An old-school, Tudor City co-op with an unusual location and tiny units
Situated at the end of two leafy, dead-end streets and catty-corner from a quaint park and children’s playground, the setting of Windsor Place sounds far more suburban than metropolitan. After all, one would be hard pressed to find a single dead-end street in Manhattan, let alone two. Yet residents of this 1930 co-op, one of the original Tudor City towers, get to enjoy the relatively quiet atmosphere without sacrificing the conveniences of city life. Considering the location on Manhattan’s East Side, unit prices in Windsor Tower are surprisingly low, starting around $200,000. The catch? The apartments tend to be extremely compact — some of the studios are as small as 175 square feet: smaller than many hotel rooms — and often feature the building’s original kitchenettes. Still, some units have been renovated to include full (if not large) kitchens, so the tower has a mixed bag of finishes and layouts.
Windsor Tower’s small units may lose their redeeming feature: East River views
Like other buildings throughout Tudor City, Windsor Tower originally began as an apartment and catered to a more transient demographic. As such, the living quarters were designed with a smaller footprint. When the 26-story, brick-clad highrise converted to a co-op in the ’80s, the original floor plans were maintained. As a result, most of the nearly 800 units are studios and one-bedrooms. Though the smallest of the studios are 175 square feet, most hover around 300 to 350 square feet; a handful are over 400 square feet. In recent years, prices for a studio have ranged from $200,000 to $399,000. One-bedrooms can span anywhere from 300 to 700 square feet, though most are on the smaller side, with prices stretching from $435,000 to $750,000. Most units with two to four bedrooms are either penthouses or the result of unit combinations. Buyers can expect to pay anywhere from $825,000 to nearly $5 million for such units. Currently, east facing units get river views, but a massive project designed by the architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) is slated to block that view. The shiny mixed-use complex will consist of residential and hotel towers, shopping and dining, a museum, a waterfront plaza roughly the size of Bryant Park and, pending a state-issued license, a casino.
Amenity spaces have prewar features with an international twist
As observed on a recent site visit, the Windsor Tower lobby feels like a time capsule for the 1930s. Apropos of the neighborhood and co-ops’ names — both Tudor and Windsor families are part of British royalty — the space feels something like an old English castle. The stone-clad interiors feature arched doorways, intricate millwork across the ceiling, stained glass and large paintings, all dimly lit by candelabra-like sconces and chandeliers. In the lobby, residents have access to an around-the-clock concierge, plus a private entrance to a small convenience store that’s open to the public. A gym and laundry room are located downstairs, but because the tower was built into a hill, unlike other basements, the sub-floors have windows looking over First Avenue to the East River and the United Nations building. The 2,000-square-foot gym, which includes separate rooms for boxing and yoga, is lined with oversized arched windows that brighten the otherwise industrial feeling space. There is also bike or personal storage available for a fee within the co-op.
Residents experience a nice balance of green space and bustling city life
Perhaps the best perk of living at the co-op is access to the Tudor City Greens, two private parks maintained by a local non-profit. The closest of the two is moments from the lobby doors, while the other is located just beyond the Tudor City Bridge, which passes over East 42nd Street. Both include beautifully landscaped grounds, playgrounds and footpaths lined with benches. The Robert Moses Playground and Dog Run is also available across First Avenue, but with the upcoming development, the area may change in the near future. One thing that won’t change is that the co-op is ideally located for business workers: The United Nations headquarters and over 120 foreign consulates are located immediately north, while many corporate offices are located west in Midtown Manhattan. While East Midtown neighborhoods aren’t known for spectacular dining, Third Avenue, less than 10 minutes away, has a growing concentration of pubs, chains, casual restaurants and grocery stores.
Grand Central Terminal is the hot spot for local and long distance travel
Residents can either walk roughly 15 minutes or take the M42 bus one block north to reach Grand Central Terminal. There, five subway lines are available for local travel, and the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad facilitate longer commutes. For drivers, FDR Drive is closeby, but it can be difficult to find parking in the neighborhood.
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Quantarium
Current List Price
Sold Price
Area Factors
Low Crime
Crime Score®
3/ 10
Bikeable
Bike Score®
65/ 100
Walker's Paradise
Walk Score®
99/ 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
Ralph Bunche Park
1 min walk
Tudor Grove Playground
2 min walk
Playground
Robert Moses Playground
2 min walk
Baseball/Softball
Dog Park
Trails
Mary O'Connor Playground
3 min walk
Tudor City Greens
4 min walk
Trails
Events
Botanical Gardens
Tudor City Park North
4 min walk
UNICEF Garden
4 min walk
East River Esplanade - Delancey St
5 min walk
Trails
River
Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza
6 min walk
Schools
Source:
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