255 West 90th Street
255 West 90th Street, New York, NY 10024
BBL 1012380010 · BIN 1033555
- Year built
- 1909
- Type
- Cooperative
- Landmark status
- Not an individual landmark; not in a historic district
- NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission and City Planning records, updated February 2026
- Pets
- Pets permitted; species and limits not stated
- Flip tax
- Requires confirmation
- The quoted terms and payer field disagree. Confirm the operative schedule with management.
- Doorman
- Doorman (hours not stated)
Every recorded sale at this building, 2005–2024
Bedroom-by-bedroom medians, the full transfer record, and how units trade against ask.
- Recent range
- $4.7M – $4.7M
- Listing discount
- 3.2%
- Recorded transfers
- 35
Own an apartment here? See what it would sell for.
A Private Pricing Opinion — what your apartment at The Cornwall 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.
The Cornwall is one of the genuinely memorable buildings of the Upper West Side — a 1909 corner block whose roofline alone makes it a landmark in the colloquial sense even if not the legal one. Designed by Neville & Bagge and rising twelve stories at the northwest corner of Broadway and 90th Street, it is best known for its extraordinary crown: a riot of bold Art Nouveau ornament, foliate detail, and sculptural cresting that erupts above an otherwise composed red-brick-and-limestone façade. On a Broadway corridor full of dignified pre-war stock, The Cornwall stands out at a glance.
It is also a building with the right bones for living. Converted to a cooperative in 1981, the apartments preserve the full vocabulary of early-twentieth-century craftsmanship — high ceilings, pocket French doors, intricate woodwork, glass transoms, and in some homes onyx fireplace surrounds — within gracious, well-proportioned layouts. For buyers who want character and architecture rather than a glass tower, this is a building that delivers both.
The corner location is among the most convenient on the Upper West Side. The 1 stops at 86th Street and the 1, 2 and 3 at 96th Street, a short walk in either direction along Broadway. Broadway's restaurants, markets, and shops are at the door; Riverside Park is two blocks west and Central Park roughly three blocks east.
Architecture and unit composition
Neville & Bagge were among the most prolific apartment-house architects of pre-war New York, and The Cornwall is one of their most exuberant survivors. The composition is classic Beaux-Arts in structure — a rusticated three-story limestone base, a long red-brick midsection, and an ornamental crown — but the crown is where the building departs from its peers, breaking into Art Nouveau cresting and foliate sculpture that few Broadway buildings attempt. It is a façade designed to be looked up at.
Behind it, the residences carry the period's better detailing. With roughly three to three-and-a-half dozen homes across twelve stories, the building runs a relatively low unit-per-floor count, which supports generous room dimensions. Many homes retain high ceilings, hardwood floors, original woodwork and transoms, and the deep layouts that the era favored — entry foyers, separated rooms, and proper kitchens. Renovation levels vary unit to unit, from carefully preserved original homes to fully modernized interiors.
Building operations
The Cornwall is run as a doorman cooperative with a resident superintendent and an attended step-up lobby. A roof deck takes advantage of the building's height and corner exposure, and shared infrastructure includes elevator service, a central laundry room, and basement storage. The building is pet-friendly.
As a cooperative, purchases require board approval, a financial and personal package, and an in-person interview. Monthly maintenance covers the building's underlying mortgage, real-estate taxes, staff, heat, and reserves. The board operates in the manner typical of an established West Side co-op — primary-residence orientation, customary financing limits, and a sublet policy oriented toward owner-occupancy. The July 2026 fee panel reports a 1% transfer fee but its quoted terms assign payment to the buyer while its payer field says seller. Confirm the operative fee and payer, financing cap and current rules before committing.
Application and transaction fees
Fees below are from building management's published schedule, as of July 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.
- Terms
- 1% of the purchase priceThe quoted terms and payer field disagree. Confirm the operative schedule with management.
- Rate
- 1% of the purchase price
- Paid by
- Requires confirmationSources differ on who pays. Confirm with building management.
Source: building management's published schedule, as of July 2026
Purchase
4 items
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Processing Fee | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $700 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Credit Report FeePer applicantRequired | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $120 per applicant | Refundable Not stated |
| Processing fee | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $450 | Refundable Not stated |
| Recognition Agreement FeeConditionalConditions: Only applicable if there is a mortgage | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $400 | Refundable Not stated |
Sublet
5 items
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Processing fee | Paid by Subtenant | When With the application | Amount $700 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Background and Credit Check FeePer applicantRequired | Paid by Subtenant | When With the application | Amount $120 per applicant | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Co-op fee | Paid by Subtenant | When With the application | Amount $200 | Refundable Not stated |
| Renewal lease fee | Paid by Shareholder | When Upon approval | Amount $450 | Refundable Not stated |
| Sublet SurchargeRecurringRequired | Paid by Subtenant | When Upon approval | Amount 20% of the monthly maintenance-billed monthly | Refundable Not stated |
Refinance
2 items
Management's “less refinance” schedule
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Processing Fee | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount $450 | Refundable Not stated |
Management's “more refinance” schedule
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Processing Fee | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount $450 | Refundable Not stated |
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.
