20 Sutton Place South
20 Sutton Place South, New York, NY 10022
Sutton Place
BBL 1013670026 · BIN 1040463
- Year built
- 1953
- Type
- Cooperative
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
- $1,146
- Listing discount
- 3.0%
- Recorded sales
- 115
- On record
- 2004–2025
20 Sutton Place South is a 1953 white-glove cooperative on a tree-lined block between 55th and 56th Streets, in the East River enclave that has long ranked among Manhattan's quietest and most discreet residential corridors. It belongs to a sought-after category: the early-1950s post-war co-op that was built with pre-war ambitions — gracious room sizes, elegant entrance galleries, and the kind of solid construction that has aged well — while adding amenities the older buildings often lack, including private terraces, an on-site garage, and a landscaped roof terrace.
The building's strongest selling points are tangible. A number of apartments carry private terraces and, unusually for a post-war building, wood-burning fireplaces, and the upper floors capture city and partial East River views. The Sutton location supplies the rest: low traffic, small riverside parks, and a hush that feels removed from the city even as Midtown's offices, shops, and transit sit a short walk west.
For a buyer who wants pre-war-scale living with post-war conveniences — a garage in the building, a roof terrace, the possibility of a wood-burning fireplace and a private outdoor space — on one of the most peaceful blocks on the East Side, 20 Sutton Place South is a compelling address.
Architecture and unit composition
The building is a twenty-story post-war cooperative built to a higher standard than the white-brick towers that followed later in the decade. The 88 residences favor a classic, pre-war-influenced style: elegant entrance galleries, oversized living rooms, and well-defined principal rooms. Select apartments include private terraces and wood-burning fireplaces — both genuine rarities in post-war construction — alongside features such as central air conditioning, in-unit washer/dryers, crown moldings, and full kitchens. The higher floors offer city and partial river outlooks.
Building operations
20 Sutton Place South is a fully staffed white-glove cooperative: a full-time doorman and concierge, with a resident superintendent overseeing the building. The amenity set is well suited to the corridor — a fitness room, a beautifully landscaped roof terrace with sweeping views, private storage, and, importantly, a resident parking garage within the building, a meaningful convenience in a neighborhood with little street parking. As at most Sutton cooperatives, purchases proceed through a board package and interview, and buyers should expect the diligence on finances and intended use typical of a building of this standing.
Local Law 97
- 2024–2029 annual penalty
- $0 (under cap)
- 2030–2034 annual penalty
- $81,743/yr
- Per unit / month range
- $0 – $77
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 gross sales price (seller)
- Sublet policy
- Sublease fee = 1 month maintenance or 1 month rent (greater); subtenant app $700 w/broker ($750 w/o)
- Notable fees
- Max financing 70%; managing agent $900 ($1,000 estate); gym fee $750
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 10, 2025 | 16 | 3 BR · 3.5 BA · 2,050 sf | $2,350,000 | $1,146/sf | -6.0% |
| Sep 29, 2025 | 7E | 1 BR · 1 BA | $900,000 | +0.6% | |
| Mar 3, 2025 | 5A | 2 BR · 2.5 BA | $1,356,000 | +8.6% | |
| Dec 3, 2024 | 8D | 3 BR · 3 BA | $1,464,500 | -16.3% | |
| Aug 28, 2024 | 7A | 2 BR · 2.5 BA · 1,500 sf | $1,100,000 | $733/sf | -11.9% |
| Aug 26, 2024 | 8C | 3 BR · 3 BA | $1,560,000 | -5.5% | |
| Aug 23, 2024 | 10C | 3 BR · 3 BA · 1,900 sf | $1,600,000 | $842/sf | -3.0% |
| Jul 20, 2023 | 2B | 2 BR · 2 BA · 1,400 sf | $949,000 | $678/sf | +0.0% |
Market read. Most recent trades (2025) cleared a median $1,146/sf across 1 sale. Median listing discount 3.0% 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 15, 2004 | 10A | $825,000 |
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 1-01367-0026) 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 building is for buyers who want classic, generously proportioned apartments and practical amenities on a genuinely quiet block. The features that drive value here are specific — a private terrace, a wood-burning fireplace, a higher floor with river light — and they vary considerably apartment to apartment, so the particular unit matters more than the building average. As a cooperative, the purchase runs through a board package and interview; buyers should confirm the financing and sublet terms early and prepare accordingly. We help buyers assemble a board-ready package, read the building's financials, and identify the apartments where the terrace, fireplace, and view advantages line up.
What to know if you’re selling
The selling story is post-war comfort with pre-war character on one of the East Side's most peaceful blocks. Where the apartment carries a private terrace, a wood-burning fireplace, or river views, those features should lead the marketing — they are the rarest attributes in the post-war market and command a premium. Pricing should be anchored to the Sutton and Beekman post-war cooperative set, with the on-site garage and roof terrace as supporting points. We position each apartment against the most recent comparable closings in the enclave and prepare sellers for the board process from the listing date forward.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering 20 Sutton Place South, also evaluate the surrounding Sutton and Beekman cooperatives:
- 14 Sutton Place South — Rosario Candela cooperative on the same block
- 25 Sutton Place South — a 1959 Sutton Place cooperative
- 1 Sutton Place South — Rosario Candela cooperative on the river
- 45 Sutton Place South — Cannon Point South, full-service Sutton cooperative
- 60 Sutton Place South — established Sutton cooperative on the river
- 2 Sutton Place South — riverfront Sutton cooperative
The neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, schools, transit, and pricing across Sutton Place — read The Roebling Team Guide to Sutton Place.
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 20 Sutton Place South?
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 20 Sutton Place South 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.