80 John Street (The South Star)
80 John Street, New York, NY 10038
BBL 1000687501 · BIN 1001115
- Year built
- 1926
- Type
- Condominium
- Units
- 145
- Floors
- 23
- Pets
- Permitted under condominium rules
- Subletting
- Permitted under the condominium declaration
- Pied-à-terre
- Generally allowed in condominiums; not confirmed for this building
- Landmark status
- Not an individual landmark; not in a historic district
- NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission and City Planning records, updated February 2026
- Doorman
- Full-time doorman
Every recorded sale at this building, 2007–2026
Price-per-square-foot over time, the line- and floor-premium curves, and every recorded sale.
- Median $/sf, 2026 to date
- $1,038
- floor-adjusted, 3 sales
- Listing discount
- 4.2%
- Recorded sales
- 276
- On record
- 2007–2026
Own an apartment here? See what it would sell for.
A Private Pricing Opinion — what your apartment at The South Star 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.
80 John Street is a well-executed example of the Financial District's defining real-estate story: the conversion of pre-war office towers into residential buildings. The building was constructed in 1926–1927 as the Insurance Center Building, a purpose-built Art Deco office tower and one of architect Ely Jacques Kahn's early Financial District commissions through the firm Buchman & Kahn. It was converted to rental apartments in the late 1990s and to condominium ownership in 2006 under WSA Equities, taking the marketing name The South Star.
The building's appeal is a specific combination that the FiDi conversion category does well: genuine pre-war architecture — Art Deco detailing, a granite-and-limestone base, a chevron frieze, and generous ceiling heights — paired with the transactional flexibility of a condominium. Buyers get the substance of a 1920s tower with the day-one flexibility, financing latitude, and quick closings that a condo declaration provides.
Its position at the corner of John and Gold Streets places it in the heart of the residential Financial District, within walking distance of the Fulton Center transit hub, the Seaport, and the broader Lower Manhattan amenity base that has matured substantially since the neighborhood's residential conversion wave.
Architecture and unit composition
The approximately 145 residences occupy roughly 23 stories within the original Art Deco envelope. The building steps back through a series of upper-floor setbacks, a characteristic 1920s massing that produces terraces and light on the higher floors and gives the tower its Art Deco silhouette.
Apartments run from studios through three-bedroom layouts. The conversion preserved the pre-war ceiling heights — approaching eleven feet in many units — a genuine differentiator against the lower ceilings of newer ground-up FiDi construction. Renovated apartments typically feature hardwood floors and updated kitchens with Sub-Zero and Bosch appliances. Condition and view — some upper-floor units capture harbor and skyline sightlines — are the primary pricing variables within the building.
Building operations
80 John Street operates as a full-service condominium: 24-hour concierge, a live-in resident manager, a fitness center, an on-site parking garage with elevator access, and per-floor laundry. Pets are permitted under building rules.
As a condominium, the building offers standard condo flexibility — pieds-à-terre, investment use, and subletting are permitted under the declaration, and closings are fast. Common charges and property taxes should be modeled for the specific apartment; buyers should review the current financials, any assessments, the reserve position, and the building's capital plan during due diligence, as is prudent with any pre-war conversion.
Application and transaction fees
Fees below are from building management's published schedule, as of October 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.
Purchase
5 items
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Fee | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $750 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Closing Fee | Paid by Buyer | When At closing | Amount $350 | Refundable Not stated |
| Documentation Fee | Paid by Buyer | When At closing | Amount $250 | Refundable Not stated |
| Move In Fee | Paid by Buyer | When At closing | Amount $400 | Refundable Not stated |
Deposits
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Move In Deposit | Paid by Buyer | When At closing | Amount $1,000 | Refundable Refundable |
Rental or lease
6 items
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processing Fee | Paid by Tenant | When With the application | Amount $250 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Move Out Fee | Paid by Landlord | When Upon approval | Amount $400 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Move In Fee | Paid by Tenant | When Upon approval | Amount $400 | Refundable Non-refundable |
Deposits
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Move Out Deposit | Paid by Landlord | When Upon approval | Amount $1,000 | Refundable Refundable |
| Move In Deposit | Paid by Tenant | When Upon approval | Amount $1,000 | Refundable Refundable |
Lease renewal
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Fee | Paid by Tenant | When With the application | Amount $75 | 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.
Monthly carrying charges in recent sales
- Common charges + taxes, per room
- $675 per room a monthMedian of 10 recorded sales since October 2023Source: recorded sales, refreshed October 2026
- Common charges + taxes, per square foot
- $2.67 per square foot a monthMedian of 9 recorded sales since October 2023Source: recorded sales, refreshed October 2026
- Common charges alone, per square foot
- $1.15 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
- $1.43 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: recent listing records
- Concierge
- YesSource: recent listing records
- Live-in superintendent
- YesSource: The Roebling Team's building profile
- Elevator
- YesSource: NYC Department of Buildings elevator records
- Amenities noted
- Fitness room, garageSource: 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.
Local Law 97
- 2024–2029 annual penalty
- $0 (under cap)
- 2030–2034 annual penalty
- $35,764/yr
- Per unit / month range
- $0 – $20
- Modeled exposure split equally across 146 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 record last verified September 2026.
