This 20-story Art Deco co-op is more than meets the eye. Sugarman & Berger, the firm behind The New Yorker Hotel, constructed it as rentals in 1929, before the Great Depression curtailed development along 34th Street (and everywhere else). Compass agent Thomas Hemann, who has sold more than 180 units here since 2005, shares how the firm exceeded the 14-story height restriction for residential buildings by adding service kitchens in the mostly studio- and one-bedroom building, exploiting a loophole allowing it to qualify as a residential hotel. Some of its early residents worked at the nearby Macy’s department store, but today it’s home to a mix of creatives (including a famous writer), as well as finance and tech employees who take advantage of its proximity to Manhattan West and Hudson Yards. The latter “has become a huge tech hub: Amazon, Meta, Facebook, Google… so a lot of sublets are tech people,” Hemann says. “I read they don’t like to live more than three blocks from where they work, and boy has that turned out to be true.” It went co-op in the 1980s, and its modest prices attract first-time buyers and those seeking a pied-a-terre. Besides being attracted to the pre-war details, buyers like the building’s friendly vibes, even if the percentage of creatives has dwindled a bit. “It’s become a much quieter building, which I’m sure a lot of people appreciate,” Hemann adds.
Studios and one-bedrooms represent the majority of units
Most of the 210 residences are still studios and one-bedrooms, with a growing number of combined units creating two- and three-bedrooms. Inside, the units offer a mixture of styles, from some that have retained pre-war features like golden oak herringbone floors and beamed ceilings, to apartments that have been completely gutted. Dishwashers and through-wall air conditioners are common. Hemann shares how all units were once wired for two sconces in the living area, but during World War II the building and tenants decided to give their (original) brass sconces to the war effort. With one exception. “I heard a story about one little old lady who had refused to give her sconces up,” Hemann shares. “I got a call one day to price an apartment in 2012, and there were the sconces. I actually got to see the last and only brass sconces in the building. The story was true.” While the rest may be gone, the wiring is still intact, and some owners are once again installing sconces. Other notables include the eight-and-a-half-foot ceilings, which soar to 10 feet on the first, ninth, 16th and 19th floors. There are also large terraces on the 10th and 17th floors. Not least, the penthouse units are actually two tiny one-bedroom apartments, however, they possess generous terraces as well. Studios start at 360 square feet and provide a big enough footprint to squeeze in a bed, small sofa and desk, with a recent sale closing at $322,000. One-bedrooms range between 700 to 900 square feet. A recent sale got $690,000, while another one-bedroom went for $1.2 million thanks to a rare wraparound terrace. There are a limited number of two- and three-bedrooms, so these rarely come on the market. The largest unit, at 1,500 square feet, last sold for almost $1.5 million in 2017.
Restored Art Deco lobby and soon-to-reopen roof deck
This is a full-service building despite the modest price points, and residents pass under the canopied entrance into the restored Art Deco lobby, a wonder of brass and stonework complemented by the black-and-white floor tile. Amenities are limited due to the building’s age, but there is a central laundry room, bike storage and storage units for rent. Hemann mentions how the rooftop terrace should be reopening soon with revamped furniture and landscaping; it initially closed after former Mayor Bill de Blasio passed an ADA law requiring spaces, including roof decks, to be accessible to everyone. The building has since secured a waiver around this. Finally, the co-op is a well-maintained building thanks to a live-in super, while the BuildingLink system enables residents to easily submit requests.
Across the street from Hudson Yards with upscale shopping, dining and entertainment options
Now considered part of the Hudson Yards neighborhood, this far west side location was long considered Hell’s Kitchen and, until recently, next door to the iconic Webster Apartments, a former residence hall for unmarried women, many of whom worked at the equally historic Macy’s department store nearby. This area also contained a number of hospitals and medical facilities dating back to the 19th century, and later experienced a deep decline until recent times. But the 28-acre Hudson Yards development, built over a functioning rail yard and debuting in 2019, has since brought high-end retail, even higher-end supertall glass condos, big-name corporations and more to the section between 30th and 34th streets and 10th and 11th avenues, and has once again changed the neighborhood. As luck would have it, 433 W. 34th is just across the street. “It went from being completely desolate to vibrant,” Hemann says, citing newcomers like Whole Foods and restaurants like Greywind, a fine dining spot for seasonal dishes, and food hall Mercado Little Spain (the owner also lives in the building). The co-op is a short walk from the High Line, a former elevated railway turned tourist attraction. The Shed is worth mentioning too, a retractable, bubble-like dome hosting all manner of arts, from installations to performances.
Short walk to major transportation hubs
The co-op is close to Penn Station, home to the 1, 2, 3 and A, C, E trains, plus commuter trains to New Jersey and Long Island. Moynihan Train Hall, a brand-new station for the Long Island Rail Road, is next door. The long-awaited 7 train extension to 34th Street-Hudson Yards opened in 2015, cutting down commute times to the Javits Convention Center and to the east side. 34th Street itself is a noisy, congested corridor at all hours, but convenient for crosstown buses.
Noisy and congested, but lenient sublet policy
There’s no denying that this is a noisy part of the city, between general traffic along 34th Street and additional traffic clogging 10th Avenue en route to the nearby Lincoln Tunnel, whose entrance ramp to New Jersey runs behind the building. Units are equipped with double-pane windows, but some have upgraded to Citiquiet windows, which claim to block out 95 percent of noise. “When you walk into an apartment [with those], you feel like you could be in Utah; it’s that quiet,” Hemann says. It’s also worth noting that unlimited subletting is allowed after three years of ownership, and a good many units are sublet.
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Quantarium
Current List Price
Sold Price
Area Factors
Moderate Crime
Crime Score®
6/ 10
Very Bikeable
Bike Score®
87/ 100
Walker's Paradise
Walk Score®
98/ 100
Rider's Paradise
Transit Score®
100/ 100
Sources: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com, Walk Score
Sources: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com, Walk Score
WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com, Powered by CAP Index provides objective, accurate, and consistent data to help measure, compare, and mitigate crime risks. Walk Score® measures the walkability of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Environmental risk data is provided by First Street Foundation® and is designed to approximate risk and not intended to include all possible scenarios.
Parks in this Area
Bella Abzug Park
4 min walk
Chelsea Park
9 min walk
Basketball
Picnic Area
Soccer
Pier 76 Hudson River Park
10 min walk
Sandbox Playground
11 min walk
Herald Square
11 min walk
Picnic Area
Trails
Concessions
McCaffrey Playground
11 min walk
Basketball
Playground
Waterpark
Tom Otterness Playground
12 min walk
Penn South Playground
13 min walk
Basketball
Tennis
Playground
Pinwheel Park
13 min walk
Trails
Playground
Schools
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