400 East 85th Street
400 East 85th Street, New York, NY 10028
BBL 1015640047 · BIN 1050520
- Year built
- 1959
- Type
- Cooperative
- Units
- 192
- Floors
- 21
- Landmark status
- Not an individual landmark; not in a historic district
- NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission and City Planning records, updated February 2026
- Subletting by shareholders
- Permitted with conditions
- Pied-à-terre
- Permitted with conditions
- Pets
- Pets permitted; species and limits not stated
- Washer/dryer
- Requires confirmation
- Maximum financing
- 75% of the purchase price
- Flip tax
- Requires confirmation
- Sources differ on the rate or basis. Confirm with building management.
- Doorman
- Full-time doorman
- Flip tax
- Requires confirmation
- Financing
- Up to 75% financeable (25% minimum down).
- Subletting
- Permitted with Board approval after two years of ownership — 12-month terms, capped at two years in any five-year period, with an escalating sublease fee (20% of monthly maintenance in year one, 25% in year two).
- Pied-à-terre
- Permitted, subject to Board approval — the building's purchase application lists pied-à-terre as an occupancy option.
- Washer / dryer
- Requires confirmation
- Pets
- Permitted with advance written Board approval (Board's discretion); pets in residence as of June 2018 are grandfathered.
- Managing agent
- AKAM Associates, Inc.
Compiled by The Roebling Research Desk from the building’s offering plan, amendments, and related building documents (primary source dated 2021). Board policies can change by amendment — confirm at the offer stage.
Every recorded sale at this building, 2003–2026
Bedroom-by-bedroom medians, the full transfer record, and how units trade against ask.
- 1BR median
- $663K
- Recent range
- $515K – $2.6M
- Listing discount
- 3.2%
- Recorded transfers
- 186
Own an apartment here? See what it would sell for.
A Private Pricing Opinion — what your apartment at 400 East 85th 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.
400 East 85th Street is a substantial 21-story, 192-unit post-war Yorkville cooperative that sits on the southeast corner of First Avenue at the heart of the contemporary East 85th-to-86th Street commercial corridor. The building was constructed between 1959 and 1962, operated as a rental for approximately two decades, and was converted to cooperative ownership in 1983. AKAM Living Services has managed the building through the contemporary era.
The building's structural identity within the broader Manhattan cooperative market is defined by its policy framework — one of the most permissive in the contemporary Upper East Side cooperative tier and the structural reason the building has functioned consistently as an accessible entry-point cooperative for first-time buyers, family-supported buyers, pied-à-terre buyers, and buyers whose financial profile sits outside the conventional trophy-cooperative qualification framework.
The specific policy framework merits explicit treatment because it is the building's structural value proposition. Most Upper East Side cooperatives require minimum down payments of 30 to 50 percent of purchase price; many require 1 to 3 percent flip taxes that materially reduce seller net proceeds; many restrict subletting, pied-à-terre use, gifting, co-purchasing, and guarantor structures. 400 East 85th Street operates at the most accessible end of each of these dimensions: 25 percent minimum down payment, no flip tax, pet-friendly, pied-à-terre permitted, subletting permitted, co-purchasing permitted, gifting permitted, guarantors permitted. The cumulative effect is a building that supports transaction structures that would be structurally precluded at most peer Upper East Side cooperatives.
The building's operational baseline is consistent with the broader post-war Yorkville full-service cooperative tier. The 24-hour doorman, the live-in superintendent and resident manager, the recently renovated fitness center, the on-site parking garage (which generates substantial commercial revenue that supports the cooperative's financial structure), the bike room, the resident storage, the central laundry, the residents' lounge, and the building's gas-and-electric-utilities-included maintenance structure together produce a full-service operational profile at the building's specific price point.
What the building lacks is the trophy amenity package of the next tier up. There is no swimming pool (peer Yorkville full-service buildings like The America at 300 East 85th and Yorkshire Towers at 305 East 86th carry indoor pools); no sundeck or roof deck (an explicit cost in public records); no children's playroom; no concierge beyond doorman; and the building does not permit in-unit washer/dryers (a structural feature that some buyers find limiting and others view as cooperative-culture preserving). The trade-off is reflected in the materially more accessible price points, materially below comparable trophy cooperative inventory across the broader Upper East Side.
