- Year built
- 1927
- Type
- Cooperative
- Units
- 24
- Floors
- 14
- Landmark
- No
- Pets
- Pets permitted (pet-friendly building)
- Subletting
- Subject to board approval and co-op sublet rules
- Pied-à-terre
- Allowed
Every recorded sale at this building, 2004–2024
Price-per-square-foot over time, the line- and floor-premium curves, and every recorded sale.
- Median $/sf
- $962
- Listing discount
- 2.6%
- Recorded sales
- 27
- On record
- 2004–2024
249 West 29th Street is a 1927 Art Deco loft building on the Chelsea–NoMad seam, converted to a residential cooperative in 1980. Designed by Henry I. Oser, the building originated in the fur and garment trade that defined this stretch of Midtown South in the early 20th century — and its industrial origins are exactly what produce the larger, light-filled loft layouts that draw buyers today.
The architecture is the building's signature. The brick facade carries intricate Art Deco masonry, elegant setbacks, and upper-floor cornices — the decorative vocabulary of late-1920s New York. As a loft conversion, the building offers proportions and ceiling heights that newer construction rarely matches: open spans, generous footprints, and the flexibility that former manufacturing floors allow.
For buyers, 249 West 29th is a self-service-feeling cooperative rather than a white-glove tower. It trades on loft character, prewar masonry, and a central location near the Flatiron, NoMad, and Chelsea cores rather than on a doorman or an amenity package — and it carries the lighter cost structure that profile implies.
Architecture and unit composition
The building is a genuine 1927 Art Deco loft structure, and the facade rewards attention: intricate brickwork, period setbacks, and cornices that mark it as a product of its era. Henry I. Oser's design produced the wide, deep floor plates typical of fur- and garment-district buildings, and the conversion turned those into a small collection of loft-scale residences.
With roughly 24 units across its Art Deco-stepped massing, the building is low-density. Apartments tend to be larger, light-filled loft layouts rather than compact flats, with the proportions and ceiling heights that 1920s industrial construction delivered. As with any loft conversion, configurations vary, so the right approach is apartment-level evaluation of footage, light, exposure, and condition.
Building operations
249 West 29th Street operates as a cooperative with a keyed/secured passenger elevator, double-secured entry, a service elevator, a modern intercom system, and a full-time superintendent. There is no full doorman — appropriate to a small, super-serviced loft co-op, and reflected in a lighter carrying cost than a full-service building.
As a co-op, purchases are subject to board approval. The building is pet-friendly, and pied-à-terre use is permitted with board approval; financial requirements, sublet policy, and approval standards are governed by the board and house rules. Co-op carrying costs are expressed as monthly maintenance, which bundles operating expenses and the shareholder's portion of any underlying mortgage and property taxes. Maintenance levels, financing requirements, flip-tax provisions, and board approval standards are building-specific and should be confirmed at offer stage. The Roebling Research Library can provide current house rules, recent financial statements, and board materials during due diligence.
Local Law 97
- 2024–2029 annual penalty
- $0 (under cap)
- 2030–2034 annual penalty
- $7,053/yr
- Per unit / month range
- $0 – $24
Facade safety — Local Law 11
The facade passed its last inspection with no required repairs — nothing to budget for here, and no facade assessment on the horizon for roughly five years.
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 →Recent sales
Co-ops price on a price-per-room basis rather than price-per-square-foot, and this building is best read through that lens — though its loft proportions mean footage and layout shape how the rooms live and price. Recorded closings have spanned a range consistent with a Chelsea–NoMad boutique loft co-op, with light, floor height, exposure, and renovation condition driving the spread between units. Because co-op pricing reflects both the apartment and the building's financial profile, buyers should weigh maintenance levels and the building's balance sheet alongside the purchase price. Price any specific apartment by its room count, loft proportions, exposure, and condition together rather than by a building-wide figure.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 14, 2025 | 15 | 2 BR · 1 BA | $1,700,000 | -2.9% | |
| Jun 13, 2024 | 2E | 2 BR · 2 BA · 2,391 sf | $2,270,000 | $949/sf | -5.4% |
| Apr 12, 2024 | 8S | 3 BR · 2 BA · 2,000 sf | $2,312,500 | $1,156/sf | -1.6% |
| Oct 12, 2023 | 4N | 2 BR · 1 BA · 1,400 sf | $1,080,000 | $771/sf | -19.9% |
| Apr 27, 2023 | 3E | 1 BR · 1 BA · 915 sf | $950,000 | $1,038/sf | off-mkt |
| May 9, 2022 | 12 | 3 BR · 2 BA | $2,825,000 | -4.2% | |
| Aug 30, 2018 | 3N | 2 BR · 1,600 sf | $1,945,000 | $1,216/sf | -2.5% |
| Feb 24, 2016 | 8N | 2 BR | $2,150,000 | -10.2% |
Market read. Most recent trades (2024) cleared a median $962/sf across 2 sales. Median listing discount 2.6% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 17, 2022 | — | $2,950,000 |
| Jan 24, 2019 | 3W | $985,000 |
| Dec 14, 2018 | 16 | $2,950,000 |
| Dec 22, 2004 | 16 | $1,120,000 |
| Mar 3, 2004 | 8N | $930,000 |
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 1-00779-0010) 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
It's a loft co-op, not a doorman tower. Expect a superintendent, secured elevators, and a lighter carry — in exchange for board approval and a longer process.
You're buying Art Deco character and loft proportion. The facade and the 1920s floor plates are the appeal; evaluate the specific unit's footage, light, and condition.
Plan for the board. Purchases require board approval and meeting the building's financial standards; build that into your timeline and package.
Price on rooms, with loft layout in mind. Co-op valuation runs on room count, but loft proportions affect how the space lives and prices.
Model the full carry. Monthly maintenance plus any financing. Run any purchase near a mansion-tax threshold through the Mansion Tax Calculator.
What to know if you’re selling
Lead with the architecture and the space. The Art Deco facade and loft proportions are the headline; the building's intimate scale supports it.
Prepare the buyer for the board. Co-op sales hinge on a qualified buyer who can clear the board; pricing and buyer-vetting strategy matter.
Price by room count and condition. Comparables must match layout and renovation level.
Co-op timelines are longer than condo. Board approval extends the closing process; set expectations accordingly.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering 249 West 29th Street, also evaluate:
- 252 Seventh Avenue — full-service Chelsea condominium nearby
- 101 West 24th Street — Chelsea condominium in the same corridor
- 212 West 18th Street — Chelsea full-service condominium
- 222 West 14th Street — Chelsea condominium with loft-scale character
- 22 West 26th Street — NoMad loft cooperative with comparable prewar character
The Roebling Team at 249 West 29th Street (249 West 29th Street)
The Roebling Team at Compass works across the Chelsea, NoMad, and Flatiron loft markets, and we publish this profile because loft co-op buyers and sellers deserve building-specific intelligence — the rooms-based value map, the co-op approval reality, and the transactional mechanics — not generic market commentary.
If you're considering a purchase or sale at 249 West 29th Street, a 30-minute consultation is the right starting point. We'll bring the full context this page provides plus the specifics your situation requires — comparable analysis at the apartment level, board-package strategy, due diligence priorities, and a pacing strategy that fits your timeline.
The neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, schools, transit, and pricing across Flatiron — read The Roebling Team Guide to Flatiron.
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