170 East 78th Street (The Morgan Studios)
170 East 78th Street, New York, NY 10075
- Year built
- 1927
The Morgan Studios is one of the most architecturally distinctive small-scale prewar cooperatives on the Upper East Side — a 1927 Art Deco red-brick building originally constructed as artists' studios, with apartments configured for double-height living rooms, oversized north-facing windows, and the spatial-rhythm vocabulary derived from the Studio Building tradition (compare 130 West 56th, 27 West 67th, 131 East 66th, 14 East 75th).
The structural identity rests on three features. First, the artist-studio architectural program — apartments at 170 East 78th have prewar interior architectural quality (double-height living rooms, original casement windows, leaded glass) at significantly more accessible price points than the Park-and-Fifth Candela/Carpenter inventory. Second, the paired-studio-building urban context — the building shares its East 78th block configuration with a sister building (per Horsley, one story taller and one apartment larger), creating a distinctive small-cluster artist-studio district. Third, the David Duchovny and Téa Leoni resident overlay — per CityRealty editorial, the actors have been residents of the building.
Recent sales
Apartment-level closing detail should be sourced from NYC Department of Finance recorded transfers.
What to know if you’re buying
The artist-studio architectural program is structurally distinguishing. Double-height living rooms, original casement windows, leaded glass — prewar interior architectural quality at accessible Lenox Hill pricing.
The Art Deco facade with original multi-paned fenestration is real architectural integrity.
The 50% financing maximum is standard for prewar UES cooperatives.
The David Duchovny / Téa Leoni resident overlay supports cultural-history positioning.
The reserved amenity layer — no garage, health club, sidewalk landscaping, or roof deck — should be evaluated against buyer expectations.
The boutique 38-unit scale supports operational intimacy.
For design-oriented buyers seeking prewar interior architectural integrity at sub-trophy pricing, The Morgan Studios is a structural answer.
Comparable buildings
- 14 East 75th Street — Schwartz & Gross 1928-29 double-height living rooms; nearby studio-vocabulary Lenox Hill peer
- 180 East 79th Street — Schwartz & Gross 1929-30; nearby Lenox Hill peer
- 130 East 75th Street — Schwartz & Gross 1928; nearby Lenox Hill peer
- 200 East 83rd Street — nearby UES peer
- 30 East 76th Street — nearby Lenox Hill peer
The Roebling Team at The Morgan Studios
Corey Cohen · The Roebling Team at Compass 646.939.7375 · c.cohen@compass.com
Sources: CityRealty (Carter Horsley review, 2011); CityRealty building page; HL Realty building reference; Zillow building summary; Compass building page; NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission Upper East Side Historic District Designation Report (LP-1051, 1981); NYC Department of Finance recorded transfers.