- Year built
- 1928
- Type
- Cooperative
- Units
- 60
- Floors
- 6
- Landmark
- No
- Amenities
- Renovated lobby and common halls, elevator, laundry room, private storage, bicycle room, live-in superintendent; some residences carry private outdoor space
- Financing
- Cooperative — up to 65 percent financing permitted per building records; verify against the board's current requirements at offer stage
Every recorded sale at this building, 2006–2025
Bedroom-by-bedroom medians, the full transfer record, and how units trade against ask.
- 1BR median
- $726K
- Recent range
- $575K – $865K
- Listing discount
- 1.9%
- Recorded transfers
- 46
The Chelsea Arms is a classic pre-war Chelsea cooperative — a 1928 Art Deco elevator building on a quiet residential block between Eighth and Ninth Avenues, converted to co-op ownership in 1986. In a neighborhood whose newer ownership stock is dominated by glass condominiums along the High Line and Tenth Avenue, the Chelsea Arms represents the older, quieter, more affordable path into Chelsea: a well-maintained pre-war building whose studios and one-bedrooms remain among the most accessible entry points to owning in the corridor.
The building's appeal is straightforward and durable. Pre-war construction gives the apartments the proportions the era is known for — generous room sizes, real plaster walls, hardwood floors, and windowed kitchens in many lines — inside a building that has kept its systems and common spaces current. The lobby and public halls have been renovated, there is a live-in superintendent, and the co-op's policies are notably accommodating for the format: pets are welcome, pieds-à-terre are permitted, and financing up to 65 percent is allowed, all of which broaden the building's buyer pool well beyond the stricter co-ops nearby.
For buyers, the thesis is value and stability: a pre-war Chelsea co-op with a sensible board posture, on a block a short walk from the shops of Eighth Avenue, the A/C/E and 1 trains, the High Line, and Chelsea's gallery district.
Architecture and unit composition
The Chelsea Arms rises six stories in the restrained Art Deco masonry idiom of its 1928 vintage, an elevator building of roughly 60 homes weighted toward studios and one-bedrooms. Studios run in the neighborhood of 500 square feet and one-bedrooms roughly 550 to 600 square feet, with the pre-war layout logic — defined rooms, good light, and windowed kitchens in many lines — that distinguishes the building from later open-plan construction. A number of homes carry private outdoor space. Renovation status varies apartment to apartment, which is the primary driver of pricing spread across otherwise comparable lines; buyers should confirm the condition, exposure, and room count of the specific unit.
Building operations
The Chelsea Arms runs as a stable, well-kept pre-war co-op: a renovated lobby and common halls, an elevator, a laundry room, a bicycle room, private storage, and a live-in superintendent. As a cooperative, purchases require board approval and are subject to the building's financial requirements — but the posture here is comparatively open, with pets welcome, pieds-à-terre allowed, and financing permitted up to 65 percent. Buyers should review the building's financials, maintenance history, any assessment history, and the sublet policy during diligence. We obtain current building documents from the managing agent for clients at offer stage.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 13, 2025 | 1A | 1 BR · 1 BA | $687,500 | -1.8% | |
| Jun 9, 2025 | 1E | 1 BR · 1 BA · 650 sf | $765,000 | $1,177/sf | -1.3% |
| Sep 30, 2022 | 6I | 1 BR · 1 BA | $785,000 | -1.9% | |
| Sep 20, 2021 | 4D | 1 BR · 1 BA | $690,000 | -1.3% | |
| Jul 27, 2021 | 4A | 1 BR · 1 BA | $850,000 | +1.8% | |
| Jun 23, 2021 | 4H | 1 BR · 1 BA | $715,000 | -4.7% | |
| Jan 18, 2019 | 4B | 1 BR · 550 sf | $670,000 | $1,218/sf | -4.1% |
| Sep 28, 2018 | 2E | 1 BR · 1 BA | $651,680 | -3.5% |
Market read. Most recent trades (2025) cleared a median $1,177/sf across 1 sale. Median listing discount 1.9% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 13, 2025 | 6J | $865,000 |
| Feb 22, 2024 | 4J | $575,000 |
| Apr 14, 2022 | 6D | $789,000 |
| Jul 12, 2021 | 3J | $655,000 |
| Feb 7, 2018 | 1H | $675,000 |
| Aug 17, 2017 | 2I | $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 1-00742-0022) 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
Price the maintenance, not just the ask. In a co-op, the monthly maintenance carries the building's operating costs plus the underlying mortgage and taxes — it is central to the true cost of ownership. Run the True Monthly Carrying Cost Calculator with the actual maintenance figure before you compare against condo alternatives.
The board posture is comparatively open. Pets welcome, pieds-à-terre permitted, and financing to 65 percent broaden who can buy here — an advantage on both purchase and eventual resale. Still, confirm the current board requirements and sublet policy in writing.
Renovation status drives the spread. Condition, not floor plan, separates most comparable homes in this building. Price the renovation you're buying — or the one you'll need to do.
Pre-war proportions are the product. Room sizes, light, and windowed kitchens are what distinguish these homes from later construction. Value them against the newer open-plan condominium studios and one-bedrooms nearby.
Board approval means a real process. As a co-op, expect a board package and interview. Build the timeline into your planning; it is slower than a condo closing.
What to know if you’re selling
Lead with the accessible-entry story. The Chelsea Arms is one of the more attainable ways to own in Chelsea, with an open board posture. That reaches a wide buyer pool — market it directly.
Comp within the building by room count and condition. With roughly 60 homes weighted toward studios and one-bedrooms, the building's own history anchors pricing well; adjust primarily for renovation status and outdoor space.
Present the maintenance and financials cleanly. Co-op buyers underwrite the building as much as the apartment. A clear picture of maintenance, reserves, and any assessment history moves deals.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering 319 West 18th Street, also evaluate:
- London Terrace (410–470 West 23rd Street) — the landmark full-block pre-war Chelsea co-op and condominium complex; the larger-format pre-war alternative
- The Chelsea Lane and other pre-war co-ops on the West 20s — comparable vintage and format nearby
- 245 Seventh Avenue — full-service Chelsea condominium; the newer, higher-carry alternative
- 555 West 23rd Street — full-amenity West Chelsea rental-to-condo-grade alternative near the High Line
- Pre-war co-ops along Eighth and Ninth Avenues in the West 10s and 20s — the direct value comparison set
The Roebling Team at The Chelsea Arms
The Roebling Team at Compass works Chelsea and the broader downtown co-op and condo market as a core practice area. We publish this building profile because pre-war co-op buyers and sellers deserve building-specific intelligence — maintenance economics, board posture, and room-count-driven pricing — not generic neighborhood commentary.
If you're considering a transaction at 319 West 18th Street, a 30-minute consultation is the right starting point.
The neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, schools, transit, and pricing across Chelsea — read The Roebling Team Guide to Chelsea.
Get the full picture on this building.
The full comp set, a private valuation of your line, or current and off-market availability — sent to you directly.