54 Riverside Drive
54 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10024
BBL 1011860048 · BIN 1031111
- Year built
- 1926
- Type
- Cooperative
- Units
- About 80
- Landmark status
- Not an individual landmark; in the West End-Collegiate Historic District Extension
- NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission records, updated February 2026
- Pied-à-terre
- Permitted with conditions
- Pets
- Pets permitted with conditions; species not stated
- Washer/dryer
- Permitted with conditions
- Flip tax
- 2% of the purchase price, paid by the seller
- Doorman
- Full-time doorman
Every recorded sale at this building, 2004–2026
Bedroom-by-bedroom medians, the full transfer record, and how units trade against ask.
- 2BR median, 2025–2026
- $1.9M
- 2 qualifying sales
- Recent range
- $1.9M – $6.3M
- Listing discount
- 0.9%
- Recorded transfers
- 44
Own an apartment here? See what it would sell for.
A Private Pricing Opinion — what your apartment at 54 Riverside Drive 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.
54 Riverside Drive belongs to the tier of mid-1920s pre-war buildings that gave Riverside Drive its distinctive character — masonry apartment houses positioned to capture the open western light and the long views across Riverside Park to the Hudson. Built in 1926 at the corner of West 78th Street, the building sits on the Drive opposite Riverside Park, with river vistas to assess for the specific apartment.
The building's plan reflects the era's approach to luxury apartment living: a corner site with only a small number of apartments per landing, generous classic-six layouts, and the windowed eat-in kitchens, beamed ceilings, original hardwood floors, and multiple exposures that define the best pre-war stock. Assess the specific landing configuration, apartment dimensions and acoustic conditions directly; a small number of homes per floor does not establish privacy or quiet. The building's crown is a duplex penthouse of roughly 4,200 interior square feet with about 1,500 square feet of terraces overlooking the Hudson.
Riverside Drive's appeal rests on the park and the river across the street. For 54 Riverside Drive, compare river-facing apartments with dated matched sales before assigning a view premium, though views depend on floor and exposure and no view is protected without a recorded instrument. The building sits in a reported historic-district setting whose exact LPC district name and boundary should be confirmed, directly across from Riverside Park and a short walk from the 1 train at West 79th Street, the M79 crosstown bus, and the neighborhood's established food row — Zabar's, Citarella, and Fairway all within a few blocks.
Architecture and unit composition
The exterior is classic mid-1920s Riverside Drive: a Renaissance Revival building of brick, stone and terra cotta, with rusticated brick corners and decorative terra-cotta surrounds at the entrance and windows. The corner site delivers two and three exposures to many apartments and frames the park-and-river outlook that is the building's defining asset.
Inside, the apartments showcase pre-war elegance — original hardwood floors, beamed ceilings, oversized windows, and built-in storage and bookshelves. Many homes follow the traditional classic-six plan; over the decades several have been combined or reconfigured into larger residences, including the duplex penthouse at the top. With roughly 80 apartments across 16 floors, served by separate passenger and service elevators, confirm the number of apartments sharing the specific landing and its access arrangements from the approved plans. Through-wall air conditioning is permitted, and washer/dryers may be installed with board approval.
Building operations
54 Riverside Drive runs as a full-service pre-war cooperative with a 24-hour doorman, a resident manager, and a live-in superintendent. A central laundry room, bike storage, and private resident storage serve the building. The cooperative is pet-friendly and permits pied-à-terre purchases, and it allows in-unit washer/dryer installation subject to board approval. Financing is permitted up to 75% of the purchase price, a 25% minimum down — relatively accommodating for a pre-war Drive co-op. The building has no on-site gym or garage; residents draw on the abundant fitness and parking options nearby.
Application and transaction fees
Fees below are from building management's published schedule, as of July 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
- Equal to 2% of the purchase price
- Rate
- 2% of the purchase price
- Paid by
- Seller
Source: building management's published schedule, as of July 2026
Purchase
7 items
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Processing FeeConditional | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $400 if all cash, $500 if financing | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Credit Check FeePer applicant | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $50 per applicant | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Financing FeeConditional | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $275 if applicable | Refundable Not stated |
| Building Processing Fee | Paid by Shareholder | When At closing | Amount $150 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Corporation Attorney Fee | Paid by Shareholder | When At closing | Amount $150. Payable to Smith, Gambrell & Russel, LLP | Refundable Not stated |
| Stock Sale Transfer Fee | Paid by Shareholder | When At closing | Amount $800 | Refundable Not stated |
Deposits
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Move-In Deposit | Paid by Buyer | When At closing | Amount $1,000 | Refundable Refundable |
Refinance
1 item
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Processing Fee | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount $500 | Refundable Non-refundable |
Ownership transfer
3 items
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Fee to co-ops attorney | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount To be determined | Refundable Not stated |
| Trust Transfer Application Fee | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount $200 | Refundable Not stated |
| Trust Transfer Closing Fee | Paid by Shareholder | When At closing | Amount $800 | Refundable Not stated |
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.