The building's contemporary positioning has been meaningfully reinforced by the Q train at 86th and Second — the Second Avenue Subway's Phase One opening on January 1, 2017 brought express transit access to the Yorkville corridor for the first time and structurally improved the commute economics of Yorkville residential. The Q train station is one block north of the building; the 4/5/6 trains at 86th and Lexington are approximately 0.4 miles west; Carl Schurz Park, the East River esplanade, and Gracie Mansion are approximately 2.5 blocks east.
For buyers, 400 East 85th Street represents a specific position in the Manhattan cooperative market: a post-war Yorkville full-service cooperative with one of the corridor's most accessible policy frameworks, a 25 percent down payment minimum and no flip tax that materially simplify the transaction structure, a permissive cooperative culture that supports pied-à-terre and family-supported buyer profiles, and pricing meaningfully below the trophy Upper East Side cooperative tier. The building is the wrong building for buyers prioritizing trophy pre-war architecture, the absolute trophy amenity package, or the most stringent cooperative-culture register; the building is the right building for the substantial buyer pool seeking a Yorkville full-service cooperative at accessible price points and with the policy framework to support flexible transaction structures.
Architecture and unit composition
The 192 cooperative apartments distribute across the building's 21 stories in configurations that include studios, one-bedroom one-bathroom apartments, two-bedroom two-bathroom apartments, and select combined-unit configurations (7KL, 15JK, 17FG) that produce 3-bedroom layouts at the larger scale. Apartment sizes run approximately 700 to 850 square feet for the typical one-bedroom inventory and 1,000 to 1,100 square feet for the typical two-bedroom inventory.
The building's interiors include traditional finishes; the lobby and common areas have been recently updated. Apartment-level finish quality varies meaningfully across the inventory — apartment-specific diligence is the right reference for any given line and floor.
The post-war Yorkville cooperative register places the building in the broader 1950s-1960s Upper East Side full-service cooperative tradition, alongside the comparable Yorkville inventory at 345 East 86th Street, 401 East 86th Street (Fairmont Manor), 444 East 86th Street, and the broader corridor.
Building operations
400 East 85th Street operates as a full-service cooperative under AKAM Living Services management. The 24-hour doorman, the live-in superintendent and resident manager, the dedicated maintenance staff, and the broader operational infrastructure produce a full-service baseline consistent with the post-war Yorkville cooperative tier. The on-site attached parking garage — accessible via the basement and operating both a resident garage and a commercial public garage — produces revenue that meaningfully supports the cooperative's financial structure.
The recently renovated fitness center, the bike room, the resident storage (both with waitlists), and the recently updated central laundry round out the operational baseline.
A meaningful structural feature: gas and electric utilities are included in maintenance (the cooperative bulk-purchases utilities at a reduced rate). This is an unusual structural feature in the Manhattan cooperative tier and produces a materially different carrying-cost calculation than peer buildings that bill utilities separately. Buyers running True Monthly Carrying Cost analysis should note that the building's maintenance reflects this utilities pass-through.
Policy framework
The policy framework is the building's structural value proposition and warrants explicit treatment for any prospective transaction:
Pets: Allowed (cats and dogs, subject to board approval).
Pied-à-terre: Permitted. This is meaningful — many Upper East Side cooperatives explicitly require primary residence; 400 East 85th supports pied-à-terre use, which materially expands the buyer pool.
Subletting: Permitted with board approval. Under the building's Sublease Policy a shareholder must own the apartment for two years before subletting; subleases run in 12-month terms; a shareholder may sublet for no more than two years in any consecutive five-year period; and an escalating sublease fee applies (20 percent of monthly maintenance in year one, 25 percent in year two).
Minimum down payment: 25 percent. This is at the more accessible end of the Upper East Side cooperative range (peer buildings often require 30-50 percent).
Maximum financing: 75 percent.
Flip tax / transfer fee: None. This is a meaningful structural feature on the seller side — most Manhattan cooperatives carry 1-3 percent flip taxes that reduce seller net proceeds. The absence at 400 East 85th simplifies the seller's economics.
Gifting: Permitted. Standard NYC cooperative gift-letter documentation requirements apply.
Co-purchasing: Permitted, with the structural requirement that all co-purchasers appear on both the stock certificate and the proprietary lease. This eliminates the workaround where one party holds title and another contributes funds off-record.
Guarantors: Permitted.
Parents-buying-for-children: Effectively permitted via the co-purchase structure (the parent appearing on the stock and lease with the child). A parents-on-title / child-as-occupant structure is unlikely to clear the board given the on-stock-and-lease requirement.
