551 West 21st Street
551 West 21st Street, New York, NY 10011
BBL 1006937502 · BIN 1089871
- Year built
- 2015
- Type
- Condominium
- Units
- 44
- Floors
- 19
- Landmark status
- Not an individual landmark; not in a historic district
- NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission and City Planning records, updated February 2026
- Leasing by owners
- Permitted with conditions
- Pied-à-terre
- Permitted
- Pets
- Pets permitted with conditions; species not stated
- Washer/dryer
- Permitted
- Flip tax
- Tiered or formula; see fees
- Doorman
- Full-time doorman
Every recorded sale at this building, 2012–2026
Price-per-square-foot over time, the line- and floor-premium curves, and every recorded sale.
- Median $/sf, 2026 to date
- $2,126
- floor-adjusted, 2 sales
- Listing discount
- 3.2%
- Recorded sales
- 74
- On record
- 2012–2026
Own an apartment here? See what it would sell for.
A Private Pricing Opinion — what your apartment at 551 West 21st 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.
551 West 21st Street is a Foster + Partners condominium on the Hudson edge of West Chelsea. Pritzker laureate Norman Foster's firm, Foster + Partners, had shaped towers, airports, and museums worldwide; 551 West 21st was completed in 2015. (The building its developer identifies as Foster + Partners' first U.S. residential building is 50 United Nations Plaza.) Developed by Scott Resnick's SR Capital with GTIS Partners, the building sits at the Hudson edge of West Chelsea, where the gallery district meets the river — and where Foster's architectural language could be deployed at the scale of a boutique trophy condominium.
The building's identity is restraint executed at high cost. Rather than the all-glass curtain wall of its neighbors, Foster built a white precast-concrete structural grid inset with bronze-toned metal window surrounds, framing large panoramic windows and culminating in a triple-height glazed element at the corner. The arrival sequence is the signature: a private gated drive court off West 21st Street, ivy-clad and walled, brings residents into a roughly 34-foot double-height lobby — a porte-cochère experience rare in Manhattan and effectively impossible to build on most of the island's tight lots.
Density is the third differentiator. With only 44 residences across nineteen stories, the building is configured for large, family-scaled homes — most three- and four-bedroom layouts, many with private or direct elevator access, full-floor and combined residences, and abundant western light off the Hudson. For a buyer who wants architect-pedigree, scale, and a private-arrival building on the river-facing edge of Chelsea, 551 West 21st is one of a very small set of options.
Architecture and unit composition
The 44 residences run large — predominantly three- and four-bedroom homes, with units reaching roughly 6,400 square feet and full-floor and combined residences available. Most apartments have private or direct elevator access with few shared corridors, and a separate service route handles deliveries and moves. Ceiling heights run near eleven feet in typical residences and roughly twelve feet in the three penthouses. Western exposures deliver panoramic Hudson River and Midtown views, particularly from the upper floors.
The architecture is deliberately material rather than transparent. The white precast-concrete grid with bronze-toned metal window surrounds reads as structure made visible — a Foster signature — and the triple-height glazed corner provides the building's vertical accent. The drive court and porte-cochère, with their ivy green wall, set the building apart at street level; the double-height lobby, with a prismatic glass wall and fluted private elevators, carries the architectural intent indoors.
Building operations
551 West 21st operates as a full-service trophy condominium with one of the deeper staffing and amenity programs in West Chelsea. Services include a 24-hour doorman, concierge, porter, and full valet. The amenity suite runs to roughly 6,000 square feet and includes a fitness center with a yoga room, a spa with steam room, sauna, and treatment room, a residents' lounge with a fireplace and catering kitchen, a children's playroom, and bicycle storage. The building has an on-site parking garage served by valet. There is no building-wide swimming pool; the only pool is a private outdoor pool atop the top penthouse.
Pets are permitted, pied-à-terre ownership is allowed, and leasing is permitted with conditions under the declaration; confirm financing rules in the current declaration and bylaws. Buyers should review the offering plan, current house rules, recent financial statements, board minutes, and the reserve study during diligence — the deep amenity and valet program carries a corresponding common-charge load that should be modeled at the residence level.