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.
Pets and in-unit washer/dryer
- Pets
- Pets permitted with conditions; species not statedThe cooperative is pet-friendly and permits pied-à-terre purchases, and it allows in-unit washer/dryer installation subject to board approval. The building's policies are comparatively buyer-friendly: pets and pied-à-terre purchases are both permitted, washer/dryers are allowed with board…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
- $869 per room a monthMedian of 4 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
- 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. 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
- $11,131/yr
- Per unit / month range
- $0 – $12
- Modeled exposure split equally across 80 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 filing classified the facade as SWARMP — Safe With A Repair and Maintenance Program: the inspector (QEWI) 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 — a licensed professional engineer or registered architect who meets DOB’s FISP qualifications and signs the report (the independent expert, not 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 5, 2026 | 16B | 2 BR · 3 BA | $1,900,000 | -4.8% | |
| Oct 3, 2025 | 9D | 2 BR · 3 BA | $1,995,000 | +0.0% | |
| May 23, 2025 | 11B | 3 BR · 3 BA | $1,960,000 | — | |
| Aug 7, 2024 | 16A | 6 BR · 5.5 BA · 4,200 sf | $6,250,000 | $1,488/sf | +0.0% |
| Jun 28, 2023 | 2B | 3 BR · 2.5 BA | $2,385,000 | -4.0% | |
| Feb 24, 2023 | 15D | 3 BR · 3 BA | $2,155,000 | +13.4% | |
| Jan 25, 2023 | 9B | 3 BR · 3 BA | $2,210,000 | -1.8% | |
| Jul 12, 2021 | 10A | 2 BR · 2 BA | $1,910,000 | +3.9% |
Market read. $/sf is measured on the latest sales with reliable square footage (2024): a median $1,119/sf (floor-adjusted) across 1 sale. The building has traded as recently as 2026. 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 1-01186-0048). 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 54 Riverside Drive and nearby.
At the recent median sale of $1.96M (3 transfers in the past 24 months, since October 31, 2024), a buyer putting 25% down would pay about $34,150 to close, or 1.7% of the price.
- Mansion tax: $19,600
- 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
This is a pre-war cooperative, so a purchase clears a board package and interview. The building's policies are comparatively buyer-friendly: pets and pied-à-terre purchases are both permitted, washer/dryers are allowed with board approval, and financing runs to 75% — a meaningfully higher cap than the 50% many prime co-ops impose, which widens the qualified buyer pool. Budget for standard co-op closing costs.
The view is the asset to underwrite. Compare river-facing and high-floor apartments with dated matched sales, adjusting lower or interior comparisons for actual exposure; no view or floor position guarantees value retention. Buyers who want in-home laundry should note that installation requires board sign-off and is handled unit by unit. We help buyers read the package, benchmark the exact line and exposure, and structure an offer for the board's review.
What to know if you’re selling
The pitch writes itself: a corner pre-war on Riverside Drive, directly across from the park, with Hudson views from the river-facing lines. Lead with the exposure, the classic-six proportions, the terra-cotta entrance surround, and full 24-hour service.
Price against the prime Riverside Drive and West End Avenue pre-war set, positioning river-facing and high-floor homes at the top of the building's range. The 75% financing cap and the pet- and pied-à-terre-friendly board are genuine selling points — they broaden the buyer pool relative to stricter neighbors, and they belong in the marketing. We position each line by exposure and floor, and manage the board process from accepted offer to closing.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering 54 Riverside Drive, also evaluate these nearby pre-war co-ops:
- 33 Riverside Drive — pre-war Riverside Drive co-op to the south
- 100 Riverside Drive — full-service Riverside Drive co-op nearby
- 110 Riverside Drive — pre-war Drive co-op a few blocks north
- 411 West End Avenue — Art Moderne West End Avenue co-op to the northeast at West 80th Street
- 440 West End Avenue — pre-war West End Avenue co-op nearby
- 300 Riverside Drive — pre-war Riverside Drive peer
More Riverside Drive buildings
- 33 Riverside Drive — 1927 co-op by George F. Pelham
- 37 Riverside Drive — 1925 co-op by Schwartz & Gross
- 52 Riverside Drive — 1926 co-op
- 60 Riverside Drive — 1965 co-op by Wechsler & Schimenti
- 67 Riverside Drive — 1907 co-op by George F. Pelham
- 70 Riverside Drive — 1951 co-op
The neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, transit, and pricing across Riverside Drive — read The Roebling Team Guide to Riverside Drive.
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 54 Riverside Drive?
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