321 West 78th Street
321 West 78th Street, New York, NY 10024
BBL 1011860059 · BIN 1031114
- Year built
- 1925
- Type
- Cooperative
- Landmark status
- Not an individual landmark; in the West End-Collegiate Historic District Extension
- NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission records, updated February 2026
- Pied-à-terre
- Permitted with conditions
- Pets
- Pets permitted with conditions; species not stated
- Washer/dryer
- Permitted with conditions
- Flip tax
- 2.5% of the purchase price, paid by the seller
- 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.
- 2BR median, 2023–2026
- $1.6M
- 3 qualifying sales
- Recent range
- $562K – $2.5M
- Listing discount
- 4.0%
- Recorded transfers
- 66
Own an apartment here? See what it would sell for.
A Private Pricing Opinion — what your apartment at 321 West 78th Street 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.
321 West 78th Street sits on one of the most charming residential blocks on the Upper West Side — a tree-lined townhouse street between West End Avenue and Riverside Drive, a short walk from Riverside Park. Built in 1925 and designed by Sommerfeld & Sass, the nine-story building is a graceful pre-war: red brick and limestone, with three-story pilasters rising to frame a canopied entrance. On a corridor where the celebrated full-service towers can feel imposing, 321 West 78th is the human-scaled alternative — a doorman pre-war on a quiet block, close to the river.
Built as a rental and converted to cooperative ownership in 1979, the building has been a share-and-board co-op for more than four decades. Its house rules are pet-friendly, permit washer/dryers in apartments, and allow pied-à-terre purchases with conditions, including board approval — a combination that widens the building's appeal.
Architecture and unit composition
The building is a well-mannered example of mid-1920s Upper West Side design. The red-brick façade is detailed with limestone, and the entrance is framed by pilasters that rise three stories and sheltered by a canopy — a dignified, restrained street presence that fits the townhouse block rather than overpowering it. At nine stories, the building keeps a low, neighborly profile that the side-street setting rewards.
The 56 apartments carry the pre-war virtues — solid room proportions, real foyers, good light — on a comfortable scale. Because the building permits washer/dryers, owners can install in-unit laundry, a convenience that older pre-wars frequently forbid and that buyers increasingly require. A renovation and alteration cycle in 1987 modernized common systems while preserving the building's character. The combination of pre-war bones and contemporary-friendly rules is the building's core value.
Building operations
321 West 78th Street is run as a full-service cooperative with a full-time doorman and a live-in superintendent. On-site amenities include a central laundry room, common storage, and bicycle storage. Under the house rules, the building is pet-friendly, permits washer/dryers in apartments, and allows pied-à-terre purchases with board approval. On the financial side, confirm the financing limit (listed at 75% of the purchase price) and the flip tax (listed at 2.5%; sources differ) with the managing agent.
Application and transaction fees
Fees below are from building management's published schedule, as of August 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
- 2.5% of the sales price
- Rate
- 2.5% of the purchase price
- Paid by
- Seller
Source: building management's published schedule, as of August 2026
Purchase
8 items
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Processing Fee | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $700 | Refundable Not stated |
| Credit report and background check feePer applicantRequired | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $120 for each applicant | Refundable Not stated |
| Non Refundable Move In Fee | Paid by Buyer | When At closing | Amount $500 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| New York State Tax Stamps Fee | Paid by Seller | When At closing | Amount Amount not stated | Refundable Not stated |
| Non Refundable Move Out Fee | Paid by Seller | When At closing | Amount $200 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Transfer Fee | Paid by Seller | When At closing | Amount Amount not stated | Refundable Not stated |
Deposits
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Damage Deposit Fee | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $1,000 | Refundable Not stated |
| Damage Deposit Fee | Paid by Seller | When With the application | Amount $1,000 | Refundable Not stated |
Sublet
7 items
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Move Out Fee | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount $200 | Refundable Not stated |
| Application Processing Fee | Paid by Subtenant | When With the application | Amount $700 | Refundable Not stated |
| Background and Credit Check FeePer applicantRequired | Paid by Subtenant | When With the application | Amount $120 for each applicant | Refundable Not stated |
| Move In Fee | Paid by Subtenant | When With the application | Amount $500 | Refundable Not stated |
| Sublet FeeRecurringRequired | Paid by Shareholder | When Upon approval | Amount 10% of the monthly maintenance | Refundable Not stated |
Deposits
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Damage Move Out Deposit | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount $1,000 | Refundable Not stated |
| Damage Move In Deposit | Paid by Subtenant | When With the application | Amount $1,000 | 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 $120 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.
