285 Riverside Drive
285 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10025
BBL 1018890036 · BIN 1057146
- Year built
- 1926
- Type
- Cooperative
- Units
- About 86
- Landmark status
- Not an individual landmark; in the Riverside-West End Historic District Extension II
- NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission records, updated February 2026
- Pied-à-terre
- Permitted with conditions
- Pets
- Pets permitted; species and limits not stated
- Maximum financing
- 67% of the purchase price
- Flip tax
- 2% of the purchase price, paid by the buyer
- Doorman
- Full-time doorman
Every recorded sale at this building, 2003–2026
Bedroom-by-bedroom medians, the full transfer record, and how units trade against ask.
- 3BR median, 2023–2026
- $1.7M
- 4 qualifying sales
- Recent range
- $370K – $2.3M
- Listing discount
- 2.9%
- Recorded transfers
- 68
Own an apartment here? See what it would sell for.
A Private Pricing Opinion — what your apartment at 285 Riverside Drive 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.
285 Riverside Drive is a 1926 pre-war cooperative by Rosario Candela — the most celebrated apartment-house architect of the pre-war era — overlooking Riverside Park at the southern corner of West 101st Street. Candela's name carries singular weight in the Manhattan market: his buildings on Fifth and Park Avenues set the standard for pre-war luxury planning, and his hand on a Riverside Drive co-op is a meaningful distinction in a corridor where most buildings came from more workmanlike practices.
285 was built for developer Charles Paterno, the prolific builder behind a large share of upper Riverside Drive and the surrounding blocks, and it is a close architectural sibling of the adjacent 280 Riverside Drive — the two buildings were designed by the same Candela-Paterno team and read as a related pair on the Drive. The building's beige-brick body rises over a one-story limestone base, with terra-cotta pilasters and spandrels articulating the second and third floors and a distinctive roofline of two low, curved arches crowning the Riverside Drive façade. A handsome marble lobby and wrought-iron doors on the 101st Street side complete the composition.
The Riverside Drive position is the building's defining asset. Apartments on the western flank look across Riverside Park to the Hudson; the view depends on floor and position. For buyers who want Candela architecture and direct park-and-river exposure at pricing more accessible than the architect's Fifth and Park Avenue work, 285 Riverside occupies a distinctive niche.
Architecture and unit composition
Candela's composition for 285 is restrained and confident: the limestone base, the beige-brick body, the terra-cotta detail at the lower floors, and the unusual double-arch roofline that distinguishes the building's silhouette on the Drive. The marble lobby and the wrought-iron 101st Street doors reflect the quality of the original construction.
The roughly 86 apartments span a range of configurations across the floor plates, with the larger lines offering the well-resolved family layouts that are a Candela hallmark. Pre-war signatures are characteristic of the vintage: high ceilings in the principal rooms, entry foyers and galleries, separate dining rooms, hardwood floors, and the deep closet and service-zone planning that defines mid-1920s luxury apartments. River-facing apartments on the western flank command the building's premium for their direct Riverside Park and Hudson exposures; corner residences gain dual light.
Building operations
285 Riverside Drive operates as a full-service pre-war cooperative, converted to cooperative ownership in 1970 — among the earlier conversions in the corridor. Staffing includes a full-time doorman and a live-in superintendent, with central laundry, a bike room, and private storage on premises. The roughly 86-apartment scale supports full service while retaining a residential, owner-occupied character.
The building is pet-friendly and permits financing up to roughly 67% of the purchase price. A 2% flip tax is paid by the buyer at closing — an unusual structure, since most co-op flip taxes fall to the seller — so purchasers should factor it into their closing math. Pied-à-terre ownership, co-purchasing, and parents buying for children are considered on a case-by-case basis with board approval, in keeping with established Riverside Drive co-op norms.
