860 Fifth Avenue
860 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10065
Lenox Hill, Upper East Side
BBL 1013820069 · BIN 1041243
- Year built
- 1949
- Type
- Cooperative
- Units
- 153
- Landmark
- No
Every recorded sale at this building, 2003–2026
Bedroom-by-bedroom medians, the full transfer record, and how units trade against ask.
- 2BR median
- $1.8M
- Recent range
- $950K – $6M
- Listing discount
- 7.5%
- Recorded transfers
- 142
860 Fifth Avenue belongs to a specific and desirable category: the early-postwar Fifth Avenue cooperative built directly on the park during the late-1940s wave that replaced the avenue's surviving Gilded Age mansions with elevator apartment houses. Completed in 1949 to a Sylvan Bien design, the building sits between 67th and 68th Streets on the prime Central Park–facing frontage of Lenox Hill, on the former site of the Thomas Fortune Ryan mansion — its arrival marked the closing chapter of "Millionaires' Row" on this stretch of the avenue.
Bien's composition is distinctive within its era. Rather than the plain slab postwar economics often produced, 860 Fifth carries a setback central facade flanked by wings, with solid-wall balconies that give the streetfront a deliberate horizontal rhythm — a more architecturally considered envelope than the white-brick towers that would dominate the following decade. The same office designed the Carlyle, and a measured, hotel-grade sensibility carries through the building's service program.
The result is a full-service white-glove cooperative with direct park frontage, generous postwar floor plates, and a deep amenity package: an on-site full-service garage, a fitness center, a wine cellar, a garden, private storage, and a bike room, staffed by 24-hour doormen, a concierge, attended elevators, and a live-in resident manager. The board permits pets (with approval), pieds-à-terre, co-purchasing, and parental purchases, allows financing up to 50%, and applies a 2% flip tax paid by the purchaser; subletting is not permitted. For buyers, 860 Fifth offers postwar luxury layouts — often with higher ceilings and larger windows than pre-war stock — in a park-facing address with the prestige and service of the avenue's best cooperatives.
Architecture and unit composition
The roughly 153 apartments span 19 stories in a postwar luxury vocabulary: entry galleries, well-proportioned reception rooms, and the larger window openings characteristic of late-1940s construction. Park-facing apartments on the western flank command direct Central Park views — the building's principal value driver — while higher floors capture the broadest reservoir and skyline panoramas. The mix runs from one-bedrooms with solariums to sprawling duplex penthouses over 3,300 square feet with wraparound terraces.
Postwar signatures recur throughout: substantial room dimensions, hardwood floors, and the balcony detailing built into Bien's facade. Some apartments retain wood-burning fireplaces, and in-unit washer/dryers are permitted. Exact configurations, ceiling heights, and renovation status vary apartment to apartment and reward unit-by-unit review.
Building operations
860 Fifth Avenue operates as a full-service white-glove cooperative. Staffing centers on 24-hour doormen, a concierge, attended elevators, and a live-in resident manager. The amenity program is deep for the era: an on-site full-service garage, a fitness center, a wine cellar, a garden, private storage, and a bike room. The board permits pets subject to approval and allows pieds-à-terre, co-purchasing, and parental purchases for children — flexibility that sets it apart from many tier-one neighbors. Financing is allowed up to 50%, a 2% flip tax is paid by the purchaser, and subletting is not permitted. Board approval at a Fifth Avenue cooperative of this caliber is rigorous; strong financial profiles and primary-residence intent are central criteria.
Local Law 97
- 2024–2029 annual penalty
- $0 (under cap)
- 2030–2034 annual penalty
- $27,430/yr
- Per unit / month range
- $0 – $15
Facade safety — Local Law 11
The latest available filing classified the facade as SWARMP — Safe With A Repair and Maintenance Program: the engineer identified conditions requiring monitoring or repair before the next inspection cycle. The scope, timeline, and how the building funds the work are building-specific — we review the filings and board materials for you.
