900 Fifth Avenue
900 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10021
BBL 1013860001 · BIN 1041352
- Year built
- 1960
- Type
- Cooperative
- Units
- 52
- Floors
- 20
- Landmark status
- Not an individual landmark; in the Upper East Side Historic District
- NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission records, updated February 2026
- Subletting by shareholders
- Not permitted
- Maximum financing
- 50% of the purchase price
- Flip tax
- 2% of the purchase price, paid by the buyer
- Doorman
- Full-time doorman
- Financing
- Up to 50% financeable (50% minimum down).
- Subletting
- Not permitted — an owner-occupancy building.
Compiled by The Roebling Research Desk from the building’s offering plan, amendments, and related building documents (primary source dated 2026). 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.
- 3BR median, 2023–2026
- $3.1M
- 8 qualifying sales
- Recent range
- $1.5M – $6.8M
- Listing discount
- 6.0%
- Recorded transfers
- 58
Own an apartment here? See what it would sell for.
A Private Pricing Opinion — what your apartment at 900 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.
900 Fifth Avenue is one of the most architecturally distinctive post-war Modernist cooperatives on the Gold Coast — a 1960 commission by Sylvan and Robert Bien for the developer William R. Buxbaum that translated the firm's mid-century luxury vocabulary (most familiar from The Carlyle hotel-cooperative at 35 East 76th and from 860 Fifth's 1950 Moderne composition) into a 20-story Park-facing apartment building at the heart of Lenox Hill. The Bien family's architectural posture — restrained Modernism with strong material discipline and generous window apertures — defines the building.
The signature exterior feature is the pair of seven-part bay window piers that anchor the building's Park-facing facade. The Bien design uses projecting bays spanning seven aperture sections each, with gray-metal spandrels articulating the rhythm. The actual Park outlook depends on floor, position and obstructions and should be inspected from the apartment.
The post-war era of construction places 900 Fifth in a particular position within the Gold Coast canon. Where the pre-war Candela / Cross & Cross / Roth / Starrett & Van Vleck commissions (820, 834, 875, 907, 944, 998, 1020, 1040, 1107 Fifth) defined Fifth Avenue's classical luxury tradition between 1912 and 1941, the post-war wave (860 Fifth in 1950, 900 Fifth in 1960, others) brought modernist architectural vocabulary, somewhat larger floor plates, modern building systems, and policy frameworks calibrated to mid-century buyer expectations. 845 and 910 Fifth are additional avenue comparisons whose construction histories should be checked separately. 900 Fifth's 52-apartment scale is broader than the smallest tier-one pre-war peers (820 Fifth has 13, 944 Fifth has 15) but consistent with the post-war Modernist tier's typical inventory volume.
For buyers, 900 Fifth represents a particular Gold Coast tier: post-war Modernist architecture with the Bien family's restrained luxury vocabulary, accessible inventory dynamics relative to the smallest tier-one pre-wars, and the Lenox Hill Fifth Avenue positioning that anchors all of these buildings to direct Central Park views and proximity to the Frick Collection, Madison Avenue's gallery and retail corridor, and the broader Upper East Side institutional infrastructure.
Architecture and unit composition
The 52 apartments span configurations from approximately 1,500 sf 2BRs to substantial 3,500–5,000 sf 4BRs across the 20 floors, with some duplex configurations and larger combinations produced through resident-driven renovations over the building's 65-year history.
The Bien post-war Modernist signatures throughout: 9–10 foot ceilings in primary rooms (lower than pre-war 11–12 foot ceilings but generous by post-war standards), formal entry galleries, modern kitchen and bathroom planning (substantially updated from 1960 specifications across most apartments), and the building's distinguishing seven-part bay windows producing exceptional Park-view framing.
Park-facing apartments on the western flank command direct Central Park views with the bay-window architectural advantage. The building's positioning at 71st Street — between The Frick Collection (one block south at 70th and Fifth) and the Whitney's former location — places 900 Fifth at the heart of the Gold Coast cultural corridor. Views depend on floor and exposure.
Building operations
900 Fifth operates as a full-service post-war cooperative with full-time doorman, attended elevator, on-site superintendent, and private storage. The building's signature wide entrance canopy on Fifth Avenue is part of its institutional presence.
The building dates from 1960; the current condition of its mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems needs recent engineering reports and board materials. Documented terms: financing up to 50% of the purchase price, a 2% flip tax paid by the buyer, and no subletting; confirm these and the pied-à-terre position directly with property management during due diligence.
Application and transaction fees
Fees below are from building management's published schedule, as of August 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.
