21 East 87th Street / 22 East 88th Street
21 East 87th Street / 22 East 88th Street, New York, NY 10128
Carnegie Hill, Upper East Side
BBL 1014990014 · BIN 1046915
- Year built
- 1927
- Type
- Cooperative
- Units
- 72
- Floors
- 13
- Flip tax
- 2%
- Subletting
- Not permitted — an owner-occupancy building.
Compiled by The Roebling Research Desk from the building’s offering plan, amendments, and related building documents (primary source dated 2026). Board policies can change by amendment — confirm at the offer stage.
Every recorded sale at this building, 2003–2026
Bedroom-by-bedroom medians, the full transfer record, and how units trade against ask.
- 3BR median
- $4M
- Recent range
- $2.2M – $7.8M
- Listing discount
- 2.0%
- Recorded transfers
- 71
21 East 87th Street is one of Emery Roth's most beloved Carnegie Hill commissions — a 1927 full-Madison-Avenue-block-front cooperative with entrances on both side streets and "a magnificent lobby with an elegant rotunda on each side." The 1953 cooperative conversion places the building among the earliest cooperative conversions in New York City.
It belongs to a specific architect-defined Carnegie Hill cohort by way of the Roth architectural pedigree — the firm's neighborhood work runs to trophy buildings like 1125 Fifth, with one apartment per floor, and 75 East 96th. Buyers find an accommodating board posture here, with 65% financing and a 2% flip tax that sit among the gentler frameworks of any peer Carnegie Hill prewar cooperative, and the building carries it all across a full-block-front configuration with dual side-street entrances, an operational scale rare among cross-street prewars.
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
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 4, 2026 | 2AB | 5 BR · 6.5 BA · 4,600 sf | $7,825,000 | $1,701/sf | -7.9% |
| Jun 2, 2026 | 11A | 2 BR · 3 BA · 1,800 sf | $2,250,000 | $1,250/sf | -2.0% |
| Feb 27, 2026 | 2C | 3 BR · 3 BA · 2,500 sf | $3,795,000 | $1,518/sf | +0.0% |
| Oct 1, 2025 | 6D | 3 BR · 3 BA | $4,495,000 | +0.0% | |
| Aug 14, 2025 | 10D | 3 BR · 3 BA | $4,200,000 | -6.6% | |
| Jul 25, 2024 | 9A | 2 BR · 2.5 BA | $2,195,000 | +0.0% | |
| Jan 12, 2024 | PHD | 2 BR · 2 BA | $4,250,000 | -5.6% | |
| Apr 27, 2023 | 5D | 3 BR · 3 BA · 2,500 sf | $2,995,000 | $1,198/sf | -21.2% |
Market read. Most recent trades (2026) cleared a median $1,559/sf across 3 sales. Median listing discount 0.0% from the last ask.
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 1-01499-0014) 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 Emery Roth architectural pedigree is real institutional context. Roth's broader Carnegie Hill body of work — 1125 Fifth and elsewhere — connects 21 East 87th to a substantial pre-war luxury residential tradition.
The full Madison Avenue block-front configuration with dual side-street entrances is structurally distinguishing. Operational scale uncommon for cross-street buildings.
The 65% financing maximum is meaningfully more accommodating than peer Carnegie Hill prewars. Plan accordingly.
The 1953 cooperative conversion is among NYC's earliest. Long ownership cycle supports operational depth.
The renovated gym, bike room, and per-unit private storage cage anchor the amenity layer.
Apartment configurations vary materially across the 72-unit inventory. Verify line-specific configuration during walkthrough.
Closing timelines are cooperative-standard. Plan for 6 to 10 weeks from contract through board approval to closing.
Comparable buildings
- 14 East 90th Street — Carpenter 1928; nearby Carnegie Hill peer
- 19 East 88th Street — Dowling 1937 Art Deco; same-block Carnegie Hill peer
- 12 East 87th Street (The Capitol) — Blum & Blum 1910-12; same-block Carnegie Hill peer
- 17 East 89th Street — Ajello 1924; nearby Carnegie Hill peer
- 1125 Fifth Avenue — Roth 1925; same-architect 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 21 East 87th Street / 22 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 21 East 87th Street / 22 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.