865 First Avenue (865 UN Plaza)
865 First Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Midtown East
BBL 1013417505 · BIN 1038920
- Year built
- 1927
- Type
- Condominium
- Landmark
- No
- Pets
- Cats and dogs permitted under the condominium rules
- Subletting
- Permitted under the condominium declaration
- Pied-à-terre
- Allowed
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
- $976
- Listing discount
- 0.0%
- Recorded sales
- 136
- On record
- 2007–2026
865 First Avenue is one of Midtown East's most quietly appealing prewar condominiums — a boutique red-brick building on the northwest corner of First Avenue and East 47th Street, standing directly across from the United Nations. Built in the late 1920s and designed by George & Edward Blum, a firm known across Manhattan for its ornamented prewar apartment houses, it carries the proportions, brickwork, and lobby character of its era. It converted from a rental to a condominium in 2007, and it has traded as a functioning resale condo ever since.
For a buyer, the appeal is straightforward: a prewar building with real condominium flexibility, full-time staffing, and a genuinely central Midtown East address, priced at the accessible end of the Manhattan condo market rather than the trophy end. It is a building for people who want the ease of a doorman condo and the location of the UN district without the carrying cost of a new-development tower.
Architecture and unit composition
The building is a confident prewar apartment house in red brick, its façade carrying the ornamented detailing that distinguishes George & Edward Blum's work. Rising 16 to 17 stories on the avenue, it reads as a solid, well-proportioned Midtown building rather than a landmark showpiece — its appeal is the quality of the prewar bones and the corner light its position affords.
The residences run from studios and one-bedrooms through two- and three-bedroom layouts, with penthouse homes at the top. The bulk of the inventory sits in the studio and one-bedroom range — the building's "C" line one-bedrooms turn over most often — while larger two- and three-bedroom apartments and penthouses are scarcer and command the top of the building's range. Upper-floor homes carry city and, from the right exposures, East River and UN outlooks. Some homes have been renovated with central air, in-unit laundry, or fireplaces; condition varies unit to unit, which is typical of a prewar conversion.
Building operations
865 First Avenue runs as a full-service boutique condominium — a 24-hour doorman and concierge, a live-in resident manager, central laundry, a bike room, a package room, and resident storage. It does not carry the resort amenity set of a new-development tower: there is no roof deck, gym, or pool, and parking is at nearby garages rather than in the building. What it offers instead is genuine full-time service and the steadiness of a well-run prewar building. As a condominium, purchases are not subject to the board approval process a co-op requires; the building's condominium declaration governs subletting, pied-à-terre use, and pets, and permits the flexibility condo buyers expect. Common charges and property taxes should be modeled at the unit level during diligence.
Local Law 97
- 2024–2029 annual penalty
- $0 (under cap)
- 2030–2034 annual penalty
- $23,363/yr
- Per unit / month range
- $0 – $24
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 →Management & transfer contacts
- Notable fees
- Working Capital Contribution & Administrative Fee each = one month common charge; Move-In/Out fee $150 + $1,500 refundable deposit each
Recent sales
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 11, 2026 | 6E | 1 BR · 1 BA · 879 sf | $880,000 | $1,001/sf | -1.7% |
| May 27, 2025 | 13C | 1 BR · 1 BA · 939 sf | $945,000 | $1,006/sf | off-mkt |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 9D | 2 BR · 1 BA · 942 sf | $940,000 | $998/sf | -3.6% |
| Jan 7, 2025 | 11D | 2 BR · 1 BA · 942 sf | $945,000 | $1,003/sf | -4.4% |
| Aug 15, 2024 | 11E | 1 BR · 1 BA · 879 sf | $899,000 | $1,023/sf | +0.0% |
| Apr 19, 2024 | 14D | 2 BR · 1 BA · 942 sf | $999,000 | $1,061/sf | +0.0% |
| Aug 1, 2023 | 5C | 1 BR · 1 BA · 939 sf | $845,000 | $900/sf | -1.7% |
| Apr 20, 2023 | 12A | 1 BR · 948 sf | $942,500 | $994/sf | off-mkt |
Market read. Most recent trades (2026) cleared a median $976/sf across 1 sale. Median listing discount 0.0% from the last ask.
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 1-01341-7505) 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
This is a condominium, so the process is fast and flexible. Expect a 30–45 day closing rather than a co-op board package and interview. Pied-à-terre use, investment ownership, and subletting are permitted under the declaration — a real advantage for buyers who want optionality or an international pied-à-terre near the UN.
Diligence is unit-level and condition-level. As a prewar conversion, homes vary in renovation quality — central air, in-unit laundry, and updated kitchens and baths are present in some units and not others. Review the specific home's condition, the building's financials, and any planned capital work.
Set amenity expectations correctly. This is a full-service boutique building, not a new-development tower — genuine 24-hour staffing and prewar character, but no roof deck, gym, or pool, and no in-building garage. Buyers who want those amenities should weigh a nearby new-development condo; buyers who value prewar bones, service, and location at accessible pricing find the trade worthwhile.
Location is the core of the case. The corner sits directly across from the United Nations, with the East Side transit network, Grand Central, and the Midtown employment core all within easy reach.
Run the carrying cost. Model common charges plus property taxes plus utilities at the unit level before you commit.
What to know if you’re selling
Lead with location and prewar character. A full-service prewar condo across from the UN, with real doorman service and Blum-era bones, is a clean story — position it against Midtown East's condo stock and lean on the address.
Benchmark within the building first. With recurring turnover in the studio and one-bedroom lines, recent in-building sales are the first reference point; floor, light, exposure, and renovation status determine where a home lands.
Condition and light drive positioning. Renovated, high-floor, and river- or UN-facing homes anchor the top of the range; be prepared to distinguish your home from the rental inventory that also circulates in the building.
Closing timelines are condo-fast. 30–45 days from contract to closing, with no board approval to clear.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering 865 First Avenue, also evaluate nearby First Avenue and Midtown East options:
- 959 First Avenue — a Toll Brothers condominium
- 966 First Avenue — a full-service Sutton Place condominium
- 1076 First Avenue — Sutton-area First Avenue building
- 685 First Avenue — Richard Meier's black-glass tower near the UN, 148 condominium
- 100 First Avenue — the Der Scutt-designed condominium
The neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, schools, transit, and pricing across Midtown East — read The Roebling Team Guide to Midtown East.
Considering a move at 865 UN Plaza?
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 865 UN Plaza 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.