257 Central Park West·Residence 5H

About the apartment

Welcome to The Orwell House — a landmark prewar cooperative directly across from Central Park, on the southwest corner of 86th Street and Central Park West. This alcove studio is in fantastic condition, with central HVAC, hardwood floors, a separate sleeping alcove, a renovated large bathroom, and tall ceilings.

About the building

Designed in 1906 by Mulliken & Moeller, The Orwell House is a white-glove, full-service cooperative spanning twelve floors. Residents are welcomed by 24-hour doormen and concierge, a live-in superintendent, and a full building staff. Amenities include a fitness center, central laundry, bike room, package room, and private storage. The crown jewel is the building's fully furnished rooftop deck — among the most spectacular in Manhattan — with unobstructed views over Central Park, the Onassis Reservoir, and the skyline beyond.

Pets (cats and dogs) and pied-à-terres are welcome. The building permits financing up to 75% of the purchase price.

Read the Orwell House building research for the full editorial dossier.

The neighborhood

The location is unmatched. Central Park is your front yard, with the Reservoir running path, the Great Lawn, and Shakespeare Garden moments from your door. The B and C subway lines and the M86 crosstown bus are right at the corner — putting the Met, the Guggenheim, and the Upper East Side minutes away. The Museum of Natural History is four blocks south; Zabar's, Whole Foods, and Citarella are all within an easy walk.

For broader context on the Upper West Side / Central Park West cooperative inventory, see our Central Park West corridor guide.

Recent comparable sales

Recent in-building studio transactions at The Orwell House:

For the broader Orwell House transaction record across all apartment types, see the Orwell House building research page.

Diligence highlights

• Financing: Up to 75% of purchase price permitted.
• Pets: Cats and dogs allowed.
• Pied-à-terre purchases: Allowed.
• Subletting: Permitted in the event of job relocation.
• Flip tax: 2% of gross sale price, payable by the Seller.
• Building type: 1906 prewar cooperative; 12 floors.
• Architect: Mulliken & Moeller.
• Amenities: 24-hour doormen + full-time concierge, live-in superintendent, fitness center, central laundry, bike room, package room, private storage, fully furnished rooftop deck with views over Central Park, the Onassis Reservoir, and the skyline.

For broader context on what diligence at a Central Park West prewar cooperative actually looks like, see our How to read a co-op board's financials guide.

Why this apartment, this building, this block

At $435,000 with pied-à-terre purchases permitted and financing up to 75%, this is one of the most accessible entry points into a Central Park West prewar cooperative on the market — a tier the corner of 86th and CPW rarely opens at this price. The apartment itself is turnkey: an alcove studio in fantastic condition with central HVAC, hardwood floors, tall prewar ceilings, and a renovated large bath — not a project apartment, not a compromise on finish. The building delivers the full white-glove standard — 24-hour doormen, full-time concierge, live-in superintendent, fitness center, central laundry, package room, private storage — and one of Manhattan's most spectacular rooftop decks, with unobstructed views over Central Park, the Onassis Reservoir, and the skyline. The block is irreplaceable: Central Park as front yard, the Reservoir running path and the Great Lawn moments away, the B/C trains and the M86 crosstown at the corner, the Museum of Natural History four blocks south, and Zabar's, Citarella, and Whole Foods within an easy walk. For first-time Manhattan buyers entering at the parkside tier, for pied-à-terre buyers wanting a Central Park foothold, and for families positioning an adult-child or guest residence with full doorman service, the Orwell House studio is one of the rare configurations where price, building quality, and address actually align.