- Year built
- 1925
- Type
- Cooperative
- Units
- 15
- Floors
- 14
- Landmark
- Designated
- 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, 1998–2025
Bedroom-by-bedroom medians, the full transfer record, and how units trade against ask.
- 4BR+ median
- $23M
- Recent range
- $15M – $24.5M
- Listing discount
- 11.7%
- Recorded transfers
- 17
944 Fifth Avenue is among the smallest, most architecturally restrained, and most institutionally exclusive cooperatives on the Gold Coast — a 14-story Italian Renaissance palazzo designed by Nathan Korn in 1925 with only 15 apartments. The building's scale places it in the same intimate inventory tier as 820 Fifth (13 apartments) and 998 Fifth (17 apartments), and its institutional culture follows the same posture of selectivity that characterizes the smallest Lenox Hill peers.
The architectural argument is restrained. Korn's Italian Renaissance palazzo execution is dignified rather than dramatic, with a limestone facade that reads as institutional rather than declarative. The building does not announce itself; it relies on the apartments inside and the location to carry its quality. This is the same architectural posture that defines 820 Fifth (a decade later from a different firm) — and that has consistently produced among the most quietly consequential Gold Coast inventory.
The site context is unusual. 944 Fifth sits immediately north of the Edward S. Harkness mansion — a 1908 Hale & Rogers commission for Edward S. Harkness, a founder of Standard Oil, whose family Carnegie-era philanthropy shaped American education, medicine, and public health for the 20th century. The mansion now serves as headquarters of the Commonwealth Fund, one of the country's great philanthropic institutions. The architectural juxtaposition — a 1908 Harkness mansion adjacent to a 1925 Renaissance palazzo apartment building — is among the most institutionally substantial sequences on Fifth Avenue and produces a daily-life context for 944 Fifth's residents that explicitly connects the building to early-20th-century American philanthropic and industrial leadership.
The 1953 cooperative conversion was relatively early in the Fifth Avenue rental-to-co-op transition. 944 Fifth has operated as a cooperative for more than 70 years, with the institutional culture characteristic of the smallest tier-one Gold Coast buildings.
For buyers, 944 Fifth represents a particular position in the Gold Coast canon: architecturally distinguished without being ostentatious, intimately scaled, and contextually anchored by the institutional neighbors that surround it. Inventory turnover is slow — with 15 apartments and multi-decade residency norms, the building can go 12–24 months between transactions.
Architecture and unit composition
The 15 apartments span configurations from approximately 3,500 sf simplexes to substantial 5,500+ sf full-floor configurations and the occasional duplex. The 14-story plan produces a roughly one-apartment-per-floor configuration on most floors, with several floors carrying two apartments.
Korn's Italian Renaissance palazzo signatures throughout: 11–12 foot ceilings in primary rooms, formal entry galleries, library-living-room combinations, primary suites with substantial closet infrastructure, service wings characteristic of 1925-era luxury apartment design.
Park-facing apartments on the eastern flank have direct Central Park views; the building's positioning at 75th–76th gives upper floors particularly good view envelopes. View permanence is essentially absolute given the Harkness mansion's institutional protection of the immediately south flank and the corridor's general stability.
Building operations
944 Fifth operates as a full-service pre-war cooperative with full-time doorman, attended elevator, on-site superintendent, and private storage. The 15-apartment scale produces an institutional culture characteristic of the smallest tier-one Gold Coast peers — residents and staff know each other across multi-decade tenures.
Specific policy details (financing posture, flip tax structure, sublet specifics, pied-à-terre allowance) should be confirmed directly with property management during due diligence. Tier-one Gold Coast Lenox Hill cooperatives at this scale commonly require 100% cash; confirm whether 944 Fifth carries that requirement.
