55 Central Park West
55 Central Park West, New York, NY 10023
Lincoln Square, Upper West Side
BBL 1011180036 · BIN 1028166
- Year built
- 1929
- Type
- Cooperative
- Units
- 102
- Floors
- 19
- Landmark
- Designated
- Pets
- Cats and small dogs typically permitted; confirm specifics
- Subletting
- Restrictive; minimum holding period and per-sublet board approval
Every recorded sale at this building, 2003–2025
Bedroom-by-bedroom medians, the full transfer record, and how units trade against ask.
- 2BR median
- $1.8M
- Recent range
- $1.3M – $7.9M
- Listing discount
- 5.1%
- Recorded transfers
- 84
55 Central Park West occupies a specific cultural niche on CPW: it is the building most casually known to non-New-Yorkers as "the Ghostbusters building" — its distinctive stepped roof and corner massing served as the principal exterior backdrop for the 1984 film. Beyond that pop-cultural fame, the building is a substantial pre-war cooperative completed in 1929 by Schwartz & Gross, a firm responsible for several other significant CPW and UES residential buildings of the same era.
The building's architectural character is Art Deco with restrained ornamentation — vertical brick and limestone composition, stepped massing at the upper floors, no twin-tower silhouette but a distinctive crowned corner. Its proximity to Lincoln Center, Columbus Circle, and the southern edge of Central Park puts it in a similar daily-life ecosystem as the Century and Majestic, while its more modest height and unit count produce a quieter institutional culture.
For buyers who want a substantial pre-war CPW co-op with cultural visibility, southern CPW positioning, and the architectural seriousness of Schwartz & Gross's work, 55 CPW occupies its own position in the canon — adjacent to, but distinct from, the Art Deco twin-tower landmarks.
Architecture and unit composition
Apartments range from one-bedrooms (700–1,000 sf) to substantial three- and four-bedroom configurations (2,200–4,500 sf), with the higher-floor and corner units commanding view premium. The 19-story height (no extending towers) means the highest floors are at altitudes the Art Deco twin-tower buildings exceed, but for buyers who don't need the very highest CPW altitudes, the building's pricing-to-quality balance is favorable.
Pre-war signatures throughout: 10–12 foot ceilings, formal entry galleries, library-living combinations, kitchens that have been renovated multiple times. Original architectural detail has been preserved in many apartments.
Park-facing apartments occupy the eastern flank — direct Central Park views from low to high floors, with the corner units (Park + 65th or 66th cross-street exposure) commanding meaningful premium.
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 filing classified the facade as SWARMP — Safe With A Repair and Maintenance Program: the engineer identified conditions requiring monitoring or repair before the next inspection cycle. The scope, timeline, and how the building funds the work are building-specific — we review the filings and board materials 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
- Pied-à-terre
- Allowed
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 17, 2025 | 3G | 2 BR · 2 BA · 1,535 sf | $1,900,000 | $1,238/sf | -4.8% |
| Jul 24, 2025 | 5A | 2 BR · 2 BA · 1,335 sf | $2,250,000 | $1,685/sf | -2.2% |
| Jun 4, 2025 | 3F | 3 BR · 3 BA | $3,700,000 | -13.9% | |
| Jan 26, 2024 | 12B | 1 BR · 1 BA | $1,295,000 | +0.0% | |
| Oct 12, 2023 | 9C | 4 BR · 3.5 BA | $7,900,000 | -5.4% | |
| Oct 4, 2023 | 9A | 2 BR · 2.5 BA | $1,600,000 | -5.6% | |
| Jun 9, 2022 | 3G | 2 BR · 2 BA · 1,535 sf | $1,800,000 | $1,173/sf | -14.3% |
| Jun 1, 2022 | 6G | 2 BR · 2 BA · 1,536 sf | $2,200,000 | $1,432/sf | +0.0% |
Market read. Most recent trades (2025) cleared a median $1,513/sf across 2 sales. Median listing discount 2.8% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 3, 2005 | 18A | $1,500,000 |
| Oct 20, 2003 | 11F | $2,750,000 |
| Oct 15, 2003 | 4B | $925,000 |
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 1-01118-0036) 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
Board approval is rigorous. 55 CPW's board reviews carefully but with somewhat less institutional formality than the most stringent tier-one boards. Strong financial profiles and primary-residence intent are advantageous.
Pied-à-terre approval is uncommon. The board generally prefers primary-residence buyers.
Renovation is constrained by historic district status and pre-war detail. Renovation that respects the building's architectural character is the expected path.
Position relative to amenity is similar to the Century and Majestic. Lincoln Center, Columbus Circle, Time Warner Center, and the southern Park entrance are all within a few blocks. For buyers who use this corridor heavily, the location is a strong fit.
View permanence is excellent. Central Park at the eastern flank, residential streets surrounding.
What to know if you’re selling
Pricing is competitive within southern CPW pre-war inventory. Apartments compete primarily with the Century, Majestic, and (for non-CPW alternatives) buildings on West End Avenue and the immediate side streets. Marketing benefits from the building's cultural visibility and architectural quality.
Buyer pool spans domestic primary-residence and limited international. Foreign buyer participation is constrained by board realities.
Mansion tax effects matter. Apartments commonly transact above $2M and not infrequently above $5M for Park-facing units. Run pricing through the Mansion Tax Calculator.
Closing timelines are co-op standard. 4–8 weeks from contract signing to closing.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering 55 Central Park West, also evaluate:
- The Century (25 CPW) — Art Deco twin-tower, immediately south
- The Majestic (115 CPW) — Art Deco twin-tower, several blocks north
- The Prasada (50 CPW) — pre-war co-op nearby (small unit count)
- 15 Central Park West — newer condo alternative, different price tier
- The Brentmore (88 Central Park West) — pre-war co-op, mid-CPW
The neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, schools, transit, and pricing across Central Park West — read The Roebling Team Guide to Central Park West.
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 55 CPW?
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 55 CPW 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.