Astor Court
205 West 89th Street, New York, NY 10024
Upper West Side
BBL 1012370017 · BIN 1033308
- Year built
- 1915
- Type
- Cooperative
- Units
- 158
- Floors
- 12
- Landmark
- Designated
- Pets
- Permitted
- Subletting
- Board-approval required
Every recorded sale at this building, 2002–2026
Bedroom-by-bedroom medians, the full transfer record, and how units trade against ask.
- 1BR median
- $944K
- Recent range
- $820K – $4M
- Listing discount
- 0.4%
- Recorded transfers
- 142
Astor Court is a Vincent Astor commission designed by Charles A. Platt at the height of Platt's New York residential and institutional practice. Astor — having inherited the Astor fortune at age 21 following his father John Jacob Astor IV's 1912 death on the Titanic — was just 23 when he commissioned the building. The commission represented a deliberate continuation of the broader Astor residential portfolio in Manhattan (Graham Court 1901, The Apthorp 1908, the Astor Hotel 1904) while introducing a distinctive architectural signature: Platt's landscape-trained design language treating the interior courtyard as a formal fountain garden rather than the carriage turnaround typical of the era.
Notable original residents at the 1916 opening included opera star Geraldine Farrar (the most celebrated Metropolitan Opera soprano of her generation) and her actor husband Lou Tellegen; Fox Film Corp Vice President Winfield R. Sheehan with Ziegfeld Follies actress Kay Laurell; Goldwyn Pictures co-founder and Broadway producer Archibald Selwyn; and composer William.
Notable historical events. In 1920, a séance held in Geraldine Farrar's parents' apartment at Astor Court claimed contact with "a 15th-century Hindu spirit" — a notable society event in the building's early operational history. In 1917, a federal extortion sting targeted Astor Court resident William Baer Ewing, then president of the Ford Tractor Company.
Architecture and unit composition
Astor Court's exterior is rusticated limestone at the lower two stories supporting brick above, with the U-shaped composition opening toward Broadway. The signature copper cornice projects eight feet from the façade — originally gilded red and gold — and is among the most architecturally distinguished cornice treatments on the UWS pre-war stock. The U-shaped plan creates the interior courtyard, which Platt treated as a formal fountain garden with classical hardscape rather than the carriage turnaround typical of the era.
The 158 apartments distribute across 12 stories with floor-plate variety. Apartment configurations include substantial three- and four-bedroom layouts plus more compact one- and two-bedroom units. The building's neo-Renaissance proportions produce apartments with substantial ceiling heights and formal entry arrangements characteristic of the era.
Pre-war signatures throughout: 10–11 foot ceilings in primary rooms, formal entry galleries, library-living combinations, primary suites with substantial closet infrastructure, original architectural detail preserved in most apartments.
Building operations
Astor Court operates as a full-service pre-war cooperative under Astor Court Owners Corp. The 30% minimum down payment is more accessible than tier-one Park Avenue / CPW co-ops (50% down typical) — reflecting Astor Court's positioning as a substantial pre-war UWS co-op rather than a tier-one trophy. Pet policy and other operational details follow typical UWS pre-war norms.
Local Law 97
- 2024–2029 annual penalty
- $0 (under cap)
- 2030–2034 annual penalty
- $79,563/yr
- Per unit / month range
- $0 – $42
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 →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 | vs. Ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 29, 2026 | 7B | 4 BR · 3 BA | $3,838,000 | -1.5% |
| Mar 9, 2026 | 4J | 2 BR · 2 BA | $1,995,000 | +0.0% |
| Jan 6, 2026 | 8L | 2 BR · 3 BA | $2,620,000 | +5.0% |
| Sep 18, 2025 | 11D | 4 BR · 3 BA | $3,775,000 | -10.7% |
| Apr 16, 2025 | 12B | 4 BR · 3 BA | $3,950,000 | -12.0% |
| Feb 13, 2025 | 7I | 1 BR · 1 BA | $975,000 | +1.7% |
| Dec 20, 2024 | 8E | 1 BR · 1 BA | $820,000 | -8.4% |
| Nov 20, 2024 | 10J | 2 BR · 2 BA | $1,725,000 | +1.5% |
Market read. $/sf is measured on the latest sales with reliable square footage (2024): a median $1,330/sf across 3 sales. The building has traded as recently as 2026. 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.
Other recent transfers
| Date | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 26, 2003 | 7LM | $2,495,000 |
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 1-01237-0017) 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.
What to know if you’re buying
The Platt / Astor architectural pedigree is real. Charles A. Platt's combined building-and-landscape design discipline produced a building of distinctive composition — the U-shaped plan, the formal courtyard garden, and the gilded copper cornice are signature elements that distinguish Astor Court from typical UWS pre-war stock.
The 30% minimum down payment is materially more accessible than tier-one Park Avenue or CPW trophy buildings (where 50% down is typical). For buyers prioritizing pre-war architectural significance at a more accessible financial qualification, Astor Court is a meaningful target.
The Broadway corridor positioning is central UWS with retail and dining at the building's doorstep, walking proximity to Riverside Park, and the broader UWS amenity base.
Apartment quality varies meaningfully. The 1916 construction and 110-year operational history have produced apartments of materially different renovation states. Apartment-level diligence is essential.
Comparable buildings
If you're considering Astor Court, also evaluate:
- The Belnord (225 West 86th) — Hiss & Weekes 1909, full-block palazzo with condo conversion
- The Apthorp (2207 Broadway) — Clinton & Russell 1908, Astor architectural cousin
- The Chatsworth (344 West 72nd) — John E. Scharsmith 1902, Riverside / 72nd corridor pre-war
The neighborhood
For the full corridor — architecture, schools, transit, and pricing across Upper West Side — read The Roebling Team Guide to Upper West Side.
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 Astor Court?
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 Astor Court 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.