50 West 96th Street
50 West 96th Street, New York, NY 10025
BBL 1012090053 · BIN 1031740
- Type
- Cooperative
- Landmark status
- Not an individual landmark; not in a historic district
- NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission and City Planning records, updated February 2026
- Pied-à-terre
- Permitted with conditions
- Pets
- Pets permitted with conditions; species not stated
- Washer/dryer
- Permitted with conditions
- Doorman
- Full-time doorman
Every recorded sale at this building, 1999–2026
Price-per-square-foot over time, the line- and floor-premium curves, and every recorded sale.
- Median $/sf, 2026 to date
- $1,242
- floor-adjusted, 2 sales
- Listing discount
- 2.5%
- Recorded sales
- 55
- On record
- 1999–2026
Own an apartment here? See what it would sell for.
A Private Pricing Opinion — what your apartment at 50 West 96th 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.
50 West 96th Street is one of the more visually striking pre-war cooperatives on the upper reaches of the Upper West Side — a fifteen-story Italian Renaissance palazzo in red brick and terra cotta, set a half-block from Central Park between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue. Designed by the prolific George F. Pelham in the late 1920s and converted to a cooperative in 1980, it pairs serious pre-war architecture with a location that puts the park, the express subway, and the Columbus Avenue retail spine all within a block or two.
The building's case is space plus ornament plus access. Pelham gave it a richly decorated entrance under a canopy, a detailed base, and an elaborate crown — an extensive terra-cotta program. Inside, large pre-war layouts have been improved over the decades by combinations into bigger family homes, and the cooperative permits in-unit washer/dryers with conditions — a meaningful differentiator at this vintage.
Architecture and unit composition
Pelham designed across the Upper West Side and Washington Heights in the 1910s and 1920s, and 50 West 96th is among his more elaborate residential outings: an Italian Renaissance composition with a strong base, restrained shaft, and an ornamented crown, executed in red brick with generous terra-cotta detail. The result is a building that holds the corner of its block with real presence.
Behind the façade, the 61 apartments run from one- and two-bedrooms to larger three-bedroom combinations, with the wide windows, high ceilings, and hardwood floors expected of the era. Because owners have combined units over time, the building offers an unusually broad range of sizes for its unit count, and the better lines capture either open city light or partial park-and-skyline views from the upper floors.
Building operations
50 West 96th runs white-glove: a 24-hour doorman, a live-in superintendent, a landscaped and furnished roof garden, central laundry, bike storage, and additional storage available by waitlist. The cooperative is pet-friendly and permits individual washer/dryers — both genuine conveniences not guaranteed at pre-war co-ops. The building allows up to 75% financing, a comparatively accommodating cap that widens the buyer pool, and considers pied-à-terre ownership on a case-by-case basis. A flip tax applies on transfer per the cooperative's policy. The combination of strong staffing, a usable roof amenity, and flexible financing makes this a notably livable full-service building.
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
- Not verified
- Pied-à-terre ownership
- Permitted with conditionsCase by case, board discretionSource: The Roebling Team's building profile
Considering an apartment here? Send Corey the listing to discuss the sublet and pied-à-terre rules for that apartment.
Own an apartment here? Request an apartment-specific pricing review.
Pets and in-unit washer/dryer
- Pets
- Pets permitted with conditions; species not statedThe cooperative is pet-friendly and permits individual washer/dryers — both genuine conveniences not guaranteed at pre-war co-ops. The cooperative's terms: up to 75% financing, washer/dryers permitted with conditions, pets permitted, and pied-à-terre purchases considered case by case;Source: The Roebling Team's building profile
- In-unit washer/dryer
- Permitted with conditionsSome apartmentsSource: The Roebling Team's building profile
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
- $705 per room a monthMedian of 6 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
- Roof deck, garden, bike 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. Outdoor space, parking and some facilities can belong to particular apartments or to a separate owner; confirm access for the specific apartment.
Local Law 97
- 2024–2029 annual penalty
- $0 (under cap)
- 2030–2034 annual penalty
- $8,355/yr
- Per unit / month range
- $0 – $11
- Modeled exposure split equally across 61 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 data last refreshed October 2026.
See full Local Law 97 analysis — emissions history, scenarios, methodology →Facade safety — Local Law 11
The latest available FISP filing classified the facade as Safe — no repairs were required at that inspection. A filed Safe grade is not a guarantee of current condition: owners still maintain the facade and, where required, observe parapets each year. Future inspection timing (Local Law 49 of 2025 changed the cycle framework from October 1, 2026), repair and any assessment decisions remain building-specific.
