- Year built
- 1988
- Type
- Condominium
- Units
- 16
- Floors
- 8
- Landmark
- No
- Pets
- Per the condominium rules
- Subletting
- Permitted under the condominium declaration
- Pied-à-terre
- Allowed
36 Rivington Street is a boutique 1988 elevator condominium on the Bowery edge of the Lower East Side, on Rivington between Bowery and Chrystie Street — one of the most transit-rich and high-energy corners downtown, steps from the J/Z at Bowery and the F at Second Avenue. It is a compact, no-frills ownership building: eight stories, an elevator, laundry in the building, and storage, without the amenity layer or doorman of a newer tower. Its appeal is location and price of entry rather than architecture or service.
The building trades as a hybrid — a condominium where individual apartments are genuinely owned and have closed at recorded prices, but where many units are held by investors and leased out, so rental activity is heavier than resale activity. Recorded closings are on file (several in the 2008–2010 window, with prices from the low-$300,000s to the high-$500,000s), confirming that this is a bona fide condominium with transferable ownership, not a pure rental building and not subsidized housing. Resale velocity is thin; buyers should expect a small comp set and a market that trades quietly.
This is a small building that competes on Bowery-edge location and entry price, and it rewards buyers who understand its hybrid, investor-heavy character going in.
Architecture and unit composition
36 Rivington Street is an eight-story masonry infill building completed in 1988. The residences run to compact studios, one-bedrooms, and small two-bedrooms across the A/B/C stacks, served by an elevator. This is late-1980s construction rather than a prewar conversion — functional and straightforward rather than architecturally distinctive.
At eight stories the building is boutique, with a unit count most sources place at 16, though some records cite up to 20 — a common discrepancy for a small building where sub-units and configurations have shifted over time. There is no doorman and the shared package is limited to laundry and storage.
Building operations
36 Rivington Street operates as a boutique condominium without a doorman: elevator, laundry in the building, and private storage. Because many units are owner-rented, the building functions in practice as a hybrid — a condominium with a substantial rental component. Common charges reflect a small building with a limited amenity set; buyers should model the full monthly carry and review reserves, the owner-occupancy ratio, and any capital history during due diligence, as the investor-heavy profile can affect financing and resale.
What to know if you’re buying
Understand the hybrid character. This is a real condominium, but many units are owner-rented; confirm the owner-occupancy ratio, as it can affect financing and resale.
Entry price and location are the draw. The building competes on its Bowery-edge location and price of entry, not on amenities or architecture.
Boutique, no doorman. Elevator, laundry, and storage are the shared package for a compact building.
Condo flexibility is real. Pied-à-terre, subletting, foreign buyers, and LLC/trust ownership are permitted under the declaration; closings run on condo timelines.
Confirm the unit count and structure. Records vary between roughly 16 and 20 units; verify the building's current configuration and financials in diligence.
Variable board financial policy — confirm at offer stage. Financing percentages and any sublet terms specific to your situation should be confirmed in writing before you commit.
What to know if you’re selling
Lead with location. The Bowery-edge address and transit access are the marketing story.
Pricing requires apartment-level comps. With a thin resale record, price from the building's own trades and the closest peers, adjusted for floor and condition.
Position for both pools. Given the investor-heavy character, the buyer may be an owner-occupant or an investor; market to both.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering 36 Rivington Street, also evaluate these nearby Lower East Side and Bowery-edge buildings:
- 199 Bowery — nearby Bowery condominium
- 250 Bowery — nearby Bowery boutique condominium
- 183 Chrystie Street — nearby Chrystie Street building
- 215 Chrystie Street — Herzog & de Meuron downtown architectural condominium
- 100 Norfolk Street — nearby ODA-designed Lower East Side condominium
The Roebling Team at 36 Rivington Street
The Roebling Team at Compass works the full Lower East Side and Bowery market, including its boutique and hybrid condominiums. We publish this profile because buyers and sellers of small, investor-heavy buildings deserve building-level intelligence — the hybrid character, operational reality, and apartment-level pricing context — rather than generic market commentary.
If you're considering a purchase or sale at 36 Rivington Street, a 30-minute consultation is the right starting point. We'll bring the full context this page provides plus the transactional specifics your situation requires.
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