51 West 81st Street, Unit 5A

The Galaxy
Upper West Side

$625,000
Price
Studio
Beds
512 Sq. Ft.
$1,221 / Sq. Ft.
512
Sq. Ft.
$1,221
per Sq. Ft.
front view of a building with a street
a front view of a building
a living room with furniture or couch and a bookshelf
a living room with furniture rug and window
a living room with furniture a rug and a bookshelf
a bedroom with a bed a couch and a window
a kitchen with granite countertop a stove a sink and a refrigerator
a view of a hallway with wooden floor
a bathroom with a sink a toilet and a bathtub
a view of a chairs and table on the terrace
a view of a playground with basketball court
front view of a house with a tree
a front view of a house with a yard
unknown
a picture of a building with a white wall

Description

Possibly the most gracious, well-located studio on the Upper West Side! Apartment 5A is a flexibly configured studio/one bedroom apartment in The Galaxy with approximately 512 square feet of old-world charm and all the modern conveniences. The Galaxy, an elegant 14-story co-op at 81st Street and Columbus Avenue, overlooks the Hayden Planetarium and the Museum of Natural History with its beautiful grassy park and weekly farmers’ markets. Currently used as an extremely spacious studio with windows...Possibly the most gracious, well-located studio on the Upper West Side! Apartment 5A is a flexibly configured studio/one bedroom apartment in The Galaxy with approximately 512 square feet of old-world charm and all the modern conveniences. The Galaxy, an elegant 14-story co-op at 81st Street and Columbus Avenue, overlooks the Hayden Planetarium and the Museum of Natural History with its beautiful grassy park and weekly farmers’ markets. Currently used as an extremely spacious studio with windows facing west onto Columbus Avenue, Apartment 5A would convert very easily to a comfortable one-bedroom apartment (See Alternate Floor Plan). This studio has many features more commonly found in larger apartments: 9 ¾’ ceilings; tall windows; a separate windowed kitchen large enough to comfortably accommodate a proper dining table and chairs; and a gracious entry hallway leading from the front door to the living space with a spacious hall closet and a large windowed bath on either side of the hallway. The living space benefits from hardwood floors and an easy-to-operate and very comfortable Murphy bed which would transfer with the apartment. Residents of The (pet-friendly) Galaxy benefit from a full-time doorman as well as a live-in resident manager. The beautiful, planted roof deck with its panoramic views is available to residents for private use or entertaining. Other important tenant amenities include laundry facilities on every floor, bike storage and a package room. The Galaxy is currently in the process of replacing the carpeting and wallpaper in the upstairs hallways and refurbishing laundry and compactor rooms. These improvements have been fully financed through a recently collected assessment. The Galaxy was built in 1905 with lovely pre-war detail including intricate window cornices and scroll work and a beautiful mosaic floor in the lobby. The 81st Street Park block is arguably one of the prettiest and "handiest" on the Upper West Side. Less than a block to Central Park, it is convenient to world-class specialty stores such as Zabar's; fine restaurants, boutiques and has ready access to multiple subway lines and the 79th Street cross-town bus. Apartment 5A at The Galaxy is in the beating heart of New York's art and cultural center with the opera, dance, symphonic music, jazz and film offerings of Lincoln Center in walking distance. Ownership at The Galaxy is very flexible with pieds-à-terre, co-purchases, gifting and guaranteeing allowed on a case by case basis. Further, financing up to 75% is permitted as is sub-letting after one year of ownership with Board approval. There is a flip tax of $12/share payable to the corporation, $3,996 in the case of Apartment 5A (333 shares).

Property Details for 51 West 81st Street, Unit 5A

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City, ParkGreenbelt, Skyline
LISTING UPDATED: 11/09/2025 02:09 PM

Property Details for 51 West 81st Street, Unit 5A

StatusActive
MLS IDRLS20057909
Days on Market41
Taxes-
Maintenance$1,030 / month
Min. Down Pymt25%
Total Rooms3.0
Compass TypeCo-op
MLS TypeCo-op
Year Built1905
CountyNew York County

Building

The Galaxy

125 Units13 StoriesBuilt in 1905

Location

Listing Courtesy of Sothebys International Realty
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Building Information for 51 West 81st Street, Unit 5A

Building/ComplexThe GalaxyFloor5Stories13Residences125Pet PolicyAllowedPet Policy Details3Year Built1905Building AgePre-war

Payment Calculator

$3,925 per month

30 year fixed, 6.28% Interest

Principal and Interest

$2,895

Property Taxes

$0

Maintenance/Common Charges

$1,030

The Payment Calculator is for illustrative purposes only.

