254 West 25th Street
254 West 25th Street, New York, NY 10001
Chelsea
BBL 1007740069 · BIN 1014179
- Year built
- 1925
- Type
- Cooperative
- Units
- 24
- Floors
- 6
- Landmark
- No
- Pets
- Cats and dogs allowed
- Subletting
- To confirm with the managing arrangement
- Pied-à-terre
- Allowed
Every recorded sale at this building, 2005–2026
Bedroom-by-bedroom medians, the full transfer record, and how units trade against ask.
- 2BR median
- $863K
- Recent range
- $660K – $1.8M
- Listing discount
- 3.9%
- Recorded transfers
- 28
254 West 25th Street — known as The Oriental — sits mid-block between Seventh and Eighth Avenues in central Chelsea, a 1925 pre-war brick cooperative that has retained its original architectural detail: exposed brick, decorative fireplaces in some units, high ceilings, and large windows. At six stories and roughly 20,456 square feet, it is a boutique building of approximately 24–25 units, self-managed and doorman-free.
The building's position is defined by two things. First, it is authentically pre-war Chelsea — the exposed brick, the high ceilings, and the decorative fireplaces are the interior signatures buyers seek in a 1925 building, and the roof deck and common back garden are genuine outdoor amenities for a building of this scale. Second, it is self-managed, which shapes both the cost structure and the buyer experience: there is no professional management layer and no doorman, which keeps overhead low and gives shareholders direct involvement in building operations.
For buyers, The Oriental offers a Chelsea address at a boutique, self-managed scale — one- and two-bedroom layouts in a pre-war building, walking distance to the Flower District, FIT, and the High Line, with the C/E and 1 at 23rd Street. The policy framework is accommodating on use (pieds-a-terre and co-purchasing permitted, cats and dogs allowed) but strict on financing structure (no guarantors), which defines the buyer profile.
Architecture and unit composition
Built in 1925, 254 West 25th Street is a six-story pre-war brick apartment building of approximately 20,456 square feet. The interiors retain original detail — exposed brick, decorative fireplaces in some apartments, high ceilings, and large windows — the signatures of the 1920s Chelsea building cycle.
The building holds approximately 24 to 25 units, configured as one-bedroom and two-bedroom layouts. The boutique scale means a limited and varied inventory rather than a repeating typical-floor plan; layouts differ across the building. A roof deck and a common back garden provide the shared outdoor space, both meaningful amenities for a building of this size.
Building operations
254 West 25th Street operates as a self-managed cooperative. There is no doorman and no professional management company; a live-in superintendent handles day-to-day operations, and the shareholders manage the building directly. The principal amenity infrastructure is an elevator, a laundry room, a roof deck, and a common back garden.
The self-managed structure is central to the building's identity. It keeps overhead low and gives shareholders direct control, but it also means buyers should understand that building decisions, reserves, and maintenance are shareholder-driven rather than delegated to a management firm. The board's policy framework, as documented in public records: pieds-a-terre are permitted, co-purchasing is permitted, cats and dogs are allowed, and guarantors and co-signers are not permitted — the applicant must qualify on their own financials. The subletting policy should be confirmed with the building's managing arrangement. Maintenance and assessment specifics should be confirmed at the apartment level.
Local Law 97
This building is below the 25,000 sq ft threshold at which LL97 emissions caps apply. No regulatory capital pressure from this law specifically, current or 2030.
See full Local Law 97 analysis →Facade safety — Local Law 11
The latest available FISP filing classified the facade as Safe — no repairs were required at that inspection. Facade inspections run on a fixed five-year cycle; future inspection, repair, and any assessment decisions remain building-specific.
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
- 1% of sales price (seller, at closing)
- Sublet policy
- Allowed; AirBnB not allowed
- Pied-à-terre
- Not allowed
- Notable fees
- No in-unit W/D; co-purchasing/parents-buying/corporate purchase not allowed; insurance required
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 7, 2026 | 2D | 1 BR · 1 BA | $720,000 | -4.0% | |
| Mar 2, 2026 | 2C | 1 BR · 1 BA · 825 sf | $945,000 | $1,145/sf | -1.6% |
| May 20, 2025 | 5D | 2 BR · 1 BA | $749,000 | +0.0% | |
| Jan 29, 2025 | 5A | 2 BR · 1 BA | $1,300,000 | -3.7% | |
| Dec 13, 2023 | 6D | 1 BR · 1 BA | $660,000 | -7.0% | |
| Dec 11, 2023 | 2B | 2 BR · 1 BA | $900,000 | -5.3% | |
| Jun 16, 2023 | 6C | 1 BR · 2 BA | $1,750,000 | -2.5% | |
| Jan 24, 2023 | 4A | 2 BR · 1 BA | $825,000 | -8.2% |
Market read. Most recent trades (2026) cleared a median $1,145/sf across 1 sale. Median listing discount 2.3% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 7, 2007 | 5D | $635,000 |
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 1-00774-0069) 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
Self-management is structural, not incidental. There is no professional management company and no doorman. Shareholders run the building directly. For buyers who value low overhead and hands-on involvement, this is the advantage; for buyers who want delegated management and a staffed lobby, it is a mismatch. Understand the reserve position and the building's decision-making before committing.
The pre-war character is authentic. Exposed brick, decorative fireplaces, high ceilings, and large windows are original to the 1925 building. Buyers seeking a genuine pre-war Chelsea interior will find it here.
The policy framework is accommodating on use, strict on financing. Pieds-a-terre and co-purchasing are permitted, and cats and dogs are allowed. But guarantors and co-signers are not permitted — the buyer must qualify on their own financials. Confirm the subletting policy with the building's managing arrangement.
The outdoor amenities are real. A roof deck and a common back garden are meaningful for a boutique building, and they distinguish The Oriental from comparable-scale buildings without shared outdoor space.
The location works. Central Chelsea, near the Flower District, FIT, and the High Line, with the C/E and 1 at 23rd Street. Verify the operational baseline — reserves, maintenance ranges, and the subletting policy — with the building during due diligence.
What to know if you’re selling
Position the self-management as a feature. Low overhead and shareholder control are the value proposition, not a gap. Marketing that frames the absence of a doorman and professional management as a disadvantage misreads the buyer profile.
Lead with the pre-war character and the outdoor space. The exposed brick, decorative fireplaces, high ceilings, and large windows, plus the roof deck and common back garden, are the architectural and amenity anchors. The central Chelsea location and transit reinforce the argument.
Price against the specific layout. With roughly 24–25 varied units, building-level averages compress. Reference the most-recent recorded comp on a comparable one- or two-bedroom configuration.
Closing timelines are cooperative-standard. Board approval is required. Because the building is self-managed, confirm the current process and pacing with the board during the transaction.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering 254 West 25th Street, also evaluate nearby Chelsea pre-war cooperatives — comparable-vintage, boutique-scale buildings between Sixth and Eighth Avenues that combine 1920s pre-war interiors with the neighborhood's central location.
The neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, schools, transit, and pricing across Chelsea — read The Roebling Team Guide to Chelsea.
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 The Oriental?
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 The Oriental 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.