870 Fifth Avenue
870 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10021
Lenox Hill, Upper East Side
BBL 1013840001 · BIN 1041291
- Year built
- 1949
- Type
- Cooperative
- Units
- 94
- Floors
- 19
- Amenities
- Full-time doorman, concierge, fitness center, roof deck (Central Park views), bike room, valet parking
- Flip tax
- 3% of the sale price (or $45 per share, if greater), paid by the seller.
- Financing
- Up to 50% financeable (50% minimum down).
- Subletting
- Not permitted — an owner-occupancy building.
- Pied-à-terre
- Permitted.
- Pets
- Dogs are grandfathered only (those resident before September 2000); no new pets without written Board approval.
- Co-purchasing
- Permitted.
- Land
- Fee ownership — the cooperative owns the land and the building.
- Tax status
- J-51 / co-op tax abatement, restricted to primary-resident owners (verify current status at offer stage).
- Alterations
- Prior written Board consent required; Landmarks rules apply to window work; 70% floor carpeting required.
Compiled by The Roebling Research Desk from the building’s offering plan, amendments, and related building documents (primary source dated 2026). Reported and subject to confirmation. Board policies can change by amendment — confirm at the offer stage.
Every recorded sale at this building, 2003–2026
Bedroom-by-bedroom medians, the full transfer record, and how units trade against ask.
- 2BR median
- $1.6M
- Recent range
- $1.1M – $9.5M
- Listing discount
- 6.7%
- Recorded transfers
- 260
870 Fifth Avenue is one of the most flexible and operationally distinguished postwar Fifth Avenue cooperatives. The 1949 William I. Hohauser building — a transition-era postwar apartment house with distinctive curved bays at the avenue corners and an all-front-facing-room layout that gives every unit either Fifth Avenue/Central Park exposure or 68th Street southern light — replaced the M.C. Inman and Robert L. Stuart mansions on the northeast corner of 68th Street and Park.
Much of what distinguishes 870 Fifth comes down to its flexible policy framework: pets are welcomed under 40 pounds, pied-à-terre use is welcomed (uncommon for a Fifth Avenue cooperative), and the 3% flip tax is seller-paid — a burden allocation structurally different from the buyer-paid Carnegie Hill norm. That flexibility pairs with a planning decision unique to the building, Hohauser's all-front-facing-room layout, which puts no apartment at the rear and gives every unit either Central Park exposure or southern 68th Street light. Underpinning both is a white-glove operating profile — attended elevators, full-time doorman, concierge, fitness center, a roof deck with Central Park views, bicycle storage, and central laundry, all run by the managing agent.
Architecture and unit composition
The site previously held the mansions of M.C. Inman and Robert L. Stuart — the Stuart mansion was extensively altered by McKim, Mead & White for financier William C. Whitney. The two mansions were demolished to make way for the Simon Brothers' postwar redevelopment.
The 1949 design by William I. Hohauser is a transition-era postwar apartment house — built at the moment Fifth Avenue mansion-row was being replaced by white-brick and brick-clad cooperatives — using curved bays at the avenue corners to soften the elevation and create distinctive views. The discreet side-street entrance is on East 68th Street.
The all-front-facing-room layout is a deliberate Hohauser planning decision: every unit gets either Fifth Avenue / Central Park exposure or 68th Street southern light. There are no rear-facing apartments. The configuration is structurally specific to 870 Fifth among postwar Fifth Avenue cooperatives.
Friends of the Upper East Side maintains a building dossier confirming the LPC district status. Originally 106 apartments, the unit count today is approximately 94 after combinations.
Building operations
870 Fifth operates as a full-service Lenox Hill cooperative:
- 24-hour doorman, attended elevators, concierge
- Fitness center
- Roof deck with Central Park views
- Bicycle storage
- Central laundry
- Managed by the managing agent
The amenity layer is comprehensive for a postwar Fifth Avenue cooperative, with the roof deck and fitness center anchoring the modern operational baseline.
