56 Cooper Square (The Carl Fischer Building)
56 Cooper Square, New York, NY 10003
- Year built
- 1926
- Type
- Condominium
- Units
- 26
- Landmark
- Designated
- Pets
- Pet-friendly — cats and dogs permitted under the condominium rules
- Subletting
- Permitted under the condominium declaration
- Pied-à-terre
- Allowed
Every recorded sale at this building, 2004–2024
Price-per-square-foot over time, the line- and floor-premium curves, and every recorded sale.
- Median $/sf
- $2,588
- Listing discount
- 25.2%
- Recorded sales
- 11
- On record
- 2004–2024
56 Cooper Square is part of the Carl Fischer Building — one of downtown's prestigious prewar loft conversions. Built in 1926 for the Carl Fischer Music Company and converted to a 26-unit condominium in 2001, it delivers genuine prewar loft scale — high ceilings, big multi-paned windows, open floor plates — in a full-service, doorman-staffed building at the seam of NoHo, the East Village, and Greenwich Village. For the buyer who wants loft volume with hotel-style service and the title flexibility of a condominium, it is a standout.
The location is one of downtown's most dynamic: Cooper Square and Astor Place sit at the meeting point of NoHo, the East Village, and the Village, a short walk from the Bowery's galleries and restaurants, the shops of Lower Broadway, and the transit at Astor Place and Union Square. The Carl Fischer Building's distinctive signage and clock are part of the neighborhood's identity.
Architecture and unit composition
The principal twelve-story Carl Fischer Building was erected in 1926 to designs by W. K. Benedict for the Carl Fischer Music Company, with adjoining lower (roughly four-story) portions; the combined condominium spans 52–62 Cooper Square. Converted to residential condominium use in 2001, it offers 26 loft apartments — open, full-floor-style layouts with high ceilings and the large multi-paned windows characteristic of prime prewar loft stock. Penthouse-level residences carry the lower (52/56) Cooper Square addresses.
Because these are converted lofts, layouts and renovation levels vary substantially unit to unit, which is part of why pricing here is so apartment-specific.
Building operations
56 Cooper Square / the Carl Fischer Building operates as a full-service loft condominium with a 24-hour doorman/concierge, an on-site superintendent, a common roof deck, and access to an off-site health-and-racquet club. As a condominium, monthly common charges cover building operations and staff, with real-estate taxes billed separately to each unit. The building is pet-friendly — both cats and dogs are permitted under its rules.
Buyers should review the offering plan, current financials, board minutes, and any reserve study during due diligence — standard practice for a prewar loft conversion, where building-systems history and reserves are worth close reading.
Recent sales
56 Cooper Square trades as a condominium, so pricing is read on a price-per-square-foot basis — and because the apartments are full-floor loft-scale, absolute prices are high. Pricing is driven by floor, ceiling height, light, layout, and renovation level, with the full-service operation and the prewar loft volumes supporting premium pricing. Larger full-floor and penthouse residences in the building have carried multi-million-dollar asking prices. With only 26 heterogeneous units, sales are genuinely apartment-specific, and the most reliable pricing evidence is the building's own trade history adjusted for size, floor, and condition.
Recent closings 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 2024 | 8B | 3,169 sf | $8,200,000 | $2,588/sf | off-mkt |
| Nov 16, 2020 | 3A | 2,571 sf | $4,200,000 | $1,634/sf | off-mkt |
| Nov 5, 2020 | PH52 | 4 BR · 3.5 BA · 4,506 sf | $9,540,000 | $2,117/sf | -25.2% |
| Aug 3, 2015 | 9C | 1,452 sf | $3,500,000 | $2,410/sf | off-mkt |
| Jul 23, 2015 | PH52 | 4 BR · 3.5 BA · 4,506 sf | $15,500,000 | $3,440/sf | off-mkt |
| Dec 3, 2014 | 2T | 2,751 sf | $4,780,000 | $1,738/sf | off-mkt |
| Oct 7, 2009 | 5A | 2,548 sf | $3,125,000 | $1,226/sf | off-mkt |
| Jun 10, 2005 | A | 8,563 sf | $7,500,000 | $876/sf | off-mkt |
Market read. Most recent trades (2024) cleared a median $2,588/sf across 1 sale. Median listing discount 25.2% 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 1-00544-7501) 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 from recorded condo declarations and offering plans.
What to know if you’re buying
You're buying full-service prewar loft scale. High ceilings, big windows, and open floor plates behind a 1926 façade, in a 24-hour doorman building — an uncommon combination.
Condo flexibility is real. 30–45 day closings; pied-à-terre, investor, and foreign-buyer use permitted; subletting allowed under the declaration.
Pets are welcome. Both cats and dogs are permitted under the condominium rules.
Each loft is different. Ceiling height, light, floor, and renovation vary unit to unit; price and compare carefully within the building.
Confirm the address-and-association structure. The condominium spans 52–62 Cooper Square as a single building; understand how your unit sits within it during diligence.
What to know if you’re selling
The loft volume and the service are the headline. Full-floor light, ceiling height, and the doorman/roof-deck package sell this building. Stage and photograph to show scale.
Price to the building's own comps. With 26 heterogeneous loft units, the persuasive evidence is the Carl Fischer Building's recent trades adjusted for floor, size, and renovation level.
Lead with the address and the architecture. The Cooper Square / NoHo location and the recognizable Carl Fischer Building are a durable selling story.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering 56 Cooper Square, also evaluate:
- 1 Astor Place and 21 Astor Place — full-service condominiums steps away at Astor Place
- 1 Bond Street, 40 Bond Street, and 48 Bond Street — NoHo loft and contemporary condominiums nearby
- 36 Bleecker Street and 40 Bleecker Street — NoHo condominiums
- 718 Broadway — downtown loft condominium nearby
The Roebling Team at The Carl Fischer Building
The Roebling Team at Compass specializes in Greenwich Village and downtown and the NoHo loft market. We publish this profile because loft buyers and sellers deserve building-specific intelligence — the conversion history, the building's actual operation, and apartment-level pricing — not generic neighborhood commentary.
If you're considering a purchase or sale at 56 Cooper Square, a 30-minute consultation is the right starting point. We'll bring the full context this page provides plus the transactional specifics your situation requires.
The neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, schools, transit, and pricing across Greenwich Village — read The Roebling Team Guide to Greenwich Village.
Get the full picture on this building.
Current availability including off-market, the full comp set, and the board & financials read most listings don't show.