39 East 12th Street (University Mews)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 Roebling Team at Compass specializes in Greenwich Village and the downtown loft market. We publish this profile because loft buyers and sellers deserve building-specific intelligence — the conversion history, the building's actual house rules, and apartment-level pricing — not generic neighborhood commentary.

If you're considering a purchase or sale at 39 East 12th 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 — including board-package strategy and the pacing that fits your timeline.