- Terms
- 2% of purchase price
- Rate
- 2% of the purchase price
- Paid by
- Buyer
Source: building management's published schedule, as of August 2026
Purchase
14 items
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Fee | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $475 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Credit Report FeePer applicantRequired | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $200 Per applicant - plus any additional occupants | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Messenger Fee | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $195 | Refundable Not stated |
| Expedited Closing Fee | Paid by Buyer | When At closing | Amount $500 | Refundable Not stated |
| Gym Membership Fee | Paid by Buyer | When At closing | Amount $5,000 | Refundable Not stated |
| Move in fee | Paid by Buyer | When At closing | Amount $1,200 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Postponement FeeConditionalConditions: Less than 48 hr notice | Paid by Buyer | When At closing | Amount $500 | Refundable Not stated |
| Power of AttorneyConditional · Per applicant | Paid by Buyer | When At closing | Amount $200 per individual (if applicable) | Refundable Not stated |
| Move Out Fee | Paid by Seller | When At closing | Amount $1,200 | Refundable Non-refundable |
| Power of AttorneyConditional · Per applicant | Paid by Seller | When At closing | Amount $200 per individual (if applicable) | Refundable Not stated |
| Seller Transfer Fee | Paid by Seller | When At closing | Amount $950, | Refundable Not stated |
| Stamp Tax FeePer share | Paid by Seller | When At closing | Amount $0.05 per share | Refundable Not stated |
Deposits
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Move out deposit | Paid by Buyer | When With the application | Amount $1,500 | Refundable Refundable |
| Move out deposit | Paid by Seller | When With the application | Amount $1,500 | Refundable Refundable |
Refinance
1 item
Fees and charges
| Item | Paid by | When | Amount | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Processing Fee | Paid by Shareholder | When With the application | Amount $450 | 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.
Financing and purchase requirements
- Maximum financing
- 50% of the purchase priceSource: building management's published schedule, as of August 2026
Sublet and pied-à-terre policy
A condominium owner leasing a unit and a co-op shareholder subletting are different rules, and a building-wide rule is different from a restriction on one apartment. This is the building's rule; confirm it for the specific apartment.
- Subletting by shareholders
- Not permittedSource: building management's published schedule, as of August 2026
- Pied-à-terre ownership
- Not verified
Considering an apartment here? Send Corey the listing to discuss the sublet and pied-à-terre rules for that apartment.
Monthly carrying charges in recent sales
- Maintenance, per room
- $1,208 per room a monthMedian of 11 recorded sales since October 2023Source: recorded sales, refreshed October 2026
Maintenance as recorded with each sale. A co-op's maintenance already covers the building's real estate taxes and the building's own mortgage, if it has one; add your own loan payment for the monthly outlay. A summary of recorded sales, not a current bill; charges change.
Building staffing and amenities
- Doorman
- Full-time doormanSource: The Roebling Team's building profile
- Live-in superintendent
- YesSource: The Roebling Team's building profile
- Elevator
- YesSource: NYC Department of City Planning records (PLUTO)
- Amenities noted
- StorageSource: 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. Outdoor space, parking and some facilities can belong to particular apartments or to a separate owner; confirm access for the specific apartment.
Local Law 97
- 2024–2029 annual penalty
- $0 (under cap)
- 2030–2034 annual penalty
- $69,813/yr
- Per unit / month range
- $0 – $112
- Modeled exposure split equally across 52 units (the residential count on the city's lot record). Not an assessed amount; co-op shareholders are typically charged by share allocation.
Source: NYC LL84 benchmarking and PLUTO · The Roebling Research Library. City data last refreshed October 2026.
See full Local Law 97 analysis — emissions history, scenarios, methodology →Facade safety — Local Law 11
The latest available FISP filing classified the facade as Safe — no repairs were required at that inspection. A filed Safe grade is not a guarantee of current condition: owners still maintain the facade and, where required, observe parapets each year. Future inspection timing (Local Law 49 of 2025 changed the cycle framework from October 1, 2026), repair and any assessment decisions remain building-specific.
How to read this, and where it comes from
QEWI = Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector — a licensed professional engineer or registered architect who meets DOB’s FISP qualifications and signs the report (the independent expert, not the managing agent).
Source: NYC DOB facade filings (FISP) · The Roebling Research Library. City data last refreshed October 2026.
