- Year built
- 1893
- Type
- Cooperative
- Floors
- 8
- Landmark status
- Not an individual landmark; in the Sullivan-Thompson Historic District
- NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission records, updated February 2026
- Subletting by shareholders
- Permitted
- Pied-à-terre
- Permitted
- Pets
- Pets permitted; species and limits not stated
- Washer/dryer
- Permitted with conditions
- Maximum financing
- 75% of the purchase price
Every recorded sale at this building, 2004–2025
Price-per-square-foot over time, the line- and floor-premium curves, and every recorded sale.
- Median $/sf, 2025
- $1,157
- floor-adjusted, 1 sale
- Listing discount
- 4.9%
- Recorded sales
- 27
- On record
- 2004–2025
Own an apartment here? See what it would sell for.
A Private Pricing Opinion — what your apartment at 196 Sixth Avenue 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.
This building's history is unusual for the corridor: the co-op was built inside a police station. In 1893 the City put up a four-story station house here for the 10th Precinct, designed by Nathaniel Bush. LPC's records note that before 1919 the rear of the building was used for a time as a prison. The City sold the property around 1979–80, and the offering plan shows it kept a purchase-money first mortgage from December 1979. The sponsor bought the property in June 1983 and formed 196-Sixth Corp. that spring. Under Terrance R. Williams's design, everything above the first story was taken down and rebuilt to eight stories.
For a buyer, this means the building combines a nineteenth-century front at street level with a mid-1980s building above it. The original plumbing risers, elevator, wiring and apartment layouts date from the rebuild. The 1893 fabric is at the base and the stoop. This matters for underwriting. The building's systems date from about forty years ago, not 130; their current condition needs confirming in recent engineering reports. Its capital cycle looks like a 1980s building's: façade and parapet repairs, a new boiler, and fire-alarm and sprinkler upgrades. It does not look like a prewar house's.
The Sullivan-Thompson Historic District was designated in December 2016. It brought this blockfront under LPC review, but the Commission classed No. 196 as non-contributing because so little original fabric is left. Confirm scope-specific LPC review and permit requirements, including ordinary-maintenance exceptions; non-contributing status does not remove consideration of surviving fabric or district character.
Architecture and unit composition
The lot is 50 by 100 feet, and the building is about 50 by 94 feet, with roughly 32,700 square feet of residential floor area. The offering plan brought 20 apartments to market: four studios, eleven one-bedrooms and five two-bedrooms. The apartment numbers show how the rebuild divided the floors. There is a run of first-floor units (1A through 1F). Duplexes stack through the middle of the building (2–3C, 4–5B, 6/7C, 7/8A). A penthouse (PH9A) sits at the top.
The count has fallen since conversion. A 2005 DOB filing combined two existing duplexes into one four-level home running from the cellar through the third floor. Recent ACRIS transfers carry 1D with 2B, and 6B with 7B, as single conveyances. Other DOB filings cover duplex renovations, convenience stairs, terrace openings and routine kitchen and bath work. Apartments are separately metered for electricity, per the plan.
Building operations
J-51 benefits: started in 1987, now expired. The offering plan was written around the J-51 program. It projected a 12-year exemption from July 1, 1986, plus an abatement of part of the rehabilitation cost, and made the conversion's conditions part of the plan. City J-51 records show the benefit starting in the 1987 tax year. The abatement was used up by 1991. The exemption shrank each year and last appears in tax year 2000. The Department of Finance's current exemption records (2021–2027) show nothing for the building, and the 2027 roll shows no exempt value. Budget the real-estate-tax line at full cost. City records for 1999 and 2000 also show a second entry with different terms. It adds nothing today, but a buyer's attorney may ask about it.
Underlying mortgage. The co-op opened with a $1.5 million wraparound mortgage at 12.5 percent over the City's 1979 first mortgage. Since then it has refinanced several times through a series of lenders. The current loan in ACRIS was recorded January 29, 2020: a consolidated $2.5 million mortgage with TD Bank. The rate, amortization schedule and maturity date are not in the documents we hold. Compare current debt service with the full expense budget and share allocations before assessing its contribution to maintenance. Ask the managing agent for the note.
