- Year built
- 1984
- Type
- Condominium
- Units
- 487
- Floors
- 35
- Landmark
- No
- Pets
- Permitted under the condominium rules
- Pied-à-terre
- Allowed
- Financing
- Approximately 20 percent minimum down payment (condominium — no co-op financing cap)
Manhattan Place is a 35-story condominium on First Avenue at 37th Street, completed in 1984 and one of the earliest high-rise condominiums built in Manhattan. It was the first Manhattan project for architect Costas Kondylis, who would go on to design a large share of the city's late-20th-century residential towers, and its defining move is structural: the building's triangular-ended, diagonally angled form is oriented to capture East River and open-city exposures that a conventional slab on the same site would not.
For a building of its vintage, the amenity package is unusually deep. The rooftop health club carries an enclosed swimming pool, a fitness center, steam and sauna rooms, a rooftop running track, and sun decks — a program that anticipated the amenity-heavy condominium model that became standard a generation later. The base of the building holds a grand lobby with a signature indoor waterfall and a public plaza.
The building should not be confused with the copper-clad American Copper Buildings a few blocks north at 626 and 650 First Avenue, which are a separate, much newer rental development. Manhattan Place is a genuine for-sale condominium with a long, unit-by-unit resale history, and it offers the transactional flexibility the corridor's cooperative inventory does not: a roughly 20 percent minimum down payment with no co-op financing cap, permitted pied-à-terre and investor use, and condo-fast closings.
Architecture and unit composition
The roughly 487 residences occupy the tower's 35 stories, with the angled, triangular-ended massing producing a range of exposures — the most desirable lines carry unobstructed East River and skyline views over St. Vartan Park. Layouts run from studios and one-bedrooms through larger multi-bedroom apartments, and the building's design prioritizes view capture across the floor plate.
The base holds the waterfall lobby and public plaza; the roof holds the health club and running track that distinguish the building from its 1980s peers.
Building operations
Manhattan Place operates as a full-service condominium with a 24-hour doorman and concierge, an on-site parking garage, and the rooftop health-club amenity suite noted above. As a large condominium in a transit-convenient east-side location, the building carries an active owner-rental sub-market — a normal profile for an investor-friendly condominium and a factor buyers should weigh when reviewing the owner-occupancy ratio and financials.
Standard condominium buyer costs apply, along with the usual application and move-in deposits (confirm current figures at offer stage). Common charges and property taxes should be modeled at the apartment level; buyers should review the building's financials and reserve position during due diligence.
What to know if you’re buying
The angled massing drives the view premium. The building's best value is in its East River-facing lines; interior exposures trade meaningfully lower.
Condominium flexibility applies. Roughly 20 percent down, no co-op financing cap, pied-à-terre and investor use permitted, and condo-fast closings.
The rooftop health club is a genuine amenity. The enclosed pool and running track are a rare package for a building of this vintage and a real day-to-day feature.
Weigh the owner-occupancy profile. As a large investor-friendly condominium, the building carries an active rental sub-market; review the current ratio and financials during due diligence.
What to know if you’re selling
Lead with the view line and floor. East River-facing high-floor inventory is the building's most marketable product; price it distinctly from interior lines.
The rooftop amenity suite differentiates the building. The enclosed pool, running track, and health club are unusual for a 1980s condominium and a core selling point.
Price at the line and floor. Reference recent recorded closings on the specific line rather than the building average.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering Manhattan Place, also evaluate:
- 415 East 37th Street (The Horizon) — nearby Murray Hill full-service condominium with East River views and a rooftop pool
- 235 East 40th Street (The Vanderbilt) — nearby East Midtown condominium with a deep amenity suite
- The Corinthian (330 East 38th Street) — nearby Murray Hill full-service condominium with a curved-bay facade
- 300 East 40th Street — East Midtown full-service condominium
- 50 United Nations Plaza — UN-area trophy condominium (trade-up comparison)
The Roebling Team at Manhattan Place
The Roebling Team at Compass works across the Midtown East and Murray Hill condominium market, including the large full-service tower tier. We publish this building profile because Manhattan Place buyers and sellers deserve building-specific intelligence — amenity structure, view and exposure analysis, buyer-cost mechanics, and comparable analysis at the apartment level — not generic neighborhood commentary.
If you're considering a purchase or sale at Manhattan Place, a 30-minute consultation is the right starting point.
The neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, schools, transit, and pricing across Midtown East — read The Roebling Team Guide to Midtown East.
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