Management & transfer contacts
- Flip tax
- 2% of purchase price, paid by Buyer at closing
- Sublet policy
- Not allowed
- Policies and fees
- Max financing 50%; Gym Membership Fee $5,000; Move in/out fee $1,200 each; Seller Transfer Fee $950
Recent sales
Recent transfers 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 20, 2026 | 16C | 2 BR · 2.5 BA | $2,200,000 | +0.0% | |
| Apr 8, 2026 | 14C | 2 BR · 2 BA | $1,500,000 | -6.0% | |
| Mar 12, 2026 | 10C | 3 BR · 3.5 BA · 2,000 sf | $2,825,000 | $1,413/sf | -11.7% |
| Jun 25, 2025 | 4B | 3 BR · 4 BA | $3,400,000 | +0.0% | |
| Apr 9, 2025 | 10C | 3 BR | $2,100,000 | -15.8% | |
| Apr 9, 2025 | 10S | 3 BR · 3.5 BA | $2,495,000 | +0.0% | |
| Mar 31, 2025 | 4A | 4 BR · 4.5 BA | $4,125,000 | -6.1% | |
| Jan 17, 2025 | 3C | 3 BR · 3.5 BA | $2,325,000 | -2.9% |
Market read. Most recent trades (2026 to date) cleared a median $1,405/sf (floor-adjusted) across 1 sale. 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 4.8% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 15, 2003 | 4B | $3,975,000 |
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 1-01386-0001). 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 on co-ops is not officially recorded, figures shown are approximate.
What would your apartment rent for?
Enter your apartment and I'll send you what it would rent for, from comparable closed leases at 900 Fifth Avenue and nearby.
At the recent median sale of $2.5M (9 transfers in the past 24 months, since November 12, 2024), a buyer putting 50% down would pay about $95,638 to close, or 3.8% of the price.
- Mansion tax: $31,188
- No mortgage recording tax or title insurance on a co-op purchase
- Building transfer fee (flip tax), 2% of the purchase price, paid by the buyer per building management's published schedule, as of August 2026: $49,900
- Attorneys, lender, building fees and filings: $14,550
Assumes a resale (the seller pays transfer taxes), a $4,500 attorney fee and a mortgage at the building's 50% financing limit. Confirm the current transfer fee with building management; the linked calculator does not include it.
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What to know if you’re buying
Inspect the bay-window configuration. The seven-part bay piers shape the outlook, but the view varies by floor, position and obstructions. Establish any price difference from matched sales rather than assuming a bay-window premium.
Confirm specific policies directly with management. Documented terms show financing capped at 50% of the purchase price, a 2% flip tax paid by the buyer and no subletting; confirm these and any pied-à-terre allowance directly during contract review.
Board criteria are building-specific. Financing is capped at 50% of the purchase price; confirm the building's current liquidity, ownership and occupancy requirements from its governing documents and application instructions.
The Bien architectural pedigree connects 900 Fifth to a particular post-war Modernist tradition. Buyers who value mid-century architectural integrity will respond to the building's restrained Modernist vocabulary; buyers focused on pre-war classical detailing should consider other Lenox Hill buildings, checking each construction history (820 Fifth, 834 Fifth, 845 Fifth, etc.).
Renovation is constrained by historic district status. The board reviews scope and quality with attention to the building's post-war Modernist character.
Park views depend on the apartment. Central Park is to the west; 71st Street is a residential side street. Views vary by floor, position and exposure, and none is protected without a recorded instrument.
What to know if you’re selling
Marketing typically combines public listing and direct broker outreach. The 52-unit scale and post-war positioning produce broader buyer dynamics than the smallest tier-one pre-wars. Public REBNY syndication and Compass private exclusive channels are standard.
Pricing requires apartment-level comparable analysis. Bay-window vs. non-bay configurations, floor altitude, exposure, and renovation status all drive substantial pricing variation. Compare matched sales before assigning any separate premium to the seven-part bay windows.
The architectural distinctiveness is a marketing asset. Listing copy should reference the Bien design, the bay-window detailing, and the building's place within the post-war Modernist Gold Coast tradition.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering 900 Fifth Avenue, also evaluate:
- 860 Fifth Avenue — Sylvan Bien 1950 post-war Moderne; comparable Bien architectural pedigree
- 910 Fifth Avenue — Lenox Hill Fifth Avenue residential comparison
- 875 Fifth Avenue — Emery Roth 1941 Moderne; broader amenity package
- 907 Fifth Avenue — J. E. R. Carpenter 1916; pre-war tier-one Lenox Hill; permits financing
- 920 Fifth Avenue — Carpenter pre-war
- 825 Fifth Avenue — J. E. R. Carpenter 1927; pre-war tier-one
- 820 Fifth Avenue — Starrett & Van Vleck 1916; smallest tier-one Lenox Hill
- 834 Fifth Avenue — Candela 1931; tier-one Gold Coast
More Fifth Avenue buildings
- 870 Fifth Avenue — 1949 co-op
- 875 Fifth Avenue — co-op by Emery Roth
- 880 Fifth Avenue — 1948 co-op by Emery Roth & Sons
- 907 Fifth Avenue — 1916 co-op by J.E.R. Carpenter
- 910 Fifth Avenue — 1919 co-op by Sylvan Bien
- 912 Fifth Avenue — 1925 co-op by Schwartz & Gross
The neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, 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.
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 900 Fifth Avenue?
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