Local Law 97
- 2024–2029 annual penalty
- $10,074/yr
- 2030–2034 annual penalty
- $43,522/yr
- Per unit / month range
- $93 – $403
Facade safety — Local Law 11
Safe to live in today — but the last inspection flagged repairs that are due on a deadline, so facade work and its cost are coming. Whether that’s a real concern depends on the scope, the timing, and how the building plans to pay for it — reserves or an assessment — which is exactly what we’d dig into 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 →Recent sales
944 Fifth Avenue's 2005–2025 transactional record reflects a small Candela co-op with low turnover — roughly one apartment per floor across 15 floors, transacting at the apex tier of Manhattan pre-war pricing. The defining trade remains the November 2012 high-floor combination at $50M — full-ask, 0% off, on a 6BR/6+BA configuration spanning multiple full-floors at the building's apex. The $50M full-ask close at the depths of the post-2008 luxury recovery established 944 Fifth's institutional pricing alongside 740 Park, 820 Fifth, and 834 Fifth at the very top of the Fifth Avenue trophy market.
The building's modern dataset shows three patterns. First, full-floor mid-tier stability in the $15M–$23M band. The 5th floor full-floor (4BR) traded at $16,840,200 in May 2007 (+5.91% over the $15.9M ask) and again at $18M in December 2022 (-5.26% from $19M ask) — only 7% nominal appreciation across 15 years on the same apartment, modest by trophy-tier standards but consistent with 944 Fifth's stable institutional pricing. The 6th floor full-floor cleared at $14.9999M (July 2024, -11.74%) and the 14th floor at $23M (February 2025, -19.30%). Second, recent (2024-2025) ask-to-close discount expansion. The February 2025 #14 trade at -19.30% from the $28.5M asking and the November 2024 #8 trade at a recorded $17.549M (vs. the $22M trade-press-reported closing) both document material discount-from-aspirational pricing at the building's upper-floor tier. Third, the off-market discipline. The March 2023 #9FI at $20.5M (recorded transfer; no public SE listing) and the November 2024 #8 ($4.45M gap between trade-press-reported $22M and ACRIS-recorded $17.549M) illustrate the institutional reality at 944 Fifth — much of the building's actual annual activity transacts off-market through private broker networks at stipulated values.
The 2008 pre-Lehman cycle documented the building's peak pricing: the 10th floor at $26,474,500 (Feb 2008) and the Fifth-Avenue-facing apartment at $20M (Jan 2008) anchored the pre-crisis tier. The 2007 #5 floor at $16.8M (+5.91% over ask) and the 2006 #4 floor at $7.5M provide additional pre-crisis benchmarks.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 5, 2025 | 14 | 4 BR · 6.5 BA Closed Feb 25, 2025 (recorded Mar 5) at $23M — 19.30% under the $28.5M asking. 14th floor full-floor 4BR/6.5BA. Among the building's widest 2025 ask-to-close discounts on a marquee full-floor apartment; the $5.5M absolute-dollar gap from initial pricing documents that even at 944 Fifth's apex tier, $28M+ aspirations cleared at ~80 cents on the dollar. | $23,000,000 | -19.3% | |
| Nov 12, 2024 | 8 | 4 BR · 4.5 BA · 4,000 sf Closed Nov 5, 2024 at $17,549,000 (recorded transfer). public listing data reported the listing closed at $22M with no government record found — the recorded transfer reflects $17.549M, ~$4.45M below the SE-reported closing price. 8th floor full-floor 4BR; the gap likely reflects an LLC stipulated-value structure rather than $22M cash proceeds. Either price serves as a comp at the 944 Fifth mid-floor full-floor tier. | $17,549,000 | $4,387/sf | off-mkt |
| Jul 17, 2024 | 6 | 5 BR · 5.5 BA Closed Jul 9, 2024 at $14,999,900 — 11.74% under the $16.995M asking. 6th floor full-floor 5BR/5.5BA. The lower-floor full-floor trade at $15M provides a useful 2024 benchmark for the building's $14-23M mid-tier band. | $14,999,900 | -11.7% | |
| Apr 7, 2023 | 9 | 4 BR · 5+ BA Closed Apr 7, 2023 at $24.5M (public listing data-verified closing; no matching government record at this price — the 9FI recorded transfer at $20.5M on Mar 17, 2023 is the closest ACRIS match, suggesting either an LLC stipulated structure with $4M outside the deed or a separate transaction). 9th floor full-floor 4BR. | $24,500,000 | off-mkt | |
| Mar 24, 2023 | 9FI | 4 BR · 5.5 BA Closed Mar 17, 2023 at $20.5M (recorded transfer; no public public listing data listing on record at this closing). 9FI — 9th floor Fifth Avenue-facing configuration. Substantial trophy trade clearing off-market. | $20,500,000 | off-mkt | |
