900 Fifth Avenue
900 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10021
- Year built
- 1960
- Type
- Cooperative
- Units
- 52
- Floors
- 20
- Landmark
- Designated
- Financing
- Up to 50% financeable (50% minimum down).
- Subletting
- Not permitted — an owner-occupancy building.
Compiled by The Roebling Research Desk from building documents and current market data. Board policies can change by amendment — confirm at the offer stage. As of 2026.
Every recorded sale at this building, 2003–2026
Bedroom-by-bedroom medians, the full transfer record, and how units trade against ask.
- 3BR median
- $3.4M
- Recent range
- $1.5M – $6.8M
- Listing discount
- 6.2%
- Recorded transfers
- 56
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 unusually 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. Where typical post-war Manhattan apartment buildings use rectangular windows that limit view aperture, the Bien design at 900 Fifth deliberately extended the window provision into projecting bay configurations spanning seven aperture sections each, with gray-metal spandrels articulating the rhythm. The result is interior Park-view framing that exceeds most comparable era inventory — apartments enjoy substantially more Central Park visibility than typical 1960 luxury construction would suggest.
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, 845, 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, 910 Fifth, others) brought modernist architectural vocabulary, somewhat larger floor plates, modern building systems, and policy frameworks calibrated to mid-century buyer expectations. 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 eastern 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. View permanence is excellent given the substantial buildout of the surrounding inventory.
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 post-war construction date (1960) means the building's mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems have been progressively updated across the building's institutional history, with capital improvement programs typical of well-managed post-war Manhattan luxury co-ops. Specific policy details (financing posture, flip tax structure, sublet policy specifics, pied-à-terre allowance) should be confirmed directly with property management during due diligence. Post-war Lenox Hill Fifth Avenue cooperatives are typically more financing-permissive than the strict cash-only pre-war peers, but 900 Fifth's specific financing cap should be confirmed.
Local Law 97
- 2024–2029 annual penalty
- $0 (under cap)
- 2030–2034 annual penalty
- $33,539/yr
- Per unit / month range
- $0 – $54
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 22, 2026 | 14C | 2 BR · 2 BA | $1,500,000 | -6.0% | |
| Mar 18, 2026 | 10C | 3 BR · 3.5 BA · 2,000 sf | $2,825,000 | $1,413/sf | -11.7% |
| Apr 9, 2025 | 10C | 3 BR | $2,100,000 | -15.8% | |
| Apr 2, 2025 | 4A | 4 BR · 4.5 BA | $4,125,000 | -6.1% | |
| Feb 10, 2025 | 3C | 3 BR · 3.5 BA | $2,325,000 | -2.9% | |
| Dec 27, 2024 | 7B | 3 BR · 3.5 BA | $4,150,000 | -12.6% | |
| Jul 25, 2024 | 11B | 3 BR · 2.5 BA | $4,792,637 | -3.2% | |
| Feb 15, 2024 | 14A | 4 BR · 4.5 BA · 3,000 sf | $6,500,000 | $2,167/sf | +4.8% |
Market read. Most recent trades (2026) cleared a median $1,413/sf across 1 sale. Median listing discount 6.2% 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.
Other recent transfers
| Date | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 7, 2025 | 4B | $3,400,000 |
| Apr 9, 2025 | 10S | $2,495,000 |
| May 5, 2022 | 16B | $3,350,000 |
| Jun 4, 2021 | 4A | $3,700,000 |
| Jul 12, 2019 | 9A | $5,350,000 |
| Oct 2, 2017 | 7B | $4,266,000 |
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) 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 bay-window architectural feature is real and pricing-relevant. Apartments inside the seven-part bay window piers enjoy substantially more Park-view framing than non-bay apartments at comparable floors. The bay-window inventory has typically commanded meaningful premiums.
Confirm specific policies directly with management. Specific board policy details (financing cap, flip tax structure, sublet specifics, pied-à-terre allowance) should be obtained directly during contract review. Post-war Lenox Hill Fifth Avenue cooperatives are typically more financing-permissive than the strict pre-war tier — confirm 900 Fifth's specific posture.
Board approval follows post-war Lenox Hill norms. Strong financial profile and primary-residence intent are central criteria. The 52-unit scale produces more accessible board dynamics than the smallest tier-one pre-war peers, but the institutional framework remains substantial.
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 the pre-war Lenox Hill peers (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.
View permanence is excellent. Central Park east; 71st Street is a residential side street with stable building heights; the corridor is built out.
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. The seven-part bay-window inventory commands premium pricing.
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.
Closing timelines are co-op standard. 6–10 weeks from contract signing to closing.
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 — post-war Lenox Hill Fifth Avenue
- 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
The Roebling Team at 900 Fifth Avenue
The Roebling Team at Compass specializes in Central Park West, the Upper East Side, and the broader Park-facing Manhattan market. We publish this building profile because Gold Coast buyers and sellers deserve building-specific intelligence — architecture, board culture, transactional mechanics, and the realities of pricing at the apartment level — not generic market commentary.
If you're considering a purchase or sale at 900 Fifth, a 30-minute consultation is the right starting point. We'll bring the full context this page provides plus the transactional specifics your situation requires — financial structuring, board approvability, comparable analysis at the apartment level, and the pacing strategy that fits your timeline.