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 →Management & transfer contacts
- Flip tax
- 2% of gross sales price
- Sublet policy
- Not Allowed
- Pied-à-terre
- Allowed
- Notable fees
- Max financing 50%; Move Out Deposit $9,500 (refundable) + $500 fee; Litigation Search $820/applicant
Recent sales
Recent transfers 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 23, 2026 | 18A | 2 BR · 2.5 BA | $4,750,000 | +2.2% | |
| Jun 9, 2026 | 6K | 3 BR · 3 BA · 2,900 sf | $5,100,860 | $1,759/sf | +18.6% |
| May 18, 2026 | 12E | 3 BR · 3 BA | $2,650,000 | -10.2% | |
| Mar 31, 2026 | 11E | 1 BR · 1.5 BA | $1,100,000 | -8.3% | |
| Mar 19, 2026 | 2E | 2 BR · 2 BA | $1,475,000 | -7.5% | |
| Mar 17, 2026 | 4C | 3 BR · 3 BA · 1,900 sf | $2,450,000 | $1,289/sf | +0.0% |
| Feb 10, 2026 | 7L | 2 BR · 2 BA | $950,000 | -13.6% | |
| Feb 5, 2026 | 14AB | 3 BR · 3.5 BA · 2,400 sf | $5,995,000 | $2,498/sf | +0.0% |
Market read. Most recent trades (2026) cleared a median $2,023/sf across 4 sales. Median listing discount 7.1% 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.
Other recent transfers
| Date | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 13, 2006 | 9L | $795,000 |
| Jun 4, 2003 | 9M | $800,000 |
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 1-01382-0069) 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 on co-ops is not officially recorded, figures shown are approximate.
What to know if you’re buying
Park frontage on prime Fifth Avenue is the core asset. Direct Central Park exposure between 67th and 68th Streets is among the most durable value propositions in Manhattan residential real estate.
The amenity and service package is exceptional. An on-site full-service garage, fitness center, wine cellar, and garden, with 24-hour doormen and a live-in manager, exceed most park-facing peers.
The board is rigorous but flexible. Expect demanding financial standards, but note that pieds-à-terre, co-purchasing, and parental purchases are allowed and pets are permitted with approval.
Know the financial terms going in. Financing is capped at 50%, a 2% flip tax is paid by the purchaser, and subletting is not permitted.
View permanence is excellent. Central Park anchors the eastern exposure permanently.
What to know if you’re selling
Lead with park frontage, the Bien pedigree, and the amenities. Direct Central Park exposure, the distinctive early-postwar architecture, and the garage-and-fitness package are the marketing anchors.
Price against tier-one Fifth Avenue. Comparable analysis should draw from the avenue's prime park-facing cooperatives, with adjustments for floor and exposure.
Frame the financial terms clearly. The 50% financing cap and 2% purchaser-paid flip tax shape the buyer pool; position the building's flexibility on pieds-à-terre and family purchases as an offset.
Closing timelines are co-op standard. 6–10 weeks from contract signing to closing, with board approval the gating step.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering 860 Fifth Avenue, also evaluate:
- 810 Fifth Avenue — nearby Central Park–facing Fifth Avenue cooperative
- 820 Fifth Avenue — tier-one park-facing pre-war peer
- 825 Fifth Avenue — nearby Fifth Avenue cooperative
- 834 Fifth Avenue — premier park-facing Candela cooperative
- 845 Fifth Avenue — postwar park-facing Fifth Avenue peer
- 870 Fifth Avenue — adjacent park-facing cooperative
The neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, schools, transit, and pricing across Fifth Avenue — read The Roebling Team Guide to Fifth Avenue.
The full playbook — what goes in the package, how boards read your financials, the interview, and the timeline — plus sample cover, reference, and personal letters you can adapt.
Considering a move at 860 Fifth Avenue?
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 860 Fifth Avenue 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.