See full Local Law 97 analysis — emissions history, scenarios, methodology →Facade safety — Local Law 11
The latest available filing classified the facade as Unsafe — conditions requiring corrective action, which under FISP means a protective sidewalk shed and repairs. Review the subsequent filings, the repair status, and the building’s board and financial materials — we pull the repair scope and funding picture for you.
How to read this, and where it comes from
QEWI = Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector — the licensed engineer the city requires to sign the report (the independent expert, not the managing agent).
Penalties shown are amounts DOB assessed against filings on record across 2005–10 to 2020–25. The FISP dataset does not record whether they were paid, contested or remain open, so treat the figure as history rather than a current balance and confirm the building’s standing with the managing agent.
Source: NYC DOB facade filings (FISP) · The Roebling Research Library. City record last verified September 2026.
Management & transfer contacts
- Sublet policy
- Allowed; processing fee $250
- Notable fees
- Application fee $750 (sale); closing $350; documentation $250; move-in fee $400 + deposit $1,000
Recent sales
80 John Street trades as a mid-market Financial District condominium, with pricing driven by floor, exposure, ceiling height, outdoor space where present, and renovation condition. Smaller units form the entry tier, and larger and higher-floor apartments, some with harbor and skyline sightlines, sit at the top of the building's range.
The building's value proposition — pre-war Art Deco architecture and ceiling height at a Financial District price point, inside a flexible condominium structure — supports steady demand from buyers who want character and space downtown without paying trophy-tower pricing.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 4, 2026 | 16E | 2 BR · 2 BA · 995 sf | $885,000 | $889/sf | -1.1% |
| Mar 31, 2026 | 7G | 2 BR · 2 BA · 1,000 sf | $990,000 | $990/sf | -5.7% |
| Feb 20, 2026 | 2A | 1 BR · 1 BA · 674 sf | $695,000 | $1,031/sf | -1.4% |
| Oct 22, 2025 | 11I | 2 BR · 2 BA · 1,153 sf | $850,000 | $737/sf | -9.4% |
| Apr 30, 2025 | 9B | 2 BR · 2 BA · 1,056 sf | $1,160,000 | $1,098/sf | -5.3% |
| Aug 29, 2024 | 8A | 1 BR · 1 BA · 708 sf | $732,000 | $1,034/sf | -8.5% |
| May 29, 2024 | 5C | 3 BR · 2 BA · 1,412 sf | $1,360,000 | $963/sf | -2.2% |
| May 10, 2024 | 6D | 1 BA · 800 sf | $680,000 | $850/sf | +0.0% |
Market read. Most recent trades (2026 to date) cleared a median $1,038/sf (floor-adjusted) across 3 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 4.2% 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 1-00068-7501). 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 The South Star, last 36 months
| Size | Leases | Median / month |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | 7 | $3,700 |
| 1 bedroom | 2 | $4,597 |
| 2 bedroom | 9 | $6,300 |
19 closed leases, October 2023 to September 2026. Most recent lease September 2026. 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 The South Star and nearby.
At the recent median sale of $885K (5 sales since 2024), a buyer putting 25% down would pay about $32,814 to close, or 3.7% of the price.
- Mansion tax: $0
- Mortgage recording tax: $12,777
- Title insurance: $3,982
- Attorneys, lender, building fees, reserves and filings: $16,055
Assumes a resale (the seller pays transfer taxes), a $4,500 attorney fee and a mortgage on the rest.
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What to know if you’re buying
This is a pre-war conversion. You are buying into a 1926–1927 Art Deco building. Review the conversion history, the building's capital plan, the reserve position, and any assessments — standard and important diligence for any office-to-residential conversion.
Ceiling height and character are the draw. The pre-war ceiling heights and Art Deco detailing are genuine differentiators against newer FiDi construction. Confirm the specifics for the unit you are considering.
Condo flexibility is real. Pieds-à-terre, investment use, and subletting are permitted under the declaration, with fast closings.
Model the full carry. Confirm common charges, property taxes, and any assessment for the specific apartment, and factor the Financial District tax profile.
Views vary by floor and line. Some upper-floor apartments capture harbor and skyline views; lower and interior units do not. Confirm exactly what a given apartment sees.
What to know if you’re selling
Lead with the architecture. Art Deco character and pre-war ceiling height are the building's marketing edge over ground-up FiDi condos. Foreground them.
Condition and view set the price. Renovation quality and floor/exposure drive the pricing spread. Prepare the apartment and price against genuinely comparable units.
Position within the FiDi conversion set. Buyers cross-shop 80 John against other Lower Manhattan conversions. A clear, apartment-level comparable story matters.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering 80 John Street, also evaluate:
- 20 Pine Street — pre-war office-to-residential conversion in the Financial District
- 99 John Street — large FiDi condominium conversion nearby
- 90 John Street — Financial District residential building on the same block
- 50 Pine Street — pre-war conversion condominium in the Financial District
More Financial District buildings
- The Croft, 71 Nassau Street — 1905 condominium
- 75 Wall Street (The Residences at 75 Wall Street) — 1987 condominium
- 77 Greenwich Street (Jolie) at 42 Trinity Place — new-construction condominium by FXCollaborative (Fox & Fowle / FXFOWLE)
- 88 Greenwich Street (Greenwich Club Residences) — 1929 condominium
- 90 John Street — 1931 condominium by Clinton & Russell
- 90 William Street (Be@William) — 1967 condominium
The neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, transit, and pricing across Financial District — read The Roebling Team Guide to Financial District.
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 The South Star?
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