Proprietary lease term. The offering plan sets the proprietary lease to expire on December 31, 2031, extendable by a shareholder vote. Changing the lease form takes 75 percent of the shares. Many co-ops extend their leases, but a lease ending five years out affects share-loan underwriting. Confirm that it has been extended.
Rooftop and other income. ACRIS recorded a 2023 agreement between the co-op's lender and a wireless carrier. This usually means rooftop telecom equipment under a lease, which brings in income beyond maintenance. Ask for the lease terms.
Capital work on record. DOB filings cover stucco removal and an exterior insulation system with new parapet flashing and lintels on floors six through nine (2002). They also cover façade repairs in 2007, 2011 and 2016, a new boiler and burner (2009), a backflow preventer (2013), and a fire-alarm and sprinkler system (2016). The façade will need attention on every Local Law 11 inspection cycle. Ask where the current cycle stands.
Sponsor position. None of the records we reviewed show a remaining sponsor block. Share transfers since 2004 involve dozens of different buyers and sellers across the apartment list, which suggests the shares are widely held. Confirm with the managing agent whether any unsold shares remain.
Application and transaction fees
Fees below are from building management's published schedule, as of October 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 $550 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Move-In Fee | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $500 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Move-out Fee | Paid by Seller | When With the application | Amount $500 | Refundable Non-refundable |
Sublet
2 items
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Processing Fee | Paid by Subtenant | When With the application | Amount $350 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Move-In/Out Fee | Paid by Subtenant | When With the application | Amount $500 | Refundable Non-refundable |
Alteration
3 items
Major alteration
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Processing Fee | Paid by Resident | When With the application | Amount $400 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Association Alteration Review | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount $250 | Refundable Not stated |
Minor alteration
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Processing Fee | Paid by Resident | When With the application | Amount $0 | Refundable Non-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
- Maximum financing
- 75% of the purchase priceSource: building management's published schedule, as of October 2026
- Guarantors
- PermittedSource: building management's published schedule, as of October 2026
- Co-purchasing
- PermittedSource: building management's published schedule, as of October 2026
- Parent buying for an employed child
- PermittedSource: building management's published schedule, as of October 2026
- Parent buying for a student child
- PermittedSource: building management's published schedule, as of October 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.
- Subletting by shareholders
- PermittedSource: building management's published schedule, as of October 2026
- Pied-à-terre ownership
- PermittedSource: building management's published schedule, as of October 2026
- Short-term rentals
- Not permittedSource: building management's published schedule, as of October 2026
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
- Pets
- Pets permitted; species and limits not statedSource: building management's published schedule, as of October 2026
- In-unit washer/dryer
- Permitted with conditionsWith Board Approval onlySource: building management's published schedule, as of October 2026
Considering an apartment here? Send Corey the listing to confirm the pet and washer/dryer rules for that apartment.
Local Law 97
- 2024–2029 annual penalty
- $0 (under cap)
- 2030–2034 annual penalty
- $12,226/yr
- Per unit / month range
- $0 – $51
- Modeled exposure split equally across 20 units (the residential count on the city's lot record). Not an assessed amount; co-op shareholders are typically charged by share allocation.
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).
Penalties shown are amounts DOB assessed against filings on record across 2005–10 to 2020–25. The FISP dataset does not record whether they were paid, contested or remain open, so treat the figure as history rather than a current balance and confirm the building’s standing with the managing agent.
Source: NYC DOB facade filings (FISP) · The Roebling Research Library. City data last refreshed October 2026.
