The Bayard House

Sizable residences with premium finishes and clever layouts

While studios — ranging in size from 450 to 600 square feet — fetch $450,000 on average, one-bedrooms — covering 750 to 850 square feet of space — sell for around $725,000. Two bedrooms sell for closer to $1.3 million. Much larger 1,700 square-foot three-bedrooms have most recently sold for $2.5 million. A handful of top-floor residences with four bedrooms or more, mostly combined units, have garnered upwards of $5.5 million. On the market in fall 2024 for $4.9 million, unit 20BC incorporates a whopping five bedrooms, double exposures and a chef’s kitchen replete with a farm-style sink, gold-plated fixtures and marble countertops. Oversized casement windows flood the sprawling abode with tons of natural light. They also frame mostly unobstructed skyline views. On the market with Sloyer for $785,000, unit 5E is a classic one-bedroom with much of the same top-quality finishes and an especially deep great room with cherry hardwood floors. Like throughout much of the rest of the building, the bedroom is large enough to accommodate a king-size frame and features ample closet space. Even though there’s a sizable laundry room in the basement, this recently refurbished residence features an in-unit washer/dryer.

Like any building of a certain age, the state of renovation varies greatly from home to home and more closely reflects alterations made by previous owners. Two-bedroom unit 19D was outfitted by noted interior designer Eric Cohler with a subdued off-white palette and classical leaning eclectic details. The residence sold for $2.6 million in early 2024. Though The Bayard House is a co-op, the board does allow for co-purchasing, guarantors and for residents to utilize their units as pieds-a-terre on a case-by-case basis.

A 360-degree roof-top terrace, a comprehensive staff and other amenities

After parking their cars in the subterranean, third party-operated garage or simply coming off the street, residents and their guests enter the complex through the older Georgian-style structure. The especially grand lobby is helmed by two attendants at all times. While the super maintains an office next to this space, there are also porters and handypeople available for various tasks. “It’s a white-glove co-op but unfussy and friendly,” Sloyer notes. Because this entry is situated along 72nd Street, the 3rd Avenue facade of the complex is fully reserved for retail spaces. “From a financial point of view, the co-op benefits from its ground level commercial tenants: a Dallas BBQ and a Morton Williams grocery store,” he adds. “When there’s this type of steady income, it helps maintain the building’s reserve, especially when it comes to making much need improvements or periodic repairs.”

Along with the laundry room, the basement also features a well-proportioned fitness center and bike room. Each residence automatically comes with an allocated storage space. The building’s shining gem is the massive, fully furnished rooftop terrace with 360-degree views. “There’s plenty of room to sit out, layout and enjoy,” he describes. “There’s also a bathroom on that level which is rare for most buildings of this age.”

Centrality on the bustling but not overrun Upper East Side

Smack dab in the middle of major thoroughfare East 72nd Street, The Bayard House is close to cultural attractions like the Asia Society and Museum but also not far from Museum Mile institutions like The Met, Frick and Guggenheim. Just a few blocks south, the Park Avenue Armory plays host to a robust annual program of major art fairs, large-scale performances, temporary art installations and other events. Madison Avenue abounds with designer label boutiques, blue-chip art galleries and long-established eateries like Italian mainstay Via Quadronno. Caffe Aronne is a popular coffee shop right around the corner. Third Avenue has the legendary JG Melon bar and grill. Incorporating 843 acres of activity rich green space, Central Park is only four blocks away. Nearest to The Bayard House is its East Green and the iconic Literary Walk. The park’s 6.1-mile loop road is ideal for somewhat intrepid jogs or bike rides. For commuters, the closest subway station is the relatively new Q subway stop at 72nd Street and Second Avenue. The 77th Street station along Lexington Avenue is served by the local 6 train. The crosstown M72 bus stops right outside the complex. For residents that keep their cars on site, there’s an onramp to the FDR drive highway at the end of East 73rd Street. The Queensboro Bridge isn’t far either.