Application and transaction fees
Fees below are from building management's published schedule, as of September 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
- 1% Sales Price - applies only to owners who purchased their unit after 6/1/2023
- Paid by
- Seller
Source: building management's published schedule, as of September 2026
Purchase
10 items
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Processing Fee | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $700 (with Broker), $750 (without a Broker) | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Background Check FeePer applicant | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $100 per applicant/occupant | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Credit Check FeeConditional · Per applicant | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $75 per applicant/occupant (LLC required to submit fee for business credit check - if applicable) | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Messenger Fees | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $65 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Pet Security FeeConditionalConditions: If Applicable | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $2,000 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Transaction Fee | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $2,500 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Working Capital Contribution | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount Two (2) months common charges | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Closing Document Preparation Fee | Paid by Seller | When With the application | Amount $500 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Move-Out Fee | Paid by Seller | When With the application | Amount $1,000 | Refundable Non-refundable |
Deposits
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Move-In Deposit | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $1,000 | Refundable Refundable |
Rental or lease
11 items
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Move-Out Fee | Paid by Landlord | When With the application | Amount $1,000 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Application Processing Fee | Paid by Tenant | When With the application | Amount $700 (with Broker), $750 (without a Broker) | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Background Check FeePer applicant | Paid by Tenant | When With the application | Amount $100 per applicant/occupant | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Credit Check FeeConditional · Per applicant | Paid by Tenant | When With the application | Amount $75 per applicant/occupant (LLC required to submit fee for business credit check - if applicable) | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Move-In Fee | Paid by Tenant | When With the application | Amount $1,000 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Pet FeeConditionalConditions: If Applicable | Paid by Tenant | When With the application | Amount $2,000 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Transaction Fee | Paid by Tenant | When With the application | Amount $2,500 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Lease FeeRecurring | Paid by Landlord | When Upon approval | Amount Equal to 5% of the monthly rent (to be paid monthly on the common charge invoice) | Refundable Non-refundable |
Deposits
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Move-In Deposit | Paid by Tenant | When With the application | Amount $1,000 | Refundable Refundable |
Lease renewal
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lease Renewal Fee | Paid by Landlord | When With the application | Amount $500 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Lease FeeRecurring | Paid by Landlord | When Upon approval | Amount Equal to 5% of the monthly rent (to be paid monthly on the common charge invoice) | Refundable Non-refundable |
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.
Financing and purchase requirements
- Guarantors
- PermittedSource: building management's published schedule, as of September 2026
- Co-purchasing
- PermittedSource: building management's published schedule, as of September 2026
- Parent buying for an employed child
- PermittedSource: building management's published schedule, as of September 2026
- Parent buying for a student child
- PermittedSource: building management's published schedule, as of September 2026
- Purchase or lease by a corporation
- PermittedSource: building management's published schedule, as of September 2026
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.
- Leasing by owners
- Permitted with conditionsAll leases must be for a 1 year term. Leases can be written for 1 year with an option to renew for a 2nd year, but no 2 year leases are permitted.Source: building management's published schedule, as of September 2026
- Pied-à-terre ownership
- PermittedSource: building management's published schedule, as of September 2026
- Short-term rentals
- Not permittedSource: building management's published schedule, as of September 2026
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 statedBoard approval required.Source: building management's published schedule, as of September 2026
- In-unit washer/dryer
- PermittedSource: building management's published schedule, as of September 2026
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
- Common charges + taxes, per room
- $1,846 per room a monthMedian of 8 recorded sales since October 2023Source: recorded sales, refreshed October 2026
- Common charges + taxes, per square foot
- $4.16 per square foot a monthMedian of 9 recorded sales since October 2023Source: recorded sales, refreshed October 2026
- Common charges alone, per square foot
- $2.23 per square foot a monthMedian of 17 listings since October 2023 that give the annual taxSource: listing records, refreshed October 2026
- Real estate taxes alone, per square foot
- $1.95 per square foot a monthMedian of 17 listings since October 2023 that give the annual taxSource: listing records, refreshed October 2026
Common charges plus real estate taxes, combined into one monthly figure the way New York condominium listings show them. Add a mortgage payment for the monthly outlay. The split into common charges and taxes comes from the listings that also give the annual tax, a different sample, so the two lines need not add up exactly to the combined median; a tax abatement can hold taxes below the full amount until it expires. A summary of recorded sales and listings, not a current bill; charges change.
Building staffing and amenities
- Doorman
- Full-time doormanSource: The Roebling Team's building profile
- Concierge
- YesSource: recent listing records
- Valet
- YesSource: The Roebling Team's building profile
- Elevator
- YesSource: NYC Department of Buildings elevator records
- Amenities noted
- Fitness room, spa, residents' lounge, playroom, garage, bike storageSource: 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
- $177,806/yr
- Per unit / month range
- $0 – $337
- Modeled exposure split equally across 44 units (the residential count on the city's lot record). Not an assessed amount; condominium owners are typically charged by each unit's common-interest percentage.
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).
Source: NYC DOB facade filings (FISP) · The Roebling Research Library. City data last refreshed October 2026.
Recent sales
551 West 21st is a West Chelsea condominium with Foster architecture and large floor plans. Foster's architecture, the large family-scaled floor plans, the private drive-court arrival, and the Hudson light are features to compare with dated matched transactions, and its 44-unit density means comparable sales are heterogeneous — exposure, floor altitude, layout, and outdoor space all move value substantially. The building's penthouse has drawn sustained press attention: David Weinreb, the co-founder and former chief executive of the Howard Hughes Corporation, acquired the top residence as raw space and built it out at length, with the home subsequently marketed as a completed residence. Pricing should be read at the residence level, anchored to the building's own transaction history. Unit-level transaction history is maintained in The Roebling Research Library and shared with clients during diligence.
