- Year built
- 1968
- Type
- Condominium
- Units
- 209
- Floors
- 37
- Landmark
- No
- Pets
- Dogs permitted, up to roughly 35 pounds (certain breeds excluded)
- Subletting
- Permitted under the condominium declaration
- Pied-à-terre
- Allowed
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
- $1,254
- Listing discount
- 2.9%
- Recorded sales
- 213
- On record
- 2003–2026
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 building's scale supports the full-service amenity package that smaller buildings cannot.
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's scale supports a robust service package, 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.
Local Law 97
- 2024–2029 annual penalty
- $0 (under cap)
- 2030–2034 annual penalty
- $230,419/yr
- Per unit / month range
- $0 – $92
Facade safety — Local Law 11
The latest available filing classified the facade as SWARMP — Safe With A Repair and Maintenance Program: the engineer identified conditions requiring monitoring or repair before the next inspection cycle. The scope, timeline, and how the building funds the work are building-specific — we review the filings and board materials 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
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, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) cleared a median $1,254/sf across 1 sale. 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) 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
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 + utilities + insurance. Run any purchase near a mansion-tax threshold through the Mansion Tax Calculator.
Condo flexibility is real. Expect condo-fast closings (roughly 30–45 days) and a financing-friendly process.
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.
Closings are condo-fast. 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
The neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, schools, transit, and pricing across Flatiron — read The Roebling Team Guide to Flatiron.
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.
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.