The Sofia (41 Columbus Avenue)
41 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY 10023
Lincoln Square, Upper West Side
BBL 1011147501 · BIN 1027366
- Year built
- 1930
- Type
- Condominium
- Units
- 92
- Floors
- 27
- Landmark
- Designated
- Pets
- Permitted
Every recorded sale at this building, 2002–2026
Price-per-square-foot over time, the line- and floor-premium curves, and every recorded sale.
- Median $/sf
- $1,103
- Listing discount
- 3.5%
- Recorded sales
- 94
- On record
- 2002–2026
The Sofia is one of the most distinctive buildings on the Upper West Side, and among the most distinctive Art Deco structures in Manhattan. It opened in 1930 as the Kent Automatic Parking Garage — a pioneering, fully automated high-rise garage designed to stack roughly a thousand cars by machine — designed by Jardine, Hill & Murdock in full Art Deco dress. When the automated-garage venture failed in the early 1930s, the building became the Sofia Bros. moving-and-storage warehouse, the use that gave it its enduring name. In the mid-1980s it was converted to residential condominiums, and today it is both an individual New York City Landmark and a National Register–listed building.
Architecturally, the building is unmistakable: dramatic setbacks climbing 27 stories, polychrome terra-cotta ornament with Mesoamerican-inflected geometric motifs around the original vehicular entrance, and geometric black-brick banding. A rare semi-circular private driveway and motor court front the restored Art Deco lobby — a legacy of the building's origins as a garage, and an amenity almost unheard of in the neighborhood. The lower floors house commercial and institutional space; the residences occupy the upper portion of the tower.
For buyers, The Sofia offers something the neighborhood's newer glass condominiums cannot: genuine landmark architecture and history, condominium tenure and flexibility, and a Lincoln Square location one block from Lincoln Center and a short walk from Columbus Circle and Central Park.
Architecture and unit composition
The residences occupy the upper floors of the tower, above the commercial and institutional base, and range from studios through two-bedroom layouts. The setback massing produces varied floor plates and, on higher floors, terraces and open exposures with city, river, and — on upper lines — Central Park–direction sight lines. Interiors range from original conversion-era finishes to fully renovated; condition drives pricing at the unit level.
The Art Deco envelope — the terra-cotta ornament, the setbacks, and the motor-court entrance — is protected by the building's individual landmark designation, which governs exterior alterations and preserves the very features that give the building its identity.
Building operations
The Sofia operates as a full-service condominium with a 24-hour doorman and concierge, a live-in resident manager, a laundry, a bicycle room, and private storage — plus the distinctive semi-circular private driveway and motor court. Buyer transactions run on condominium mechanics — waiver of the right of first refusal rather than board approval.
Common charges and property taxes are typical for a full-service Lincoln Square condominium; the building's mixed-use, landmarked structure means buyers should review the financial statements and any capital plans during due diligence, with attention to the landmark's exterior-maintenance obligations.
Local Law 97
- 2024–2029 annual penalty
- $0 (under cap)
- 2030–2034 annual penalty
- $0 (under cap)
- Per unit / month range
- —
Facade safety — Local Law 11
The latest available FISP filing classified the facade as Safe — no repairs were required at that inspection. Facade inspections run on a fixed five-year cycle; future inspection, repair, and any assessment decisions remain building-specific.
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
As a condominium, The Sofia is priced per square foot. Recent activity has generally cleared in the range typical for a full-service Lincoln Square condominium, with the building's landmark Art Deco identity, its amenity package, and its proximity to Lincoln Center supporting pricing. Studios and one-bedrooms anchor the lower end of the range; larger, high-floor, and terraced units command the building's premium. Pricing varies with floor, exposure, terrace, and renovation condition; apartment-level comparable analysis is the correct basis for pricing any specific unit.
Recent closings 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 10, 2026 | 18J | 1 BR · 1 BA · 820 sf | $940,000 | $1,146/sf | -3.6% |
| May 1, 2026 | 12F | 2 BR · 2 BA · 1,180 sf | $1,300,000 | $1,102/sf | -3.7% |
| Jan 30, 2026 | 16K | 1 BR · 1 BA · 760 sf | $745,000 | $980/sf | -3.9% |
| Jul 31, 2025 | 20N | 2 BR · 2 BA · 1,250 sf | $1,462,500 | $1,170/sf | +4.6% |
| Jun 20, 2025 | 18H | 1 BR · 1 BA · 810 sf | $910,000 | $1,123/sf | -4.1% |
| Apr 21, 2025 | 17N | 2 BR · 2 BA · 1,250 sf | $1,960,000 | $1,568/sf | -8.8% |
| Jan 15, 2025 | 10E | 2 BR · 2 BA · 1,064 sf | $950,000 | $893/sf | off-mkt |
| Nov 21, 2024 | 12A | 1 BR · 1 BA · 840 sf | $901,151 | $1,073/sf | -14.2% |
Market read. Most recent trades (2026) cleared a median $1,103/sf across 3 sales. Median listing discount 3.5% 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 1-01114-7501) 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 from recorded condo declarations and offering plans.
What to know if you’re buying
This is a landmark Art Deco building. The Sofia is an individual New York City Landmark with a documented history as the Kent Automatic Parking Garage and the Sofia Bros. warehouse — a genuine architectural pedigree, not a marketing conceit.
Condominium tenure with real flexibility. No board interview, financing flexibility, and pied-à-terre and investment openness — in a building most buyers assume, from its history, must be a co-op.
The motor court is a genuine rarity. The semi-circular private driveway is a legacy of the building's garage origins and is nearly unique among neighborhood residences.
Mixed-use structure warrants diligence. The residential condominium sits above commercial and institutional space; review the financials, the commercial arrangements, and the landmark exterior-maintenance obligations during due diligence.
Run the cliff thresholds. Larger apartments transact above the $2M and $3M mansion-tax cliffs — run any number through the Mansion Tax Calculator.
What to know if you’re selling
Lead with the architecture and the history. The landmark Art Deco identity, the garage-and-warehouse story, and the motor court are the building's strongest and most distinctive selling points.
Price at the apartment level. Terraces, floor, and exposure vary widely across the setback massing; recent comparables on the specific line should anchor positioning.
Closing timelines are condo-fast. 30–45 days from contract to closing.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering The Sofia, also evaluate:
- 30 West 63rd Street (30 Lincoln Plaza) — full-service Lincoln Square condominium comp
- 15 West 63rd Street — full-service Lincoln Square condominium near Lincoln Center
- 160 West 66th Street (Three Lincoln Center) — full-service Lincoln Center–area condominium
- 225 West 60th Street (The Hudson) — Lincoln Square condominium comp
- 101 Central Park West — prewar Central Park West co-op nearby; tenure contrast
The neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, schools, transit, and pricing across Upper West Side — read The Roebling Team Guide to Upper West Side.
Considering a move at The Sofia?
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 The Sofia 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.