19 East 88th Street
19 East 88th Street / 1220-26 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10128
Carnegie Hill, Upper East Side
BBL 1015000015 · BIN 1046952
- Year built
- 1937
- Type
- Cooperative
- Floors
- 15
- Flip tax
- 2%, buyer-paid
Every recorded sale at this building, 2003–2026
Bedroom-by-bedroom medians, the full transfer record, and how units trade against ask.
- 2BR median
- $1.6M
- Recent range
- $610K – $2.6M
- Listing discount
- 1.1%
- Recorded transfers
- 73
19 East 88th Street is one of the most architecturally distinctive late Art Deco cooperatives in Carnegie Hill — designed in 1935-36 by William M. Dowling for Nathaniel Wallenstein and completed in 1937. Published architectural histories provide an unusually complete architectural and resident record of the building.
The building's signature is its late Art Deco composition — architectural historians describe "triple-height fluted pilasters on either side of the entrance that terminated in stylized scallop designs," an address "announced in jazzy Art Deco figures within the spandrel," chamfered corner casement windows, and "streamlined terrace and balcony railings [that] have been compared by architectural historians to ocean liner designs." Behind that facade is a densely documented resident roster — investment publisher Russell Field Prudden (founder of Prudden's Digest); Broadway playwright Allen Boretz (co-author of Room Service); architect Daniel Paul Higgins (Eggers & Higgins, designer of Jefferson Memorial interiors); and union leader Jacob Potofsky (president, Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America). Carrying the building into the present is a recently renovated amenity layer, with a newly landscaped rooftop terrace and a new fitness center.
The original 1937 advertising copy: "ultra-modern new building"; "town residence for a selected tenancy"; "individually planned — No two alike!"
Local Law 97
- 2024–2029 annual penalty
- $0 (under cap)
- 2030–2034 annual penalty
- $6,895/yr
- Per unit / month range
- $0 – $6
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 purchase price (seller)
- Sublet policy
- Corporate sublet fee $2/share/mo yr1 escalating to $4/share/mo; move-out $1,500
- Notable fees
- Move-in $1,500 + $1,000 deposit; closing $850 ($1,100 mail); electrical upgrade $5,000
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 9, 2026 | 9C | 2 BR · 1.5 BA · 1,366 sf | $1,650,000 | $1,208/sf | +0.1% |
| Jun 3, 2026 | 15G | 2 BR · 2 BA · 1,785 sf | $2,650,000 | $1,485/sf | -10.2% |
| May 8, 2026 | 4H | 1 BR · 1 BA · 1,000 sf | $850,000 | $850/sf | +0.0% |
| Sep 18, 2025 | 3H | 1 BR · 1 BA · 1,009 sf | $885,000 | $877/sf | -1.1% |
| Jul 21, 2025 | 7C | 2 BR · 1.5 BA · 1,325 sf | $1,370,000 | $1,034/sf | -8.7% |
| Jun 10, 2025 | 10D | 1 BR · 1 BA | $895,000 | +0.0% | |
| Apr 7, 2025 | 7A | 3 BR · 3.5 BA | $2,490,000 | -0.4% | |
| Jun 24, 2024 | 3C | 1 BA | $635,000 | -2.3% |
Market read. Most recent trades (2026) cleared a median $1,154/sf across 3 sales. 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.
Other recent transfers
| Date | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 28, 2007 | 14B | $587,500 |
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 1-01500-0015) 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 Dowling late Art Deco composition is structurally distinguishing. No peer Carnegie Hill cross-street building carries the same architectural-history depth — the building has drawn canonical published treatment from architectural historians.
The original 1937 marketing language — "individually planned — No two alike!" — is reflected in the apartment-line variance. Verify line-specific configuration during walkthrough.
The newly renovated fitness center and landscaped rooftop terrace are real recent capital improvements. Position accordingly.
The 50% financing maximum and 2% buyer-paid flip tax are operational realities. Factor into carrying-cost and net-proceeds calculations.
The historical resident roster — Boretz, Potofsky, Higgins, Prudden — supports cultural-history positioning.
Closing timelines are cooperative-standard. Plan for 6 to 10 weeks from contract through board approval to closing.
Comparable buildings
- 4 East 88th Street — 1922 Georgian Revival; same-block Carnegie Hill peer
- 14 East 90th Street — Carpenter 1928; nearby Carnegie Hill peer
- 12 East 87th Street (The Capitol) — Blum & Blum 1910-12; nearby Carnegie Hill peer
- 21 East 87th Street — Roth 1927; nearby Carnegie Hill peer
- 60 East 88th Street (The Saratoga) — Beyer Blinder Belle 1987; same-block Carnegie Hill peer
Sources: The Roebling Research Library (offering plans, house rules, financial statements, board minutes, internal transaction records); NYC Department of Finance recorded transfers; publicly recorded NYC building data.
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 19 East 88th Street?
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 19 East 88th Street 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.