Recent sales
ACRIS has recorded share transfers here since 2004, running just over one a year. State the observation period and count before relying on that rate; 20 apartments at offering do not establish normal turnover or current comparable availability. Pricing depends on the apartment type: a first-floor unit, a mid-building duplex, a combined multi-level home and the penthouse are different products. Outdoor space and condition drive the rest. The building offers a small elevator co-op on Sixth Avenue in the South Village, with 1980s systems behind a landmark-district front. Unit-level transaction history is maintained in The Roebling Research Library and shared with clients during diligence.
Recent transfers 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 30, 2025 | 5A | 2 BR · 2 BA · 1,371 sf | $1,600,000 | $1,167/sf | -5.9% |
| Nov 22, 2024 | 4 | 1 BR · 1.5 BA · 1,254 sf | $1,950,000 | $1,555/sf | -2.5% |
| Aug 18, 2022 | 3A | 2 BR · 2 BA | $2,500,000 | -7.2% | |
| Oct 13, 2021 | 1B | 1 BR · 1.5 BA · 943 sf | $840,000 | $891/sf | -11.6% |
| Aug 24, 2021 | 1C | 1 BR · 1.5 BA | $1,190,000 | -6.7% | |
| Mar 25, 2021 | 6A | 2 BR · 2 BA | $1,861,000 | +0.6% | |
| Mar 18, 2020 | 2A | 2 BR · 2 BA | $1,800,000 | -4.0% | |
| Sep 24, 2018 | PH9A | 2 BR | $2,150,000 | -8.5% |
Market read. Most recent trades (2025) cleared a median $1,157/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 4.9% 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 1-00504-0014). 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 on co-ops is not officially recorded, figures shown are approximate.
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What to know if you’re buying
Get the lease term confirmed. The proprietary lease ends December 31, 2031 unless it has been extended. Your lender will check this, so ask before you order an appraisal.
Ask for the mortgage note. A $2.5 million consolidated loan was recorded in 2020, but its maturity was not established in the reviewed materials. Assess refinancing alongside the reserve, capital plan and other budget risks.
The J-51 has ended. It ended more than twenty years ago. A listing that mentions the J-51 is out of date; check the apartment's tax bill for any other abatement.
The board package is the gate. This is a share purchase, so expect a board package, an interview and board discretion. The September narrative review did not establish the full current policy set. A later management-attributed October 2026 panel reports 75% maximum financing and permits subletting, pied-à-terre use and pets. Reconcile those statements with the operative documents, including lease limits, pet rules, post-closing liquidity and any flip tax, before bidding. Run the Co-op Board Qualification Calculator on your own numbers. Ask whether the board allows purchases through a trust or an LLC, and whether it allows pied-à-terre ownership.
Exterior changes go through LPC. Non-contributing status does not guarantee easier review. Confirm scope-specific LPC requirements for windows, terraces or roof work, including ordinary-maintenance exceptions, and obtain any required approvals.
What to know if you’re selling
Tell the building's history. A co-op built inside an 1893 police station is easy to remember and easy to verify. The LPC report and the offering plan document it.
Settle the diligence questions before you list. Buyers will ask about the lease extension, the mortgage maturity, the telecom lease and the Local Law 11 status. If you have the answers ready, the board package moves faster.
Price the apartment type, not the building average. Duplexes, combined homes, first-floor units and the penthouse trade differently. Use comparables for the same type.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering 196 Sixth Avenue, also evaluate:
- 176 Sixth Avenue: One Vandam, the new-construction condominium at the south end of the same tax block
- 208 Avenue of the Americas: a nearby prewar cooperative to the north on Sixth Avenue
- 2 King Street: a 1960s cooperative over retail at King Street and Sixth Avenue
- 57 Thompson Street: a 1905 cooperative in the same historic district
- 131 Thompson Street: a turn-of-the-century cooperative in the Sullivan-Thompson district
- 17 Thompson Street: a manufacturing loft converted to a cooperative; the loft alternative
- 140 Thompson Street: an 1885 elevator loft cooperative with ground-floor commercial space
- 182 West Houston Street: a postwar cooperative at the northern edge of the area
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.
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 196 Sixth Avenue?
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