Aptly named Museum Tower, this 52-story condominium was constructed in the early 1980s as part of the expanded and redesigned Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), which sits right next door and occupies the first six floors of the condo tower. “The location alone makes this building super special,” says Angela Rapoport, a broker at SERHANT. “It really attracts people who appreciate art. Throughout the building, when you walk through the lobby, hallways and on the terrace, you'll find lots of important works of art.” Among them are paintings from Pablo Picasso and sculptures from Anthony Caro. According to Rapoport, such affinity for the arts sets Museum Tower apart from other condominiums in the city. While it stands out in this respect, the architecture itself, designed by renowned architect Caesar Pelli, blends seamlessly with Midtown’s glass-clad highrises. “Pelli’s perspective toward architecture and design is very interesting. He wasn't overly conceptual about his ideology. He designed whatever fit best for its location, environment and the vibe of their neighborhood.”
Service is top-notch, and residents can access an outdoor deck, wine room and more
Four elevators whisk residents between the lobby, their apartments and the building’s amenities, which are located on the seventh and eighth floors. “There’s an upscale gym on two levels, and the building upgrades the equipment every two years,” Rapoport says. “You never feel cramped in there because there’s so much space and you never have to wait for a machine.” The fitness center also includes a pilates room, sauna and steam room. Residents can use a media room and a business center that’s equipped with screens, conferencing capabilities, printers and copy machines. “What’s more interesting, is that the building has a wine tasting room and refrigerated storage,” Rapoport shares. “There’s a waitlist because, believe it or not, it’s one of the most popular amenities.” Also popular is the partially-covered terrace, which overlooks the MoMA sculpture garden.
Prospective buyers can expect a high level of service considering the condominium includes two concierges, two door attendants, several porters, an elevator operator and a live-in superintendent. Housekeeping is also available for an additional fee. “The staff are very well trained, super professional, and they’re all tenured,” Rapoport says. “When you arrive, they greet you by your name. Even as a broker, when I come into the building, they say, ‘Hello, Miss Rapoport.’ They make you feel special, and that’s so valuable because, in the modern day, we kind of lose that connectivity and personal attention. It’s wonderful how they treat people with such care. It’s like old New York.”
Spacious units offer high ceilings and large windows with great views
Museum Tower includes roughly 240 units — some were combined to make larger residences. Decades of renovations mean finishes vary from unit to unit, but each has high ceilings, about nine feet, according to Rapoport. Large windows (floor-to-ceiling in the living room) provide nice natural light, as well as views that can include Central Park or Midtown landmarks, depending on the unit’s position within the building. “From the [south-facing] apartments on high floors, you can see Rockefeller Center and the Christmas tree. It’s iconic,” Rapoport says. New York City views are great, but the size of each unit is perhaps more desirable. “One-bedrooms start around 700 square feet but most of them are 900 to 1,200 square feet. If you’re looking at postwar condos in the city, two-bedrooms are often around 950 square feet. Museum Tower’s large apartments were really meant to be luxurious.”
Typically, prices for one-bedrooms range from $1.1 to $2 million, while two-bedroom units start around $2.5 million and stretch to $5 million. Larger combined residences, which can include as many as six bedrooms, have sold between $3.45 million to $10.5 million in recent years.
Shopping, dining and the arts make this area a NYC hot spot
Buyers would be hard pressed to find a more central location than Museum Tower. This particular block of 53rd Street gets a good amount of foot traffic (and tourists) because of the museum and its Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant, The Modern, as well as the luxurious Baccarat Hotel across the street. One block away, there are other high-end spots like the sleek Omakase Room for Japanese cuisine or the Art Nouveau-inspired La Grande Boucherie for French plates. Residents and visitors can find just about anything from the shops along Fifth Avenue, just east. And there are iconic institutions in every other direction: Radio City Music Hall to the south, Carnegie Hall to the north and dozens of Broadway establishments like Gershwin Theatre to the west. What’s more, the borough’s largest green space, Central Park, is a 10-minute walk north. Serviced by the E and M trains, the nearest subway station is right across Fifth Avenue, but over 10 other lines are accessible within a 15-minute walk. Both Fifth and Sixth avenues have several bus routes, and there's a separate parking garage on the block that offers monthly leased spaces when available, as well as hourly parking for guests.
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Current List Price
Sold Price
Area Factors
Moderate Crime
Crime Score®
5/ 10
Very Bikeable
Bike Score®
89/ 100
Walker's Paradise
Walk Score®
97/ 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
Channel Gardens
5 min walk
Picnic Area
Nature Center
745 Plaza
6 min walk
Picnic Area
50th Street Commons
8 min walk
Picnic Area
Grand Army Plaza
8 min walk
MMC Plaza
9 min walk
Picnic Area
Greenacre Park
12 min walk
Picnic Area
Nature Center
Three Bryant Park
13 min walk
Picnic Area
Ramon Aponte Park
15 min walk
Playground
Waterpark
Bryant Park
3 min drive
Events
Ice Skating Rink
Schools
Source:
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