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
- Equal to 2% of purchase price
- Rate
- 2% of the purchase price
- Paid by
- Buyer
Source: building management's published schedule, as of July 2026
Purchase
13 items
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application FeeConditionalRequired | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $475; or $800 if this application is not presented by a broker | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Credit Reports FeeConditional · Per applicantRequired | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $200 per individual applicant named on the contract and as a guarantor (if applicable) - plus any additional occupants | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Packages Reproduction Fee | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $250 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Expedited Closing FeeConditional | Paid by Buyer | When At closing | Amount $500 (if applicable) | Refundable Not stated |
| Financing Processing FeeConditional | Paid by Buyer | When At closing | Amount $400 (if financing) | Refundable Not stated |
| Postponement FeeConditionalConditions: Less than 48 hr notice | Paid by Buyer | When At closing | Amount $500 (if applicable) | Refundable Not stated |
| Power of AttorneyConditional · Per applicant | Paid by Buyer | When At closing | Amount $200 per individual (if applicable) | Refundable Not stated |
| Corporate Administrative Fee | Paid by Seller | When At closing | Amount $200 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Power of AttorneyConditional · Per applicant | Paid by Seller | When At closing | Amount $200 per individual (if applicable) | Refundable Not stated |
| Seller's Transfer FeeConditionalRequired | Paid by Seller | When At closing | Amount $850; or $1,150 if this is an estate sale | Refundable Not stated |
| Litigation Search FeePer applicantPayable to Michael Bogart | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $175 per applicant | Refundable Non-refundable |
Deposits
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Move-In Deposit | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $1,500 | Refundable Refundable |
| Move-Out Deposit | Paid by Seller | When With the application | Amount $1,500 | Refundable Refundable |
Sublet
6 items
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Processing FeePaid to the building | Paid by Subtenant | When With the application | Amount $250 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Credit Report FeePer applicantRequired | Paid by Subtenant | When With the application | Amount $200 per individual applicant named on the sublease | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Processing Fee | Paid by Subtenant | When With the application | Amount $500 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Reproduction/Messenger Fee | Paid by Subtenant | When With the application | Amount $175 | Refundable Non-refundable |
Deposits
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Move-out Deposit | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount $1,500 | Refundable Not stated |
| Move-in Deposit | Paid by Subtenant | When With the application | Amount $1,500 | Refundable Not stated |
Refinance
3 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 Non-refundable |
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 Non-refundable |
| Credit Check FeePer applicant | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount $75 per applicant | Refundable Non-refundable |
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.
Financing and purchase requirements
- Maximum financing
- 67% of the purchase priceSource: The Roebling Team's building profile
Sublet and pied-à-terre policy
A condominium owner leasing a unit and a co-op shareholder subletting are different rules, and a building-wide rule is different from a restriction on one apartment. This is the building's rule; confirm it for the specific apartment.
- Subletting by shareholders
- Not verified
- Pied-à-terre ownership
- Permitted with conditionsCase by case, board discretionSource: The Roebling Team's building profile
Considering an apartment here? Send Corey the listing to discuss the sublet and pied-à-terre rules for that apartment.
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.
Monthly carrying charges in recent sales
- Maintenance, per room
- $552 per room a monthMedian of 9 recorded sales since October 2023Source: recorded sales, refreshed October 2026
- Maintenance, per square foot
- $1.70 per square foot a monthMedian of 5 recorded sales since October 2023Source: recorded sales, refreshed October 2026
Maintenance as recorded with each sale. A co-op's maintenance already covers the building's real estate taxes and the building's own mortgage, if it has one; add your own loan payment for the monthly outlay. A summary of recorded sales, not a current bill; charges change.
Building staffing and amenities
- Doorman
- Full-time doormanSource: 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
- Bike storage, 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
- $0 (under cap)
- 2030–2034 annual penalty
- $0 (under cap)
- Per unit / month range
- —
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 FISP filing classified the facade as Safe — no repairs were required at that inspection. A filed Safe grade is not a guarantee of current condition: owners still maintain the facade and, where required, observe parapets each year. Future inspection timing (Local Law 49 of 2025 changed the cycle framework from October 1, 2026), repair and any assessment decisions remain building-specific.