Recent closings 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 28, 2026 | 4D | 1 BR · 1.5 BA · 1,229 sf | $2,100,000 | $1,709/sf | -2.3% |
| Jun 11, 2026 | 4B | 2 BR · 1.5 BA · 1,228 sf | $1,825,000 | $1,486/sf | -8.5% |
| Sep 26, 2025 | 4A | 2 BR · 2.5 BA · 2,113 sf | $3,850,000 | $1,822/sf | -7.2% |
| Jul 18, 2025 | 3D | 1 BR · 1.5 BA · 1,237 sf | $1,995,000 | $1,613/sf | +0.0% |
| Jul 7, 2025 | 9B | 3 BR · 3.5 BA · 3,860 sf | $8,000,000 | $2,073/sf | -20.0% |
| Oct 1, 2024 | 3A | 2 BR · 3.5 BA · 2,113 sf | $3,150,000 | $1,491/sf | -1.6% |
| Sep 20, 2024 | 14A | 4 BR · 4.5 BA · 4,271 sf | $14,500,000 | $3,395/sf | — |
| Jul 24, 2024 | 6A | 3 BR · 2.5 BA · 2,469 sf | $4,950,000 | $2,005/sf | -17.4% |
Market read. Most recent trades (2026 to date) cleared a median $2,126/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 3.2% 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.
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 1-00693-7502; each condominium apartment is its own tax lot). 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 from recorded condo declarations and offering plans.
Closed rents at 551 West 21st Street, last 36 months
| Size | Leases | Median / month |
|---|---|---|
| 2 bedroom | 2 | $22,750 |
3 closed leases, October 2023 to September 2026. Most recent lease July 2025. Based on few leases. Sizes with fewer than 2 leases are not shown. Compiled by The Roebling Team at Compass from closed leases.
What would your apartment rent for?
The figures above are the building's closed leases. Enter your apartment and I'll send you what yours would rent for, from comparable leases at 551 West 21st Street and nearby.
At the recent median sale of $2.1M (5 sales in the past 24 months, since November 3, 2024), a buyer putting 25% down would pay about $89,129 to close, or 4.2% of the price.
- Mansion tax: $26,250
- Mortgage recording tax: $30,319
- Title insurance: $9,450
- Attorneys, lender, building fees, reserves and filings: $23,110
Assumes a resale (the seller pays transfer taxes), a $4,500 attorney fee and a mortgage on the rest.
Keep up with 551 West 21st Street and its market
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What to know if you’re buying
You are buying scale and arrival. The large family-scaled floor plans, private or direct elevator access, and the gated drive-court entrance are the building's defining qualities — and they are rare in Manhattan. The architecture is material and structural, not an all-glass curtain wall; view it in person.
Model the carry. The 24-hour staffing, valet, and roughly 6,000-square-foot amenity program carry a meaningful common-charge load. Model the full monthly carry — common charges, taxes, utilities, insurance — at the specific residence.
Know the condominium terms. Pied-à-terre use is permitted and leasing by owners is permitted with conditions; confirm closing timing, investment use and financing in the current declaration and bylaws.
Comps are heterogeneous; go unit-level. With 44 residences spanning a wide range of layouts and exposures, the right comp set is the building's own history plus a curated group of West Chelsea trophy peers.
Mansion tax cliffs are major at this tier. Multiple cliff thresholds routinely apply. Run pricing through the Mansion Tax Calculator.
What to know if you’re selling
Marketing requires reach. The buyer pool for a Foster-designed trophy condominium is broad and, at the top of the building, international. Access to a wide broker network matters at these price points.
Pricing requires residence-level context. Comparable sales at 551 West 21st are meaningful but heterogeneous — view, floor, exposure, and configuration all drive variation. Anchor to the building's own history.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering 551 West 21st, also evaluate:
- 100 Eleventh Avenue — Jean Nouvel 2010; nearby starchitect condo on the Hudson edge
- 200 Eleventh Avenue — Selldorf 2010; Sky Garage boutique condo nearby
- 520 West 28th Street — Zaha Hadid 2017; nearby starchitect trophy condo on the High Line
- One High Line (500 West 18th) — Bjarke Ingels Group; nearby new-development trophy condo
- 508 West 24th Street — Tamarkin 2014; masonry boutique condo on the High Line
- One High Line (76 Eleventh Avenue) — Bjarke Ingels Group 2024; nearby High Line twin-tower condominium
More Chelsea buildings
- 540 West 28th Street (+Art) — 2010 condominium
- 550 West 21st Street — condominium by Thomas Juul-Hansen
- 550 West 29th Street — condominium by Hill West Architects
- 555 West 23rd Street (555W23) — 2005 condominium by Stephen B. Jacobs Group
- The Cortland, 555 West 22nd Street — 2022 condominium
- Five Sixty, 560 West 24th Street — 2013 condominium
The neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, transit, and pricing across Chelsea — read The Roebling Team Guide to Chelsea.
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 551 West 21st 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