56 Cooper Square (The Carl Fischer Building)
56 Cooper Square, New York, NY 10003
NoHo
BBL 1005447501 · BIN 1008776
- 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
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.
Local Law 97
This building is below the 25,000 sq ft threshold at which LL97 emissions caps apply. No regulatory capital pressure from this law specifically, current or 2030.
See full Local Law 97 analysis →Facade safety — Local Law 11
The latest available FISP filing classified the facade as Safe — no repairs were required at that inspection. Facade inspections run on a fixed five-year cycle; future inspection, repair, and any assessment decisions remain building-specific.
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 →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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 15, 2015 | 4 | 4 BR | $15,500,000 | +0.0% | |
| Dec 15, 2011 | A | 8,563 sf | $4,739,150 | $553/sf | off-mkt |
| May 4, 2004 | 3 | 3 BR · 2,950 sf | $2,400,000 | $814/sf | +0.0% |
| Apr 26, 2004 | 2 | 2 BR · 2,724 sf | $1,950,000 | $716/sf | +0.0% |
Market read. $/sf is measured on the latest sales with reliable square footage (2011): a median $553/sf across 1 sale. The building has traded as recently as 2015.
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 neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, schools, transit, and pricing across Greenwich Village — read The Roebling Team Guide to Greenwich Village.
Considering a move at The Carl Fischer Building?
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 Carl Fischer Building 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.