163 East 81st Street
163 East 81st Street, New York, NY 10028
Upper East Side
BBL 1015100030 · BIN 1047567
- Year built
- 1927
- Type
- Cooperative
- Landmark
- No
Every recorded sale at this building, 2003–2026
Bedroom-by-bedroom medians, the full transfer record, and how units trade against ask.
- 2BR median
- $1.8M
- Recent range
- $735K – $2.5M
- Listing discount
- 0.0%
- Recorded transfers
- 58
163 East 81st Street is a pre-war cooperative with two strong claims: a respected architectural pedigree and an unusually early conversion. Designed by Schwartz & Gross — one of the most prolific and accomplished pre-war apartment-house firms in New York, responsible for landmark buildings on Park, Central Park West, and across the East and West Sides — it was completed in 1927 with the firm's characteristic masonry confidence: red brick over a limestone base, Romanesque-influenced detailing, and an arched limestone entrance surround that gives the building real street presence on a Yorkville-edge block.
It then became a cooperative remarkably early, in 1947, decades before the great conversion wave of the 1970s and 80s. That long co-op history shows in the building's settled, owner-occupied character and the maturity of its governance. The location pairs Carnegie Hill quiet with Yorkville convenience — Museum Mile and Central Park to the west, the Lexington Avenue and Second Avenue subways and the neighborhood's dense restaurant and retail blocks all within easy reach.
At 42 apartments, it is a mid-sized full-service co-op with the staffing and shared spaces buyers on the East Side expect.
Architecture and unit composition
The Schwartz & Gross facade is the building's signature: red brick rising from a limestone base, Romanesque-style masonry detailing, and an arched limestone surround framing the entrance — a dignified, well-mannered pre-war front that reads as a peer to the firm's better-known work nearby. It is a substantial building of its 1927 vintage rather than a glassy newcomer, and it sits comfortably among the masonry stock that defines this corner of the Upper East Side.
Across 42 residences the layouts run to gracious pre-war proportions. Many apartments retain the features that draw buyers to this era: wood-burning fireplaces, high beamed ceilings, classic moldings, and the deep light-and-air of pre-war construction. The mix spans comfortable one- and two-bedroom homes to larger family-sized layouts.
Building operations
163 East 81st Street is a full-service cooperative. A full-time doorman staffs the entrance, a live-in superintendent runs the building, and shareholders share a laundry room, bicycle storage, individual storage units, and a children's playroom — a family-friendly amenity set for a building of this size.
The co-op's policies are clearly defined and favorable: it permits pets and allows pieds-à-terre, allows up to 50% financing, and carries a 2% flip tax paid by the buyer on resale. Purchases proceed through a standard board application and interview. The combination of pet and pied-à-terre flexibility with a long, stable co-op history makes this an accessible building for a range of buyers, including part-time New Yorkers.
Local Law 97
- 2024–2029 annual penalty
- $0 (under cap)
- 2030–2034 annual penalty
- $0 (under cap)
- Per unit / month range
- —
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 →Management & transfer contacts
- Flip tax
- 2% of sales price (Seller)
- Sublet policy
- Allowed
- Notable fees
- App Processing $700; Credit Check $120/applicant; Move-in/Move-out deposit $500 each; Max financing 50%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 17, 2026 | 8C | 2 BR · 1 BA | $995,000 | -2.9% | |
| Apr 22, 2026 | 2B | 3 BR · 3 BA | $1,690,000 | +2.4% | |
| Feb 19, 2026 | 4A | 2 BR · 2.5 BA | $2,550,000 | +6.5% | |
| Oct 6, 2025 | 3A | 2 BR · 2 BA | $1,825,000 | +1.4% | |
| Sep 29, 2025 | 6C | 2 BR · 1 BA | $970,000 | -15.7% | |
| Feb 26, 2025 | 3D | 1 BR · 1 BA · 860 sf | $735,000 | $855/sf | +0.0% |
| Nov 6, 2024 | 9A | 2 BR · 2.5 BA | $1,625,000 | -7.1% | |
| Nov 15, 2023 | 2A | 2 BR · 2 BA | $1,695,000 | +0.0% |
Market read. $/sf is measured on the latest sales with reliable square footage (2025): a median $855/sf across 1 sale. The building has traded as recently as 2026. Median listing discount 2.5% 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 1-01510-0030) 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 architecture and the early co-op history are the foundation here — a Schwartz & Gross building with wood-burning fireplaces and pre-war proportions, run as a settled cooperative since 1947. Confirm the specific layout, fireplace, and exposure, and review the building's reserves and any current assessments.
The policies are buyer-friendly by pre-war standards: 50% financing, pets, and pieds-à-terre all permitted. Budget the 2% buyer-paid flip tax into your acquisition costs, since it applies at purchase rather than sale here, and prepare a full board package for the application and interview. For a part-time buyer or a family, the mix of flexibility, amenities, and location is the core of the value.
What to know if you’re selling
Lead with the pedigree and the flexibility. A Schwartz & Gross pre-war co-op that permits pets, pieds-à-terre, and 50% financing reaches a broad buyer pool — including the part-time and pet-owning buyers more restrictive boards turn away. Highlight the fireplaces, the playroom, and the doorman service alongside the architecture.
Price to the specific home — floor, exposure, layout, fireplace, and condition — and prepare the board package early. Make the flip-tax structure clear to buyers up front (it is paid by the purchaser at closing), since transparency on closing costs keeps a deal on track. A well-positioned apartment here competes effectively in the Carnegie Hill / Yorkville market.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering 163 East 81st Street, these nearby Upper East Side cooperatives belong on the same list:
- 140 East 81st Street — full-service pre-war cooperative on the same block
- 133 East 80th Street — classic pre-war side-street co-op
- 151 East 83rd Street — pre-war cooperative in Carnegie Hill
- 140 East 83rd Street — full-service pre-war co-op nearby
- 175 East 82nd Street — Upper East Side cooperative a block south
The neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, schools, transit, and pricing across Upper East Side — read The Roebling Team Guide to Upper East Side.
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.
Considering a move at 163 E 81st St Corp.?
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 163 E 81st St Corp. 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.