20 distinguished Manhattan co-op buildings
990 Fifth Avenue is a particularly small co-op at East 80th Street, close to the Metropolitan Museum and Central Park.
- Address
- 990 Fifth Avenue / 1 East 80th Street
- Location
- Fifth Avenue
- Ownership
- Cooperative
- Architect
- Rosario Candela and Warren & Wetmore
- Completed
- 1920s
Architecture and building history
990 Fifth Avenue was designed by Rosario Candela and Warren & Wetmore in the 1920s. Brown Harris Stevens identifies the building as containing six apartments. That scale distinguishes it from the larger apartment houses along the avenue.
The combination of a small residence count and large apartment plans is central to its place in this selection. It makes the exact ownership interest, layout and operating arrangements especially important to understand when an apartment becomes available.
What to compare in the apartment
Review how the residence is distributed across floors, including the position of the principal entertaining rooms and bedrooms. A multi-level apartment should be tested against everyday movement through the home, rather than judged only by total floor area.
Ask for the current legal floor plan and the records of any major alterations. In a small co-op, establish how common costs and building projects are allocated among shareholders. The actual maintenance and any assessments belong alongside purchase price in the comparison.
The location
The East 80th Street corner sits immediately south of the Metropolitan Museum's principal frontage. Assess museum activity, avenue exposure and the routes into the park as part of the location decision.
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
Multi-level circulation, the small co-op’s cost allocation and the current approved apartment configuration.
Compare this building with 960 Fifth Avenue, 998 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.