The St. Mark

Studios in the building range from around $465,000 to $550,000, while one-bedrooms start at just under $900,000 and have sold for more than $1 million. Two-bedroom residences range from around $1.5 million to $3 million, with common charges for the latter unit about $2,877 monthly. The St. Mark is a “classic” co-op in that buyers must make it their primary residence, and they can’t rent from day one. “It’s not a building where you’re going to hold on to it for a long time and not live there,” Lafferty says. “You might be able to rent it out two out of five years.” After that, the co-op raises the fees for owners who choose to sublet. The board doesn’t allow co-purchasing, which can be an issue for younger buyers who might be getting financial assistance from a relative. “A parent and adult child could not buy it together, but the board does allow gifting. So, if the buyer has access to this type of situation, that is a way around it,” the agent adds. “It’s not a ridiculous or unreasonable co-op in terms of their rules.”

Basic amenities typical for a 1960s building

The building provides a full-time door attendant and a “nice, big and really clean” laundry room, plus storage for a monthly fee (although there is a waitlist). There’s also a parking garage below the building with direct elevator access. But otherwise, amenities are limited at The St. Mark. “Buildings just didn’t do that when this was built, and there’s no space now,” Lafferty explains. “There’s no gym, no playroom, nothing like that, and no roof deck either.” To that end, there are several gyms within a five-minute walk of the building, as well as coffee shops, plazas and other places to hang out. “I find that people are going outside; they’re not just hanging out in their apartment in the building,” the agent adds.

On the edge of a few hip New York neighborhoods

“On the maps, it is considered the East Village, but it’s really in the center,” according to Lafferty. Indeed, the building is just north of Astor Place, featuring outdoor plazas with coffee kiosks, and a less than 10-minute walk to Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. Union Square, with its shops and famous farmers market, is just five blocks north, and the legendary Strand Book Store is on the way. The St. Mark is also close to some of the East Village’s best restaurants, including Ukrainian hotspot Veselka, The Smith, a hip American eatery, and several fast-casual chains, such as Chopt and Shake Shack. On East 10th Street, there’s Claud, a French-influenced restaurant that was “one of the most impressive places to hit the East Village in several years,” according to a 2022 review in The New York Times. Next door is its sister restaurant, Penny, a raw bar and seafood counter. The nonprofit Public Theater — known for showcasing experimental shows (the musical “Hamilton” first played there in 2015) and is behind the long-running Shakespeare in the Park series — and Joe’s Pub, the adjacent cabaret space, are just a few blocks south on Lafayette Street. For groceries, the area got a new addition when a Wegman’s opened in Astor Place in fall 2023. “It’s hard not to mention Wegman’s now when I’m showing at this location,” Lafferty says, referring to two-level supermarket with a floor of prepared food in addition to groceries on the lower level. “It’s kind of a big deal for the people.”

Union Square subways are within walking distance

The closest subway is the 6 train at Astor Place, with the R and W another block over on Broadway and East 8th Street. For crosstown service, residents can walk to the M14 bus or L train on Third Avenue and East 14th Street. The trains converge at Union Square, which offers N, Q, R and W; 4,5 and 6; and L service. The M1 bus runs up and down the East Side. The FDR drive, which runs the length of Manhattan’s east side, is fewer than 2 miles away. John F. Kennedy International Airport is about 18 miles from The St. Mark, but driving there can take 50 minutes in traffic.