Local Law 97
- 2024–2029 annual penalty
- $0 (under cap)
- 2030–2034 annual penalty
- $0 (under cap)
- Per unit / month range
- —
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
- 3% of purchase price or $45/share, whichever greater (waived for spouse/domestic partner transfers)
- Sublet policy
- Not Allowed
- Pied-à-terre
- Allowed
- Notable fees
- Max financing 50%; 2x purchase price in liquid assets required; DTI max 28%; Closing Fee $800 ($850 no broker) + $0.05/share
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 18, 2026 | 10C | 3 BR · 4.5 BA · 3,000 sf | $4,900,000 | $1,633/sf | +2.6% |
| May 6, 2026 | 11A | 3 BR · 2.5 BA · 2,010 sf | $3,550,000 | $1,766/sf | +1.6% |
| Mar 11, 2026 | 7C | 1 BR · 1.5 BA · 1,000 sf | $2,250,000 | $2,250/sf | -8.2% |
| Feb 12, 2026 | 10A | 2 BR · 2 BA | $1,440,000 | -4.0% | |
| Oct 16, 2025 | 7H | 2 BR · 2 BA | $1,500,000 | -16.7% | |
| Sep 18, 2025 | 11D | 2 BR · 2.5 BA · 1,600 sf | $2,000,000 | $1,250/sf | -19.8% |
| Aug 7, 2025 | 5L | 2 BR · 1.5 BA | $1,650,000 | -2.7% | |
| Jul 10, 2025 | 16BC | 4 BR · 5.5 BA | $9,500,000 | -17.4% |
Market read. Most recent trades (2026) cleared a median $1,716/sf across 3 sales. Median listing discount 4.5% 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 | 12H | $1,600,000 |
| Dec 15, 2003 | 14E | $3,395,000 |
| Oct 22, 2003 | 16F | $3,995,000 |
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 1-01384-0001) 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
The flexible policy framework is structurally distinguishing. Pets under 40 lbs, welcomed pied-à-terre, and 50% financing combine to produce one of the more accommodating prestige Fifth Avenue cooperative buyer profiles.
The seller-paid 3% flip tax is materially advantageous to buyers. Factor into all carrying-cost and net-proceeds calculations — buyers at 870 Fifth carry no flip tax burden.
The 2x post-closing liquidity threshold and the 28% debt-to-income ceiling are explicit board-policy markers. Plan financial package accordingly.
The all-front-facing-room layout is the building's structural identity feature. Every apartment gets either Fifth Avenue / Central Park exposure or 68th Street southern light.
The roof deck with Central Park views and the fitness center anchor the amenity layer. Both are real operational features.
The William I. Hohauser architectural pedigree is real institutional context. Hohauser's broader postwar Manhattan body of work places 870 Fifth in a meaningful transitional-postwar cohort.
Closing timelines are cooperative-standard. Plan for 6 to 10 weeks from contract through board approval to closing.
What to know if you’re selling
The 3% seller-paid flip tax is the largest single net-proceeds variable. Factor explicitly into all listing-price and net-proceeds calculations.
Marketing should emphasize the flexible policy framework — pets, pied-à-terre, washer/dryer permission. All three are structurally advantageous versus peer Fifth Avenue cooperative inventory.
The all-front-facing-room layout is the building's structural identity feature. Position accordingly in upper-floor and prime-line inventory marketing.
The Hohauser postwar architectural credential and the LPC-protected exterior identity support premium positioning. Reference where appropriate.
Pricing should reference recent public records / PropertyShark / RealtyHop unit-level data. Apartment-line-specific comparables should anchor positioning.
Closing timelines are cooperative-standard.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering 870 Fifth Avenue, also evaluate:
- 875 Fifth Avenue — Emery Roth 1940; immediate Fifth Avenue peer
- 845 Fifth Avenue — Fifth Avenue peer
- 907 Fifth Avenue — Carpenter 1916; nearby Fifth Avenue peer
- 834 Fifth Avenue — Rosario Candela 1931; trophy Fifth Avenue peer
- 888 Park Avenue — Schwartz & Gross 1925-26; Lenox Hill prewar coop peer
Sources: The Roebling Research Library (offering plans, house rules, financial statements, board minutes, internal transaction records); NYC Department of Finance recorded transfers; publicly recorded NYC building data.
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 870 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 870 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.