The Florence (545 West End Avenue)
545 West End Avenue, New York, NY 10024
Upper West Side
BBL 1012480029 · BIN 1033941
- Year built
- 1924
- Type
- Cooperative
- Units
- 96
- Landmark
- Designated
Every recorded sale at this building, 2003–2025
Bedroom-by-bedroom medians, the full transfer record, and how units trade against ask.
- 1BR median
- $679K
- Recent range
- $410K – $2M
- Listing discount
- 6.8%
- Recorded transfers
- 78
The Florence at 545 West End Avenue is a 1925 pre-war cooperative on the corner of West End Avenue and West 86th Street, designed by George F. Pelham in the Renaissance Revival palazzo idiom that gave the avenue some of its most dignified facades. Pelham was among the era's most productive Upper West Side apartment-house architects, and his hand shows in the building's two-story rusticated stone base, its two-story entrance enframement with pilasters carrying a carved entablature, the terra-cotta sill courses with bas-relief swags, and the bracketed cornice crowned with anthemia. The named identity — "The Florence" — and the elaborate stone face give the building a recognizable presence on the avenue.
West End Avenue is the Upper West Side's quiet residential spine, running between Broadway's commercial energy and Riverside Drive's park frontage. The Florence's corner siting at West 86th Street — a wider, busier crosstown street with the 1 train a block away and crosstown buses at the door — gives the building strong light, dual exposures on the corner lines, and the convenience of one of the neighborhood's principal east-west axes. The address sits near the heart of the avenue's pre-war stretch, within easy reach of Riverside Park, the Broadway retail corridor, and Central Park to the east.
At roughly 96 apartments across 16 stories, The Florence is a mid-scale pre-war cooperative with full-service staffing — large enough to support a steady transaction cadence and a family-friendly amenity base, intimate enough to keep a defined character.
For buyers, The Florence offers genuine pre-war architecture, family-scale layouts, and a named West End Avenue address at pricing typically more accessible than the Central Park West and Park/Fifth Avenue pre-war tiers.
Architecture and unit composition
The roughly 96 apartments span the 16 stories in configurations from one- and two-bedrooms to larger family layouts, consistent with a 1925 pre-war building of this scale. Pre-war signatures of the era are typical here: high ceilings, entry foyers, separated formal living and dining rooms, and the room proportions that distinguish apartments of this vintage. Some apartments have been combined over the building's history to produce larger layouts.
The corner position at West 86th Street gives certain lines dual exposures and the additional light that the wider crosstown street provides.
Building operations
The Florence operates as a full-service pre-war cooperative with 24-hour doorman coverage, elevator service, a live-in superintendent, and handyman/porter staffing, supported by a children's playroom, a bike room, central laundry, and storage. The building converted to cooperative ownership in 1983. Because it sits within the Riverside Drive–West End Historic District Extension I, exterior alterations run through Landmarks Preservation Commission review.
Local Law 97
- 2024–2029 annual penalty
- $0 (under cap)
- 2030–2034 annual penalty
- $24,958/yr
- Per unit / month range
- $0 – $22
Facade safety — Local Law 11
The latest available filing classified the facade as Unsafe — conditions requiring corrective action, which under FISP means a protective sidewalk shed and repairs. Review the subsequent filings, the repair status, and the building’s board and financial materials — we pull the repair scope and funding picture for you.
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 →Management & transfer contacts
- Sublet policy
- Allowed; sublet fee 40% of monthly maintenance
- Notable fees
- Co-op. Max financing 75%; tax deductibility 37%. App processing $700; credit $200/applicant; closing fee $850 ($1,100 mail closing); alteration $250-$2,500 + $2,000 deposit; many closing-related fees
Recent sales
Recent transfers 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 18, 2025 | 6F | 1 BR · 1 BA | $690,000 | -1.4% | |
| Sep 11, 2025 | 7EF | 3 BR · 2 BA | $1,650,000 | -12.9% | |
| Jan 7, 2025 | 4C | 3 BR · 2.5 BA · 1,400 sf | $1,500,000 | $1,071/sf | -16.7% |
| Oct 8, 2024 | 4F | 1 BR · 1 BA | $790,000 | -3.5% | |
| Sep 20, 2024 | 1D | 1 BR · 1 BA | $410,000 | -13.7% | |
| Jun 18, 2024 | 8D | 2 BR · 1 BA · 980 sf | $995,000 | $1,015/sf | -9.5% |
| Aug 3, 2023 | 8C | 3 BR · 2 BA | $1,960,000 | +9.2% | |
| Jun 27, 2023 | 6F | 1 BR · 1 BA | $667,500 | -4.0% |
Market read. Most recent trades (2025) cleared a median $1,172/sf across 1 sale. Median listing discount 2.2% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2, 2003 | 16B | $1,675,000 |
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 1-01248-0029) 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 on co-ops is not officially recorded, figures shown are approximate.
What to know if you’re buying
The Renaissance-revival architecture is a defining asset. The named building and Pelham's elaborate stone facade give it a recognizable, dignified identity on West End Avenue.
The corner-of-86th location adds light and convenience. A wider crosstown street, the 1 train a block away, and Riverside Park to the west distinguish the corner lines; confirm the exposure of any specific apartment.
The playroom and bike room support family life. A children's playroom is a meaningful draw for the family buyers West End Avenue attracts.
Pricing is accessible relative to the CPW and Park/Fifth tiers. Buyers who want pre-war scale and a named address often find West End Avenue's value proposition compelling.
Board approval follows full-service pre-war co-op norms. Strong financials and primary-residence intent are typically central.
What to know if you’re selling
Lead with the named building and Pelham's facade. "The Florence" and the Renaissance Revival architecture are the marketing core, alongside the corner light, the playroom, and the West End Avenue address.
Pricing requires apartment-level comparable analysis. Exposure, floor altitude, configuration, and renovation history all move value across a 96-unit building.
Closing timelines are co-op standard. Generally 6–10 weeks from contract signing to closing, subject to board package and interview pacing.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering The Florence, also evaluate:
- 565 West End Avenue — pre-war West End Avenue co-op nearby
- 525 West End Avenue — pre-war West End Avenue co-op
- 535 West End Avenue — pre-war West End Avenue co-op
The neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, schools, transit, and pricing across West End Avenue — read The Roebling Team Guide to West End Avenue.
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.
Considering a move at The Florence?
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 Florence 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.