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 2025–30. 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
- 2% of purchase price (buyer); seller transfer fee $850 ($1,150 estate sale)
- Sublet policy
- Allowed (application/board approval required)
- Policies and fees
- Sale: Application $475 ($800 no broker), Credit $200/applicant, Reproduction $250, Move-in/out deposits $1,500 each; App Admin 5% (the schedule does not state the base; confirm with the managing agent)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 5, 2026 | 11G | 3 BR · 3 BA · 1,938 sf | $2,250,000 | $1,161/sf | +0.0% |
| Nov 3, 2025 | 3F | 2 BR · 1 BA | $865,000 | -3.4% | |
| Oct 15, 2025 | 4A | 4 BR · 3 BA · 2,200 sf | $1,980,000 | $900/sf | -10.0% |
| Jul 15, 2025 | 2C | 3 BR · 3 BA | $1,700,000 | -2.6% | |
| Jul 10, 2025 | 14D | 2 BR · 2 BA | $1,500,000 | +0.0% | |
| Jun 5, 2025 | 1G | 1 BA · 500 sf | $370,000 | $740/sf | -7.3% |
| Oct 2, 2024 | 5B | 3 BR · 3 BA | $1,525,000 | -12.9% | |
| May 8, 2024 | 6E | 1 BR · 1 BA · 800 sf | $749,000 | $936/sf | +0.0% |
Market read. Most recent trades (2026 to date) cleared a median $1,156/sf (floor-adjusted) across 1 sale. Floor-adjusted means each sale is restated to a constant mix of floors, so the figure can differ from the plain median of the sales listed above. Median listing discount 3.3% 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.
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 1-01889-0036). 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 285 Riverside Drive and nearby.
At the recent median sale of $1.6M (6 transfers in the past 24 months, since October 31, 2024), a buyer putting 33% down would pay about $61,910 to close, or 3.9% of the price.
- Mansion tax: $16,000
- No mortgage recording tax or title insurance on a co-op purchase
- Building transfer fee (flip tax), 2% of the purchase price, paid by the buyer per building management's published schedule, as of July 2026: $32,000
- Attorneys, lender, building fees and filings: $13,910
Assumes a resale (the seller pays transfer taxes), a $4,500 attorney fee and a mortgage at the building's 67% financing limit. Confirm the current transfer fee with building management; the linked calculator does not include it.
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What to know if you’re buying
The Candela pedigree is a genuine asset. A Rosario Candela co-op carries marketing and resale advantages that anonymous pre-war stock cannot match.
The river view depends on the apartment. West-facing apartments look across Riverside Park to the Hudson; the exposure varies by floor and is not protected without a recorded instrument.
Budget the buyer-paid flip tax. The 2% transfer fee falls to the buyer here, not the seller — an unusual structure that shapes your closing costs.
Confirm financing and policy fit. Financing runs to roughly 67%, and pied-à-terre and co-purchase requests are reviewed case by case.
What to know if you’re selling
Lead with Candela and the view. Listing copy should foreground the architect, the 1926 vintage, the distinctive double-arch roofline, and — for west-facing apartments — the direct park-and-river exposure.
The buyer-paid flip tax is a quiet advantage. Sellers here avoid the transfer fee that most co-op sellers absorb — a point worth understanding when modeling net proceeds.
Pricing requires apartment-level comparable analysis. Floor, exposure (river versus cross-street), configuration, and renovation history all move value materially.
Closing timelines are co-op standard — generally 6–10 weeks from contract signing to closing.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering 285 Riverside Drive, also evaluate:
- 280 Riverside Drive — the adjacent Rosario Candela sibling building (1926)
- 300 Riverside Drive — pre-war Riverside Drive co-op nearby
- 320 Riverside Drive — 1928 pre-war Riverside Drive co-op nearby
- 310 Riverside Drive — pre-war Riverside Drive co-op nearby
- 325 Riverside Drive — pre-war Riverside Drive co-op nearby
More Riverside Drive buildings
- The Riverview (264/265 Riverside Drive) — 1908 co-op by George F. Pelham
- 270 Riverside Drive (Glen Cairn) — 1910 condominium by Rouse & Goldstone
- 280 Riverside Drive — 1926 by Rosario Candela
- 295 Riverside Drive — 1911 co-op
- 300 Riverside Drive — 1924 co-op by George F. Pelham
- The Clearfield (305 Riverside Drive) — 1909
The neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, transit, and pricing across Riverside Drive — read The Roebling Team Guide to Riverside Drive.
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 285 Riverside Drive?
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