Tax deductibility: Approximately 50 percent of monthly maintenance is allocated to deductible real-estate tax and mortgage-interest pass-throughs.
Post-closing liquidity: Not publicly documented at the building level; standard Manhattan post-war cooperative practice — and the most defensible default for buyers planning their financial profile — is 12 to 24 months of carrying costs in post-closing reserves, likely at the more accessible end of the range given the building's broader policy posture. Confirm with the managing agent for the specific transaction.
Board approval timeline: Standard cooperative-stage timing (typically 4 to 8 weeks from clean package submission through approval).
Trust ownership: Not explicitly documented; standard NYC cooperative practice (revocable trusts subject to board review) applies.
LLC ownership: Not documented as permitted (extremely unusual at any NYC cooperative form).
Foreign buyers: No explicit restrictions documented; general cooperative board scrutiny applies.
Application and transaction fees
Fees below are from building management's published schedule, as of September 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
- None. The only transfer charge is the statutory New York State stock-transfer stamp ($0.05 per share, paid by the seller); standard administrative move-in/move-out and closing fees apply.Sources differ on the rate or basis. Confirm with building management.
- Paid by
- Seller
Source: The Roebling Research Desk's building record, 2021
Purchase
11 items
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compliance FeePaid to management | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $500 | Refundable Not stated |
| Credit Check FeePer applicantPaid to managementRequired | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $150 per applicant/adult occupant | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Move In FeePaid to the building | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $200 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Processing FeePaid to management | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $725 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Move Out FeePaid to the building | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount $200 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Power of Attorney Review FeeConditionalConditions: If applicablePaid to management | Paid by Buyer | When At closing | Amount $150 | Refundable Not stated |
| Recognition Agreement FeeConditionalConditions: If financingPaid to management | Paid by Buyer | When At closing | Amount $325 | Refundable Not stated |
| Closing FeePaid to management | Paid by Shareholder | When At closing | Amount $775 | Refundable Not stated |
| New York State Stamp TaxPaid to management | Paid by Shareholder | When At closing | Amount Equal to $0.05/share | Refundable Not stated |
Deposits
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Move In DepositPaid to the building | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $1,000 | Refundable Refundable |
| Move Out DepositPaid to the building | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount $1,000 | Refundable Refundable |
Sublet
11 items
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Credit Check FeePer applicantPaid to managementRequired | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount $150 per applicant/adult occupant | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Move Out FeePaid to the building | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount $200 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Processing FeePaid to management | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount $575 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Sublease FeeRecurringPaid to the buildingRequired | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount 12% of annual sublease rent | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Additional Charge if application has more than one co-applicantConditionalI.e. more than one financial statement formPaid to management | Paid by Subtenant | When With the application | Amount $200 | Refundable Not stated |
| Move In FeePaid to the building | Paid by Subtenant | When With the application | Amount $200 | Refundable Non-refundable |
Deposits
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Move Out DepositPaid to the building | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount $1,000 | Refundable Refundable |
| Security DepositAt the end of the sublease termPaid to the buildingRequired | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount Equal to two (2) month's maintenance | Refundable Refundable |
| Move In DepositPaid to the building | Paid by Subtenant | When With the application | Amount $1,000 | Refundable Refundable |
Sublet renewal
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Processing FeePaid to management | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount $225 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Sublease FeeRecurringPaid to the buildingRequired | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount 12% of annual sublease rent | Refundable Non-refundable |
Refinance
3 items
Management's “less refinance” schedule
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Processing FeePaid to management | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount $400 | Refundable Non-refundable |
Management's “more refinance” schedule
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Processing FeePaid to management | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount $500 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Credit Report FeePer applicantPaid to managementRequired | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount $150 per applicant | Refundable Non-refundable |
Ownership transfer
25 items
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Processing FeePaid to management | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $800 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Compliance FeePaid to management | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $500 | Refundable Not stated |
| Credit Check FeePer applicantPaid to managementRequired | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $150 per applicant/adult occupant | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Move In FeePaid to the building | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $200 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Move Out FeePaid to the building | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount $200 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Power of Attorney Review FeeConditionalConditions: If applicablePaid to management | Paid by Buyer | When At closing | Amount $150 if applicable | Refundable Not stated |
