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63Units
5Stories
1899Year Built
$957K - $2.2MValue Range
Available Units
For Sale
For Rent
No Units Available
Highlights
City View
P.S. 11 Sarah J. Garnet School Rated A
Elevator
Controlled Access
Public Transportation
3 min walk to Chelsea Green
Full-service East Chelsea co-op in an expertly updated prewar tenement building
“More than two and a half centuries of ups and downs have left Chelsea a patchwork of factories, townhomes, housing projects and tenements,” Norval White writes in the “AIA Guide to New York City Fifth Edition.” One example of the latter is 231 W 21st St., a quintessential late 19th Century multifamily dwelling converted into a co-op after World War II. The 1899-built low-rise is defined by a somewhat ornate Neoclassical facade that unites its two parts on the ground level while also giving way to two light wells through mock window frame apertures holding elaborate ironwork balustrades. Prerequisite stoops lead up to wood-framed doors that unassumingly conceal grand foyers with Guastavino subway tiles and original brass mailboxes. “The building is impeccably maintained with restored elevators and a well-kept courtyard,” says Gerard Smith, an agent with Douglas Elliman. “The full-service co-op is financially sound and permits co-purchasing and pied-a-terre use.” When it comes to pets, only cats are allowed. Unlike other residences of its kind, 231 W 21st St. has a comprehensive suite of amenities including a bike room, storage lockers and a live-in super. The 63 units, many of which have been combined in the past century, retain their original architectural features but have all been updated with top-line finishes and appliances. The surrounding neighborhood — the less hyped but more central and affordable eastern section of Chelsea — is near major commercial arteries and reliable transit links.
Classic railroad apartments turned into generously proportioned one to two-bedrooms
The residences at 231 W 21st St. are what were traditionally called railroad or shotgun apartments — somewhat compact tenement building layouts with rooms stacked up in a line rather than more square or rectilinear spatial distributions. Cozy bedrooms unfold off long corridors that gain air and natural light from the previously mentioned wells that break up the structure’s monolithic massing. Now open-plan entertainment spaces — living rooms and eat-in kitchens — tend to face tree-lined 21st Street or the co-op's equally verdant rear. Several of the units here have been combined and feature two exposures. Sold for $1.9 million, the top range here, unit 4C incorporates two bedrooms that can snugly accommodate queen frames; a decent-sized living room and a full chef’s kitchen. On the market with Smith in winter 2025 for $950,000, unit 2D is a one-bedroom incorporating a similarly combined layout, three exposures and a walk-in closet with a ladder that, as he notes, is reminiscent of Carrie Bradshaw’s iconic storage setup in the seminal TV series “Sex and the City.” Smaller original layout one-bedrooms tend to sell for $700,000.
Despite the compact size of the units — arguably not unlike the scale of new development condos — original architectural elements like crown molding and tall 10-foot ceilings have been well preserved. Newer finishes and equipment have been periodically updated to reflect the 231 W 21st St. leaning-luxury status. Unit 2D features whitewashed floors; custom built-in bookshelves and cabinetry; stainless steel appliances and butcher block countertops. Like with any older building, the state of renovation varies greatly from unit to unit and often embodies the taste of previous owners. Some units have been imbued with a more classical look while others are more modern in appearance.
A less flashy but better-connected eastern section of Chelsea
Situated midblock between Eighth and Seventh avenues among equally historic townhomes, 231 W 21st St is firmly located in what has increasingly been dubbed East Chelsea. The formerly industrial area right off Madison Square Park is decidedly less hyped than art gallery-laden and High Line-traversed West Chelsea where bold structures designed by starchitects have gone up in the past few decades and subsequently driven up the cost of real estate. Even though this quieter pocket of the neighborhood has also seen a significant increase in home price since its early 20th-century Bohemian heyday and the more recent economic downturn of the 1970s and 80s, it's still much more affordable than its counterpart. “It’s sometimes seen as a forgotten stepchild,” Warburg Realty agent Jason Haber is quoted saying in a 2018 New York Times article. “The West Side has more buzz, but the East Side has access to transportation, access to the Flatiron district and is more accessible in general.”
The co-op is equidistant to the 23rd Street 1 and the 23rd Street C and E subway stations just up two blocks on Eight and Seventh avenues respectively. This commercial stretch is lined with several essential service businesses and includes Lower Manhattan’s only Home Depot. Area attractions include legendary dance venue Joyce Theater, specialized Asian art museum the Rubin, and the iconic Chelsea Hotel. Other long-established yet ever-alternative performance spaces — holding fast to the area’s past as a theater district — include the Irish Repertory and the Atlantic Company. Nomad’s thriving restaurant and bar scene isn’t far nor is slightly more boisterous Greenwich Village. Thai go-to Wan Waan is a neighborhood staple as is Mediterranean boite ZiZi. LOULOU is a casual French bistro. There’s a Trader Joe’s on Sixth Avenue; a Whole Foods on Seventh and premium Italian market Eataly on the corner of Madison Square Park — the closest green space. It has a dog run and a robust program of temporary art installations.
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Quantarium
Current List Price
Sold Price
Area Factors
Moderate Crime
Crime Score®
5/ 10
Biker's Paradise
Bike Score®
95/ 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
Chelsea Green
3 min walk
Picnic Area
Playground
Waterpark
Chelsea Waterside at Hudson River Park
5 min walk
Basketball
Dog Park
Soccer
Pinwheel Park
6 min walk
Trails
Playground
Dr. Gertrude B. Kelly Playground
6 min walk
Basketball
Playground
Penn South Playground
7 min walk
Basketball
Tennis
Playground
Sandbox Playground
8 min walk
Jackson Square
9 min walk
Picnic Area
The High Line
10 min walk
Trails
Events
Botanical Gardens
Corporal John A. Seravalli Playground
11 min walk
Basketball
Playground
Schools
Source:
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