39 East 12th Street (University Mews)
39 East 12th Street, New York, NY 10003
Greenwich Village
BBL 1005640026 · BIN 1009204
- Year built
- 1900
- Type
- Cooperative
- Units
- 90
- Landmark
- No
- Pets
- Cats permitted; dogs are not permitted
- Subletting
- Permitted under board rules
Every recorded sale at this building, 2003–2026
Bedroom-by-bedroom medians, the full transfer record, and how units trade against ask.
- 1BR median
- $1.1M
- Recent range
- $675K – $3M
- Listing discount
- 4.3%
- Recorded transfers
- 134
39 East 12th Street — University Mews — is one of the signature loft cooperatives south of Union Square: a circa-1900 manufacturing-and-printing loft building, converted to residential use in 1980, that delivers genuine loft scale in a full-service, doorman-staffed setting. For the downtown buyer who wants barrel-vaulted ceilings, cast-iron columns, and big south light — but with a 24-hour doorman rather than a bare-bones boutique operation — it is a rare combination.
The block, East 12th between University Place and Broadway, sits in the heart of the "South of Union Square" area, a short walk from Union Square's transit and greenmarket, the Strand, and the Village's restaurant fabric. The district is known for its intact loft and prewar architecture; it is not currently protected by landmark designation.
Architecture and unit composition
Built around the turn of the twentieth century as a loft/manufacturing building and converted to a cooperative in 1980, University Mews is a seven-story loft co-op of roughly 90 apartments. The conversion preserved the building's industrial DNA: dramatic barrel-vaulted ceilings (reported near 12.6 feet), cast-iron columns, and oversized south-facing windows that flood the apartments with light. A canopied entrance and a substantial lobby give the building a presence unusual for a loft conversion.
Because these are converted lofts, floor plans vary widely — from one-bedroom layouts to large three-bedroom full-floor-style apartments — and renovation levels differ unit to unit, which is part of why pricing is so apartment-specific here.
Building operations
University Mews operates as a full-service loft cooperative with a 24-hour doorman/concierge, a live-in superintendent, full-time staff, a common roof deck, and central laundry. As a co-op, monthly maintenance covers building operations, staff, and the building's underlying mortgage and real-estate taxes.
The building's pet policy is specific: cats are permitted, but dogs are not. This is a meaningful house rule for prospective buyers — a dog-owning purchaser should weigh it directly. As with any cooperative purchase, the board conducts a financial and personal review and an interview, and approval is required. Specific board financial requirements — minimum down payment, post-closing liquidity, debt-to-income limits, any flip tax, and the exact terms of the sublet policy — are board-set and can change; confirm the current requirements at offer stage.
Local Law 97
- 2024–2029 annual penalty
- $0 (under cap)
- 2030–2034 annual penalty
- $7,456/yr
- Per unit / month range
- $0 – $7
Facade safety — Local Law 11
The latest available filing classified the facade as SWARMP — Safe With A Repair and Maintenance Program: the engineer identified conditions requiring monitoring or repair before the next inspection cycle. The scope, timeline, and how the building funds the work are building-specific — we review the filings and board materials for you.
QEWI = Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector — the licensed engineer the city requires to sign the report (the independent expert, not the managing agent). Source: NYC DOB facade filings (FISP) · The Roebling Research Library.
See the full facade history →Recent sales
University Mews trades as a cooperative, so co-op pricing convention is price-per-room — though the loft layouts also invite per-square-foot comparison given the open, scaled spaces. Pricing is driven by ceiling height, light, floor, layout, and renovation level, with the full-service operation and the dramatic loft volumes supporting value relative to smaller, unstaffed Village co-ops. Recent asking levels have run from roughly $1.4M for one-bedroom lofts up to around $3M for the largest renovated three-bedroom apartments. With heterogeneous loft units, the most reliable pricing evidence is the building's own trade history adjusted for size, ceiling height, floor, and condition.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 4, 2026 | 507 | 1 BR · 1 BA | $1,125,000 | -2.2% | |
| Mar 3, 2026 | 308 | 1 BR · 1 BA | $985,000 | -1.5% | |
| Aug 4, 2025 | 510 | 2 BR · 2 BA | $1,920,000 | -10.7% | |
| Jul 9, 2025 | 111 | 3 BR · 2.5 BA · 1,600 sf | $2,880,000 | $1,800/sf | -3.2% |
| Jun 20, 2025 | 202 | 1 BR · 1 BA · 1,000 sf | $1,375,000 | $1,375/sf | -3.5% |
| Apr 17, 2025 | 203 | $775,000 | -3.0% | ||
| Apr 8, 2025 | 805 | 2 BR · 2 BA · 1,600 sf | $2,950,000 | $1,844/sf | -6.3% |
| Feb 13, 2025 | 407 | 1 BR · 1 BA · 950 sf | $1,325,000 | $1,395/sf | -5.0% |
Market read. $/sf is measured on the latest sales with reliable square footage (2025): a median $1,598/sf across 4 sales. The building has traded as recently as 2026. Median listing discount 1.5% 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 1-00564-0026) 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
You're buying full-service loft scale. Barrel-vaulted ceilings, cast-iron columns, and big south light, in a 24-hour doorman building — an uncommon pairing downtown.
Note the pet policy: cats yes, dogs no. This is a firm house rule; dog owners should factor it in before touring.
Confirm board financials at offer stage. Down-payment minimum, post-closing liquidity, any flip tax, and sublet terms are board-set; verify the current requirements before you commit.
It's south of Union Square, not in the historic district. The block is not currently landmarked — a character note, not a value concern.
Each loft is different. Ceiling height, light, and renovation vary unit to unit; price and compare carefully within the building.
What to know if you’re selling
The loft volume is the headline. Vaulted ceilings, columns, and south light sell this building. Stage and photograph to show scale and the quality of light.
Be upfront about the pet policy. The cats-only rule narrows the buyer pool at the margin; position the building's other strengths accordingly.
Price to the building's own comps. With heterogeneous loft units, the persuasive evidence is University Mews' recent trades adjusted for ceiling height, floor, size, and renovation level.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering 39 East 12th Street, also evaluate:
- 10 East 12th Street — boutique prewar loft condominium on the same block (tenure contrast)
- 18 East 12th Street and 21 East 12th Street — Village buildings on East 12th Street
- 15 West 12th Street — full-service Village co-op across Fifth Avenue
- 24 Fifth Avenue and 33 Fifth Avenue — larger full-service Fifth Avenue co-ops nearby
The neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, schools, transit, and pricing across Greenwich Village — read The Roebling Team Guide to Greenwich Village.
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.
Considering a move at University Mews?
Request a private building brief with the relevant comparable sales, current and off-market availability, and an apartment-specific view of value.
Own an apartment here? See what it would sell for.
A Private Pricing Opinion — what your apartment at University Mews 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.