How to read this, and where it comes from
QEWI = Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector — a licensed professional engineer or registered architect who meets DOB’s FISP qualifications and signs the report (the independent expert, not the managing agent).
Penalties shown are amounts DOB assessed against filings on record across 2005–10 to 2025–30. The FISP dataset does not record whether they were paid, contested or remain open, so treat the figure as history rather than a current balance and confirm the building’s standing with the managing agent.
Source: NYC DOB facade filings (FISP) · The Roebling Research Library. City data last refreshed October 2026.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 16, 2026 | 11A | 4 BR · 3 BA · 2,200 sf | $2,722,500 | $1,238/sf | -1.0% |
| May 6, 2026 | 6A | 4 BR · 3 BA · 2,200 sf | $2,525,000 | $1,148/sf | -9.0% |
| Dec 23, 2024 | 3D | 3 BR · 1.5 BA | $1,275,000 | +6.7% | |
| Oct 15, 2024 | 16C | 2 BR · 1.5 BA | $1,220,000 | -11.3% | |
| Jul 8, 2024 | 11D | 2 BR · 1.5 BA | $1,320,000 | +14.8% | |
| Nov 8, 2023 | 6C | 2 BR · 1 BA | $949,000 | -4.6% | |
| Apr 17, 2023 | 12B | 2 BR · 3 BA · 1,720 sf | $1,800,000 | $1,047/sf | -9.8% |
| Apr 13, 2022 | 6D | 2 BR · 1.5 BA | $937,500 | -14.8% |
Market read. Most recent trades (2026 to date) cleared a median $1,242/sf (floor-adjusted) across 2 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.
Other recent transfers
| Date | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 13, 2012 | 16C | $999,000 |
| Oct 2, 2003 | 12CD | $1,595,000 |
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 1-01209-0053). 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 50 West 96th Street and nearby.
At the recent median sale of $2.52M (3 transfers in the past 24 months, since October 31, 2024), a buyer putting 25% down would pay about $46,113 to close, or 1.8% of the price.
- Mansion tax: $31,563
- No mortgage recording tax or title insurance on a co-op purchase
- Attorneys, lender, building fees and filings: $14,550
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
Buy the line and the floor. Upper-floor apartments and the lines that catch park or open-skyline light carry the premium for good reason; lower and rear units trade at a discount that can be the building's best value. Because combinations are common, walk the actual flow — two "two-bedrooms" here can live very differently.
The cooperative's terms: up to 75% financing, washer/dryers permitted with conditions, pets permitted, and pied-à-terre purchases considered case by case; confirm current terms with the managing agent. A standard board package and interview apply; we help buyers assemble a clean file and read the building's maintenance against its full staffing and amenities.
What to know if you’re selling
Sell the architecture, the roof, and the access. The Italian Renaissance façade, the landscaped roof garden, and the half-block walk to Central Park and the B and C at 96th Street are the differentiators against plainer Columbus and Amsterdam stock. The washer/dryer allowance and 75% financing cap should be stated up front — they materially expand the buyer pool.
Comp to configuration and exposure, not the building average. With combinations skewing the mix, the right set is apartments of the same layout and light here and in the immediate upper-CPW pre-war cluster. High-floor lines with views reward staging; clean financials and a well-prepared board package keep deals on schedule.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering 50 West 96th, also evaluate nearby Upper West Side pre-war cooperatives:
- 41 West 96th Street — pre-war co-op on the same block
- 12 West 96th Street — pre-war cooperative near the park
- 35 West 90th Street — established UWS co-op to the south
- 275 West 96th Street — full-service co-op nearby
- 250 West 94th Street — pre-war cooperative peer
More Upper West Side buildings
- 50 Morningside Drive — 1921 co-op
- 50 West 66th Street — 2025 condominium by SLCE Architects
- 50 West 67th Street (The Musicians' Building) — 1916 co-op
- One Riverside Park (50 Riverside Boulevard) — 2012 condominium
- 51 West 82nd Street — co-op
- 55 West 95th Street — 1913 co-op
The neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, transit, and pricing across Upper West Side — read The Roebling Team Guide to Upper West 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.
Considering a move at 50 West 96th Street?
Request a private building brief with the relevant comparable sales, current and off-market availability, and an apartment-specific view of value.
646.939.7375 · c.cohen@compass.com