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 with conditions; species not statedUnder the house rules, the building is pet-friendly, permits washer/dryers in apartments, and allows pied-à-terre purchases with board approval. Pets permitted, and washer/dryers and pied-à-terre purchases permitted with conditions.Source: The Roebling Team's building profile
- In-unit washer/dryer
- Permitted with conditionsBoard approvalSource: The Roebling Team's building profile
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
- $740 per room a monthMedian of 4 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, 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
- $73,898/yr
- Per unit / month range
- $0 – $110
- Modeled exposure split equally across 56 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 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
- 2.5% of the sales price
- Sublet policy
- Allowed. Sublet Fee 10% of monthly maintenance
- Policies and fees
- Application Processing Fee $700; Move In Fee $500
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 | vs. Ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 7, 2026 | 5B | 2 BR · 2 BA | $1,595,000 | +0.0% |
| Jan 7, 2026 | 5A | 3 BR · 2 BA | $2,400,000 | -4.0% |
| Jul 14, 2025 | 6F | 1 BR · 1.5 BA | $562,000 | -10.1% |
| Mar 4, 2024 | 8C | 2 BR · 1.5 BA | $950,000 | -20.5% |
| Sep 7, 2023 | 10C | 2 BR · 1.5 BA | $2,250,000 | +12.8% |
| Sep 7, 2023 | PHC | 2 BR · 1.5 BA | $2,250,000 | +12.8% |
| May 12, 2023 | PH10B | 1 BR · 1 BA | $1,185,000 | -13.8% |
| Apr 28, 2023 | 9A | 3 BR · 2.5 BA | $2,500,000 | +0.2% |
Market read. $/sf is measured on the latest sales with reliable square footage (2018): a median $1,668/sf (floor-adjusted) across 1 sale. The building has traded as recently as 2026. Median listing discount 2.0% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 1, 2006 | 6B | $625,000 |
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 1-01186-0059). 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.
What would your apartment rent for?
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At the recent median sale of $1.59M (3 transfers in the past 24 months, since October 31, 2024), a buyer putting 25% down would pay about $30,481 to close, or 1.9% of the price.
- Mansion tax: $15,950
- No mortgage recording tax or title insurance on a co-op purchase
- Attorneys, lender, building fees and filings: $14,531
Assumes a resale (the seller pays transfer taxes), a $4,500 attorney fee and a mortgage on the rest.
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What to know if you’re buying
The house rules are documented. Pets permitted, and washer/dryers and pied-à-terre purchases permitted with conditions. If in-unit laundry or a part-time home is a requirement, confirm the conditions in the proprietary lease and house rules before offering.
Confirm the terms. Our records show financing to 75% and a 2.5% flip tax, but sources differ on the flip tax; confirm both, and who pays it, with the managing agent before budgeting it as a seller cost at exit.
Buy for the block. The tree-lined townhouse setting between West End and Riverside, a short walk to Riverside Park, is a durable amenity in itself — quiet, central, and close to the river, with the doorman service that supports value.
What to know if you’re selling
Lead with the flexibility. A pet-, washer/dryer-, and pied-à-terre-friendly pre-war reaches buyers that stricter co-ops turn away — make those rules a headline, not a footnote.
Position the block and the service. The townhouse-street location near Riverside Park and the full-time doorman are the lifestyle case; pair them with the pre-war room proportions in the marketing.
Benchmark to flexible doorman pre-wars in the West 70s. Comparable analysis belongs against other full-service co-ops on the prized side streets between West End and Riverside, not against generic inventory — the rules and the location set the building's tier.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering 321 West 78th Street, also evaluate these nearby pre-war Upper West Side cooperatives:
- 320 West 83rd Street — pre-war cooperative on a nearby side street
- 324 West 83rd Street — neighboring West 83rd Street cooperative
- 329 West 77th Street — pre-war cooperative one block south
- 322 West 72nd Street — full-service pre-war nearby
- 680 West End Avenue — West End Avenue rental building nearby
More Upper West Side buildings
- 320 West 89th Street — 1921 co-op by George F. Pelham
- 320 West 90th Street — 1936 co-op by Sylvan Bien
- The Royal Summit, 320 West 86th Street — 1915 co-op by Mulliken & Moeller
- 321 West 90th Street — 1929 co-op by Margon & Holder
- 322 West 72nd Street — 1924 co-op by George and Edward Blum
- 323 West 100th Street — 1901 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 321 West 78th Street?
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