| Dec 30, 2022 | 5 | 4 BR · 4+ BA Closed Dec 7, 2022 at $18M — 5.26% under the $19M asking. 5th floor full-floor 4BR. Tight discount-to-ask discipline on a substantial full-floor apartment. | $18,000,000 | -5.3% | |
| Jan 22, 2015 | 1 | 2 BA Closed Nov 18, 2014 at $999,500 — 33.37% under the $1.5M asking. 1st floor studio/auxiliary configuration (likely a ground-floor staff or maid's apartment); the deep discount and modest absolute price reflect the auxiliary inventory tier rather than the building's primary full-floor apartments. | $999,500 | -33.4% | |
| Dec 27, 2012 | HIFLR | 6 BR · 6+ BA Closed Nov 27, 2012 (recorded Dec 19) at $50M — full-ask, 0% off. The high-floor combination (recorded as GRFLN in ACRIS; marketed as HIFLR by public listing data) — 6BR/6+BA spanning multiple full-floor configurations at the building's apex. Among the most-cited Fifth Avenue co-op trades of the early 2010s; the $50M full-ask close established 944 Fifth's institutional pricing at the very top of the Fifth Avenue trophy market. | $50,000,000 | +0.0% |
Market read. Most recent trades (2024) cleared a median $4,387/sf across 1 sale. Median listing discount 5.3% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| May 16, 2023 | 9 | $24,500,000 |
| Sep 29, 2009 | N | $750,000 |
| Nov 23, 2004 | 4TH | $12,600,000 |
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 1-01390-0003) 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 15-apartment scale produces an unusually intimate buying experience. Buyers should expect a board screening process that emphasizes both financial qualification and lifestyle fit. Personal references matter substantially. Foreign buyers face friction characteristic of tier-one Fifth Avenue cooperatives.
Confirm specific policies directly with management. Because 944 Fifth's policy block is not formally published in the manner of comparable buildings, buyers should obtain current information on the flip tax structure, financing posture, and sublet specifics during the contract review process.
The Harkness mansion adjacency is part of the building's context. The 1908 mansion now serves as the Commonwealth Fund headquarters; residents experience the institutional neighborhood as part of their daily-life signature.
Renovation is constrained by historic district status and pre-war character. The board reviews scope and quality with attention to preservation of Korn's Italian Renaissance detailing.
View permanence is excellent. Central Park east; the Harkness mansion to the immediate south provides institutional view protection; the corridor's broader development envelope is built out.
Inventory rarity is real. With only 15 apartments and slow turnover, prospective buyers should be prepared for a multi-year search or for the rare opportunistic acquisition when inventory becomes available.
What to know if you’re selling
The buyer pool is narrow but qualified. With 15 apartments and tier-one Gold Coast positioning, the buyer cohort is small, financially substantial, and accessible primarily through private broker networks.
Marketing is typically private. Most 944 Fifth transactions occur with limited or no public marketing.
Pricing requires apartment-level context. Comparable sales are sparse; the building's heterogeneity (one-per-floor vs. two-per-floor inventory, view and exposure variation, renovation history) means apartment-specific comparables matter more than building-level averages.
Closing timelines are co-op standard but the package work is substantial. 6–10 weeks from contract signing to closing, with rigorous board package preparation.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering 944 Fifth Avenue, also evaluate:
- 820 Fifth Avenue — Starrett & Van Vleck 1916; 13 apartments; cash-only; comparable institutional scale
- 834 Fifth Avenue — Candela 1931; 24 apartments; tier-one Gold Coast
- 845 Fifth Avenue — James E. R. Carpenter 1920; 16 apartments; comparable scale and posture
- 875 Fifth Avenue — Emery Roth 1941 Moderne; broader amenity package
- 907 Fifth Avenue — James E. R. Carpenter 1916; permits financing
- 998 Fifth Avenue — McKim, Mead & White 1912; the original Fifth Avenue tier-one
- 1040 Fifth Avenue — Candela 1930; Jackie Kennedy's building
The Roebling Team at 944 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 944 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.
Get the full picture on this building.
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