| Recognition Agreement FeeConditionalConditions: If financingPaid to management | Paid by Buyer | When At closing | Amount $325 if financing | Refundable Not stated |
| Closing FeePaid to management | Paid by Shareholder | When At closing | Amount $775 | Refundable Not stated |
| New York State Stamp TaxPaid to management | Paid by Shareholder | When At closing | Amount Equal to $0.05/share | Refundable Not stated |
Deposits
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Move In DepositPaid to the building | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $1,000 | Refundable Refundable |
| Move Out DepositPaid to the building | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount $1,000 | Refundable Refundable |
Transfer: trust
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Processing FeePaid to management | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $500 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Compliance FeePaid to management | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $500 | Refundable Not stated |
| Closing FeePaid to management | Paid by Shareholder | When At closing | Amount $500 | Refundable Non-refundable |
Transfer: estate
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Processing FeePaid to management | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $800 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Compliance FeePaid to management | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $500 | Refundable Not stated |
| Credit Check FeePer applicantPaid to managementRequired | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $150 per applicant/adult occupant | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Move In FeePaid to the building | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $200 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Move Out FeePaid to the building | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount $200 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Power of Attorney Review FeeConditionalConditions: If applicablePaid to management | Paid by Buyer | When At closing | Amount $150 if applicable | Refundable Not stated |
| Recognition Agreement FeeConditionalConditions: If financingPaid to management | Paid by Buyer | When At closing | Amount $325 if financing | Refundable Not stated |
| Closing FeePaid to management | Paid by Shareholder | When At closing | Amount $775 | Refundable Not stated |
| New York State Stamp TaxPaid to management | Paid by Shareholder | When At closing | Amount Equal to $0.05/share | Refundable Not stated |
Deposits
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Move In DepositPaid to management | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $1,000 | Refundable Refundable |
| Move Out DepositPaid to the building | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount $1,000 | Refundable 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.
Financing and purchase requirements
- Maximum financing
- 75% of the purchase priceUp to 75% financeable (25% minimum down).Source: The Roebling Research Desk's building record, 2021
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
- Permitted with conditionsPermitted with Board approval after two years of ownership — 12-month terms, capped at two years in any five-year period, with an escalating sublease fee (20% of monthly maintenance in year one, 25% in year two).Source: The Roebling Research Desk's building record, 2021
- Wait before a sublet
- 2 yearsSource: The Roebling Research Desk's building record, 2021
- Pied-à-terre ownership
- Permitted with conditionsPermitted, subject to Board approval — the building's purchase application lists pied-à-terre as an occupancy option.Source: The Roebling Research Desk's building record, 2021
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; species and limits not statedPermitted with advance written Board approval (Board's discretion); pets in residence as of June 2018 are grandfathered.Source: The Roebling Research Desk's building record, 2021
- In-unit washer/dryer
- Requires confirmationSources differ. Confirm with building management.
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
- $464 per room a monthMedian of 24 recorded sales since October 2023Source: recorded sales, refreshed October 2026
- Maintenance, per square foot
- $1.98 per square foot a monthMedian of 10 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
- Fitness room, residents' lounge, playroom, garage, bike storage, 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.
Local Law 97
- 2024–2029 annual penalty
- $0 (under cap)
- 2030–2034 annual penalty
- $21,094/yr
- Per unit / month range
- $0 – $9
- Modeled exposure split equally across 192 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 record last verified September 2026.
See full Local Law 97 analysis — emissions history, scenarios, methodology →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, with repairs due by the deadline stated in the filing. The scope, timeline, and how the building funds the work are building-specific — we review the filings and board materials for you.
How to read this, and where it comes from
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. City record last verified September 2026.
Management & transfer contacts
- Sublet policy
- Sublease Fee 12% of annual sublease rent (co-op sublet)
- Notable fees
- Co-op sale: Processing Fee $725, Closing Fee $775, Move-In Fee $200 + $1,000 refundable deposit, Recognition Agreement Fee $325 (if financing), NY State Stamp Tax $0.05/share, Credit Check $150/applicant
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 | PPSF | vs. Ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 10, 2026 | PHC | 2 BR · 2 BA | $1,572,500 | -4.4% | |
| Jul 7, 2026 | 9C | 1 BR · 1 BA · 750 sf | $729,000 | $972/sf | -1.4% |
| Jul 6, 2026 | 4G | 1 BR · 1 BA · 700 sf | $632,500 | $904/sf | -6.3% |
| Jul 6, 2026 | 4G | 1 BR · 1 BA · 700 sf | $623,500 | $891/sf | -4.1% |
| May 28, 2026 | 14A | 1 BR · 1 BA · 770 sf | $687,500 | $893/sf | -1.1% |
| Mar 16, 2026 | 15A | 1 BR · 1 BA | $785,000 | -1.8% | |
| Mar 2, 2026 | 15F | 2 BR · 2 BA · 1,006 sf | $1,050,000 | $1,044/sf | -8.7% |
| Feb 12, 2026 | 8K | 1 BR · 1 BA · 550 sf | $550,000 | $1,000/sf | +0.0% |
Market read. Most recent trades (2026 to date) cleared a median $960/sf (floor-adjusted) across 6 sales. Floor-adjusted means each sale is restated to a constant mix of floors, so the figure can differ from the plain median of the sales listed above. Median listing discount 2.5% 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 1-01564-0047). 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; square footage on co-ops is not officially recorded, figures shown are approximate.
