20 distinguished Manhattan co-op buildings
820 Fifth Avenue offers an earlier palazzo-style apartment house at East 63rd Street, with substantial residences facing Central Park.
- Address
- 820 Fifth Avenue
- Location
- Fifth Avenue
- Ownership
- Cooperative
- Architect
- Starrett & van Vleck
- Completed
- 1916
Architecture and building history
Designed by Starrett & van Vleck and completed in 1916, 820 Fifth Avenue predates the later Candela buildings in this selection. Its limestone facade has the ordered proportions of an Italian Renaissance palazzo.
The original apartment planning centered on large homes, including full-floor residences and maisonettes. The building was later converted to cooperative ownership. Its scale and park-facing position explain its inclusion here without making every residence the same proposition.
What to compare in the apartment
Look at the length of the entrance gallery and the distribution of the principal rooms. A large plan can be excellent for entertaining while still needing changes for a buyer's bedroom, office or kitchen requirements.
Compare the park frontage with the side-street exposure and service areas. Where an offering spans more than one level, study the stairs and the placement of bedrooms. Confirm room dimensions, ceiling heights and any proposed changes against the actual apartment and approved documents.
The location
The East 63rd Street corner is close to the park's southeastern entrances and the southern stretch of Madison Avenue. It provides a different daily base from 998 or 1040 Fifth, even though all belong to the same broad park-front corridor.
Services, maintenance and purchase requirements
Request the current service schedule and maintenance breakdown for the apartment. Establish which services are included, which carry separate charges and whether storage or other ancillary space transfers with the shares.
A co-op purchase involves shares in the building corporation and a proprietary lease. Have your attorney review the financial statements, minutes, insurance and any assessment notices. Confirm the current requirements for financing, liquidity, intended occupancy, ownership structure, subletting and renovations with the managing agent. Published summaries can lag the governing documents.
Compare the complete cost of ownership with the apartment’s condition and the work you intend to do. A recognizable address does not establish the condition of the home or the co-op’s finances.
Where it fits on a shortlist
Gallery length, public-room frontage and the amount of work needed to adapt a large historic plan.
Compare this building with 810 Fifth Avenue, 834 Fifth Avenue. The top-20 co-op guide explains the wider selection.
For purchase steps, read buying an apartment in NYC and the co-op versus condo guide. For market-wide inventory, use the 100 newest Manhattan co-op listings.
Discuss an apartment in this building
Tell us the space you need, your timing and how you intend to use the home. We can help assess relevant availability and compare the building with other co-ops on your shortlist.
Architecture and image sources
Image author and license are credited with the photograph. Building descriptions cover architecture and purchase considerations; current availability and co-op policies require individual confirmation.