, current rules, and recent financials during due diligence.
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
3 items
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Processing Fee | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $500 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Credit Check FeePer applicant | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $200 per applicant | Refundable Non-refundable |
Deposits
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations DepositConditional | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $1000 if applicable | Refundable Not stated |
Rental or lease
3 items
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Processing Fee | Paid by Tenant | When With the application | Amount $200 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Bedbug Inspection Fee | Paid by Tenant | When With the application | Amount $350 | Refundable Non-refundable |
Deposits
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Move-In Deposit | Paid by Tenant | When With the application | Amount $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.
Financing and purchase requirements
- Guarantors
- Permitted with conditionsHandled case by caseSource: building management's published schedule, as of September 2026
- Co-purchasing
- Permitted with conditionsHandled case by caseSource: building management's published schedule, as of September 2026
- Parent buying for an employed child
- Permitted with conditionsHandled case by caseSource: building management's published schedule, as of September 2026
- Parent buying for a student child
- Permitted with conditionsHandled case by caseSource: building management's published schedule, as of September 2026
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.
- Leasing by owners
- Permitted with conditionsMust submit copy of lease lease must be for a minimum of 1 year. Signed house rule acknowledgement, $200 lease fee, $500 move in deposit, $350 bedbug fee.Source: building management's published schedule, as of September 2026
- Short-term rentals
- Not permittedSource: building management's published schedule, as of September 2026
- Pied-à-terre ownership
- Not verified
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
- Dogs
- Permitted with conditionsWith Board approval. No dogs over 35 lbs. Chows, Rottweilers, Pitt-Bulls and Dobermans are not permitted.Source: building management's published schedule, as of September 2026
- Cats
- Not statedThe source permits pets without naming cats.Source: building management's published schedule, as of September 2026
- In-unit washer/dryer
- Not permittedSource: building management's published schedule, as of September 2026
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
- $596 per room a monthMedian of 15 recorded sales since October 2023Source: recorded sales, refreshed October 2026
- Common charges + taxes, per square foot
- $2.65 per square foot a monthMedian of 15 recorded sales since October 2023Source: recorded sales, refreshed October 2026
- Common charges alone, per square foot
- $1.35 per square foot a monthMedian of 27 listings since October 2023 that give the annual taxSource: listing records, refreshed October 2026
- Real estate taxes alone, per square foot
- $1.37 per square foot a monthMedian of 27 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
- Concierge
- YesSource: recent listing records
- Elevator
- YesSource: NYC Department of Buildings elevator records
- Amenities noted
- Roof deck, garageSource: 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
- $316,183/yr
- Per unit / month range
- $0 – $126
- Modeled exposure split equally across 209 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).
Source: NYC DOB facade filings (FISP) · The Roebling Research Library. City data last refreshed October 2026.
Recent sales
Sales here price on a price-per-square-foot basis, as with any condominium, and Tower 53 trades as a mid-market Midtown West product. The value map is vertical: floor height and exposure are the primary drivers, with high-floor park- or skyline-facing units commanding clear premiums over lower, interior inventory. Typical units run roughly 900 to 930 square feet, with closings historically clustering in the four-figure-per-square-foot range — meaningfully below the new-development pricing nearby. Treat single comparables cautiously; in a large building, line and altitude produce a wide spread, so price by exposure, floor, and condition together.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 30, 2026 | 15B | 2 BR · 2 BA · 863 sf | $1,125,000 | $1,304/sf | -5.9% |
| Nov 26, 2025 | 27H | 2 BR · 1.5 BA · 900 sf | $1,050,000 | $1,167/sf | +0.0% |
| Jul 14, 2025 | 28H | 2 BR · 1.5 BA · 900 sf | $1,050,000 | $1,167/sf | +2.4% |
| Jun 13, 2025 | 14C | 1 BR · 1 BA · 589 sf | $695,000 | $1,180/sf | +0.0% |
| Apr 25, 2025 | 16E | 2 BR · 2 BA · 1,213 sf | $1,500,000 | $1,237/sf | +0.0% |
| Mar 21, 2025 | 15H | 2 BR · 1.5 BA · 900 sf | $980,000 | $1,089/sf | -1.5% |
| Jan 30, 2025 | 28E | 2 BR · 2 BA · 1,213 sf | $1,625,000 | $1,340/sf | -7.1% |
| Nov 20, 2024 | 35A | 1 BR · 1 BA · 500 sf | $585,000 | $1,170/sf | -1.7% |
Market read. Most recent trades (2026 to date) cleared a median $1,254/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 2.9% 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 1-01006-7501; 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 Tower 53, last 36 months
| Size | Leases | Median / month |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | 2 | $3,450 |
| 1 bedroom | 14 | $4,100 |
| 2 bedroom | 4 | $5,550 |
20 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 Tower 53 and nearby.
At the recent median sale of $1.05M (8 sales in the past 24 months, since November 3, 2024), a buyer putting 25% down would pay about $47,652 to close, or 4.5% of the price.
- Mansion tax: $10,500
- Mortgage recording tax: $15,159
- Title insurance: $4,725
- Attorneys, lender, building fees, reserves and filings: $17,268
Assumes a resale (the seller pays transfer taxes), a $4,500 attorney fee and a mortgage on the rest.
Keep up with Tower 53 and its market
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What to know if you’re buying
Floor and exposure are everything. In a postwar tower, altitude and orientation drive value. View the specific unit and confirm the exposure — park, skyline, or interior.
Common charges include utilities. Gas and electric are bundled into common charges, which lowers the separately billed monthly cost — factor it into the true carry.
Don't confuse it with 53 West 53rd. Tower 53 at 159 West 53rd is a separate, postwar building; 53 West 53rd Street is a different, newer tower.
Model the full carry. Common charges + property taxes + any utilities billed separately (gas and electric are in the common charges) + insurance. Run any purchase near a mansion-tax threshold through the Mansion Tax Calculator.
Condo flexibility is real. The process is financing-friendly; roughly 30–45 days is a closing estimate.
What to know if you’re selling
Lead with light and location. The pitch is full-service Midtown access plus high-floor outlooks at a sub-trophy price point.
Price by exposure and floor. In a large building, comparables must match orientation and altitude, not just unit type.
Clarify the building, not the neighbor. Be explicit in marketing that this is Tower 53 at 159 West 53rd — distinct from the newer 53 West 53rd tower.
Closing estimate. Roughly 30–45 days from contract to closing.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering 159 West 53rd Street, also evaluate:
- Essex House — Central Park South condominium within a landmark tower
- 50 Central Park South — full-service condominium on the park frontage
- 50 West 66th Street — full-service condominium tower with skyline outlooks
- 1031 Sixth Avenue — mixed-use Midtown condominium with high-floor views
- 1600 Broadway — Times Square condominium with full-service Midtown positioning
More Theater District buildings
- 150 West 55th Street — 1923 co-op by Schwartz & Gross
- 1600 Broadway — 2005 condominium
- The Park Imperial, 230 West 56th Street — 2002 condominium by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
The neighborhood
For the full neighborhood — its buildings, character, and market — read The Roebling Team Guide to Theater District.
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 Tower 53?
Request a private building brief with the relevant comparable sales, current and off-market availability, and an apartment-specific view of value.
646.939.7375 · c.cohen@compass.com