What would your apartment rent for?
Enter your apartment and I'll send you what it would rent for, from comparable closed leases at 400 East 85th Street and nearby.
At the recent median sale of $688K (16 transfers since 2024), a buyer putting 25% down would pay about $11,128 to close, or 1.6% of the price.
- Mansion tax: $0
- No mortgage recording tax or title insurance on a co-op purchase
- Attorneys, lender, building fees and filings: $11,128
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 accessible policy framework is the building's structural value proposition. 25 percent down, no flip tax, pets, pied-à-terre, subletting, co-purchasing, gifting, and guarantors all permitted — together produce a transaction-structuring environment among the most permissive in the broader Upper East Side cooperative tier.
The full-service operational baseline is real. 24-hour doorman, live-in superintendent, recently renovated fitness center, on-site parking, bike room, storage, central laundry, residents' lounge.
The trophy amenity package is absent. No pool, no sundeck, no children's playroom, no concierge beyond doorman; in-unit washer/dryer not permitted. Buyers prioritizing these features should look at peer Yorkville inventory at higher price points (The America at 300 East 85th, Yorkshire Towers, etc.).
The utilities-included maintenance structure is meaningful. Gas and electric included; True Monthly Carrying Cost calculations should reflect this.
Q-train access has structurally improved the corridor. January 1, 2017 opening of the Second Avenue Subway at 86th Street put express transit one block north of the building.
Confirm operational specifics directly during due diligence. Sublet duration limits, post-closing liquidity requirements, the lobby/facade renovation history, and the building's most recent financials should be confirmed against AKAM management documents and the cooperative's offering plan during due diligence.
What to know if you’re selling
The absence of a flip tax is a structural net-proceeds advantage. Most peer cooperatives carry 1-3 percent flip taxes; 400 East 85th does not.
The permissive policy framework supports the buyer pool. The building's accessibility produces an active resale market — 192 units, regular turnover, predictable comparable analysis.
Pricing should reference recent comparable closings on the specific apartment line. The building's apartment-line variation (A, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L lines plus combined-unit configurations) produces meaningful variation in pricing per square foot.
Closing timelines are cooperative-standard. Plan for 60-90 days from contract through board approval to closing.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering 400 East 85th Street, also evaluate:
- Fairmont Manor (401 East 86th Street / 1652 First Avenue) — the most directly comparable peer (one block north; 19 stories, 221 units; similar post-war full-service cooperative profile)
- 345 East 86th Street — 21 floors, 108 units, post-war doorman cooperative
- 444 East 86th Street — 38 floors, 314 units; larger-scale post-war high-rise cooperative with gym and garage
- The Mayflower (245 East 87th Street / 1681 Second Avenue) — Yorkville peer
- 1725 York Avenue (East River Tower) — Yorkville peer
- The America (300 East 85th Street) — 40 floors, 200 units; condominium peer with pool and full amenity set (trade-up comparison)
- Yorkshire Towers (305 East 86th Street) — larger post-war Yorkville complex with full amenity set
- 80 East End Avenue — East End Avenue full-service cooperative (more upscale East End address; trade-up comparison)
More Upper East Side buildings
- 363 East 76th Street (Sherman Towers) — 1963 co-op
- 370 East 76th Street (Newport East) — 1966 co-op
- 389 East 89th Street — 2002 condominium
- Century Tower (400 East 90th Street) — condominium by H. Thomas O'Hara Architects
- Emery Towers, 400 East 77th Street — 1964 co-op
- The Kingsley (400 East 70th Street) — 1984 condominium by Stephen B. Jacobs Group
The neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, transit, and pricing across Upper East Side — read The Roebling Team Guide to Upper East 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.
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646.939.7375 · c.cohen@compass.com