Pets and in-unit washer/dryer
- Pets
- Pets permitted; species and limits not statedSource: The Roebling Team's building profile
- In-unit washer/dryer
- Not verified
Considering an apartment here? Send Corey the listing to confirm the pet and washer/dryer rules for that apartment.
Building staffing and amenities
- Doorman
- Doorman (hours not stated)Source: The Roebling Team's building profile
- Attended lobby
- YesSource: The Roebling Team's building profile
- Live-in superintendent
- YesSource: The Roebling Team's building profile
- Elevator
- YesSource: NYC Department of City Planning records (PLUTO)
- Amenities noted
- Roof deck, storage, laundry roomSource: The Roebling Team's building profile
Staffing and amenities as our building profile and recent listing records describe them. A feature not listed is not confirmed absent. Outdoor space, parking and some facilities can belong to particular apartments or to a separate owner; confirm access for the specific apartment.
Local Law 97
- 2024–2029 annual penalty
- $2,123/yr
- 2030–2034 annual penalty
- $96,426/yr
- Per unit / month range
- $5 – $211
- Modeled exposure split equally across 38 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.
Management & transfer contacts
- Flip tax
- 1% of purchase price, paid by seller from buyer
- Sublet policy
- Sublet Surcharge 20% of monthly maintenance, billed monthly (upon approval)
- Policies and fees
- Financing limited to 75% of appraised value; Recognition Agreement Fee $400 if mortgage
Recent sales
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 15, 2024 | 9C | 4 BR · 3 BA | $4,650,000 | -6.9% | |
| Jun 15, 2022 | 2A | 4 BR · 2.5 BA · 2,134 sf | $3,600,000 | $1,687/sf | +0.0% |
| Jul 9, 2019 | 8D | 1 BR · 1 BA · 825 sf | $875,000 | $1,061/sf | -1.7% |
| Mar 6, 2019 | PH | 2 BR · 2.5 BA · 1,925 sf | $2,500,000 | $1,299/sf | -16.5% |
| Dec 28, 2016 | 8D | 1 BR · 1 BA · 825 sf | $825,000 | $1,000/sf | -3.5% |
| Mar 29, 2016 | 12B | 3 BR · 3 BA | $2,300,000 | -23.2% | |
| Aug 6, 2015 | 5C | 4 BR | $3,175,000 | -3.8% | |
| Jul 20, 2015 | 3D | 2 BR · 900 sf | $780,000 | $867/sf | +4.7% |
Market read. $/sf is measured on the latest sales with reliable square footage (2022): a median $1,236/sf (floor-adjusted) across 1 sale. The building has traded as recently as 2024. Median listing discount 3.2% 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 1-01238-0010). 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.
What would your apartment rent for?
Enter your apartment and I'll send you what it would rent for, from comparable closed leases at The Cornwall and nearby.
Buying here? Co-op closing costs typically run 2 to 3% of the price. See NYC co-op and condo closing costs, line by line.
Keep up with The Cornwall and its market
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What to know if you’re buying
Buying here means buying architecture — the façade and the period interiors are the asset, and a renovation here should respect rather than erase the original detail. Plan for the co-op fundamentals: board approval, a documented package, an interview, and maintenance that reflects a fully staffed pre-war building. Confirm the financing limit, sublet policy, pet rules, and any flip tax as part of your offer strategy, since these govern resale liquidity. Review current listings and recent dated transfers when assessing availability and an offer timetable.
What to know if you’re selling
The Cornwall sells itself on distinction — the roofline, the corner, the original interiors, and the Broadway-at-90th convenience. Lead with what cannot be replicated: the Neville & Bagge architecture and the preserved pre-war detail. Renovated homes should be benchmarked against the best Broadway-corridor pre-war co-ops; original homes priced to reflect both their charm and the work a buyer will take on. Check current competing listings and dated transfers before judging scarcity, demand or marketing time. We position the listing against the right comparable set and manage the board package end to end.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering The Cornwall, also evaluate these nearby Upper West Side cooperatives:
- 35 West 90th Street — pre-war co-op a block east toward Central Park
- 127 West 79th Street — full-service pre-war cooperative on the corridor
- 145 West 79th Street — West 79th Street pre-war co-op
- 164 West 79th Street — Italian Renaissance cooperative near the Museum of Natural History
More Upper West Side buildings
- 254 West 88th Street — 1905 condominium
- 255 West 108th Street (The Manchester) — 1910 co-op by Neville & Bagge
- 255 West 84th Street (The Alameda) — 1914 condop by Gaetano Ajello
- 255 West 98th Street — 1913 co-op by Gaetano Ajello
- 255 West End Avenue — 1916 co-op
- Claremont Condominium (255 West 85th Street) — condominium
The neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, transit, and pricing across Upper West Side — read The Roebling Team Guide to Upper West 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.
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 The Cornwall?
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