Property Information for 51 West 81st Street, Unit 5A

Summary
Location and General Information
  • Subdivision Name: Upper West Side
  • Stories Total: 13
  • Exposures: West
  • Garage Spaces: 0.0
Taxes and HOA
  • Tax Lot: 0001
  • Tax Deduction Percent: 59.00%
  • Tax Block: 01195
  • Flip Tax Type: SeeRemarks
  • Association Fee Frequency: Monthly
  • Flip Tax: $0
  • Building Tax Lot: 0001
  • Tax Abatement YN: false
Parking
  • Garage: No
  • Garage Spaces Assigned YN: false
Property
Lot Information
  • Living Area: 512.0
  • Building Area Total: 101145.0
  • Building Area Units: SquareFeet
  • Lot Size Dimensions: 102.17 x 100.0
  • Living Area Units: SquareFeet
  • Building Name: Galaxy 51
Building Information
  • Building Features: Elevators
  • Building Laundry Features: None
  • Building Pets Allowed: BuildingYes
Property and Assessments
  • New Development: No
  • Sponsor Unit: No
  • Certificate Of Occupancy: No
  • Common Interest: StockCooperative
  • Number Of Shares: 333
  • New Construction: No
  • Structure Type: MultiFamily
  • Property Condition: Excellent
Interior and Exterior Features
Interior Features
  • Entry Level: 5
  • Fireplace: No
  • Furnished: Unfurnished
  • Laundry Features: None
  • ElevatorsTotal: 1
Multi Family
Multi-Family Information
  • Number Of Units Total: 125
Rental
Rental Information
  • Pets Allowed: UnitYes
  • Attendance Type: DoormanYes

Property History for 51 West 81st Street, Unit 5A

DateEvent & SourcePriceAppreciationLink
Nov 3, 2025

Listed (Active)

RLS RESO #RLS20057909

$625,000—
Nov 27, 2024

Sold (Public Record)

ACRIS #2024120900222001

$610,000—
Nov 25, 2024

Sold

Manual

$610,000——
Aug 10, 2024

Contract Signed

Manual

——
Jul 23, 2024

Listed (Active)

Manual

$545,000——
Apr 21, 2023

Temporarily Off Market

Manual

——
Mar 31, 2023

Listed (Active)

Manual

$550,000——
DateEvent & SourcePrice
11/03/2025

Listed (Active)

RLS RESO #RLS20057909

$625,000
11/27/2024

Sold (Public Record)

ACRIS #2024120900222001

$610,000
11/25/2024

Sold

Manual

$610,000
08/10/2024

Contract Signed

Manual

—
07/23/2024

Listed (Active)

Manual

$545,000
04/21/2023

Temporarily Off Market

Manual

—
03/31/2023

Listed (Active)

Manual

$550,000

For completeness, Compass often displays two records for one sale: the MLS record and the public record.

Public Records for 51 West 81st Street, Unit 5A

Taxable ValueLand-Additions-Total-
Home Facts
APN1011950001

Schools near 51 West 81st Street, Unit 5A

This home is within New York City Geographic District # 3.
Rating
School
Type
Grades
Distance
P.S. 9 Sarah Anderson
Public - PK to 5
Ms 243 Center School
Public - 5 to 8
Innovation Diploma Plus
Public - 10 to 12
Frank McCourt High School
Public - 9 to 12
Rating
School
Distance
P.S. 9 Sarah Anderson
PublicPK to 5

Ms 243 Center School
Public5 to 8

Innovation Diploma Plus
Public10 to 12

Frank McCourt High School
Public9 to 12

School ratings and boundaries are provided by GreatSchools.org and Pitney Bowes. This information should only be used as a reference. Proximity or boundaries shown here are not a guarantee of enrollment. Please reach out to schools directly to verify all information and enrollment eligibility.

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More information about 51 West 81st Street, Unit 5A, Upper West Side

51 West 81st Street, Unit 5A is a co-op for sale in Upper West Side. This property was listed for sale on November 3, 2025 by Sothebys International Realty, it's currently listed at $625,000. It has been on the market for a total of 41 days and was last sold on November 27, 2024. This listing's school district is New York City Geographic District # 3. Nearby schools include P.S. 9 Sarah Anderson, Ms 243 Center School and Innovation Diploma Plus. 51 West 81st Street, Unit 5A is a 0-bed, 1-bath, 512 sqft co-op built in 1905.

No guarantee, warranty or representation of any kind is made regarding the completeness or accuracy of descriptions or measurements (including square footage measurements and property condition), such should be independently verified, and Compass expressly disclaims any liability in connection therewith. Photos may be virtually staged or digitally enhanced and may not reflect actual property conditions. Offers of compensation are subject to change at the discretion of the seller. No financial or legal advice provided. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Listing Courtesy of Sothebys International Realty

This information is not verified for authenticity or accuracy and is not guaranteed and may not reflect all real estate activity in the market. ©2025 The Real Estate Board of New York, Inc., All rights reserved. The source of the displayed data is either the property owner or public record provided by non-governmental third parties. It is believed to be reliable but not guaranteed. This information is provided exclusively for consumers’ personal, non-commercial use. The data relating to real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the IDX Program of OneKey® MLS. Information Copyright 2025, OneKey® MLS. All data is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate by Compass. See Terms of Service for additional restrictions. Compass · Tel: 212-913-9058 · New York, NY Listing information for certain New York City properties provided courtesy of the Real Estate Board of New York’s Residential Listing Service (the "RLS"). The information contained in this listing has not been verified by the RLS and should be verified by the consumer. The listing information provided here is for the consumer’s personal, non-commercial use. Retransmission, redistribution or copying of this listing information is strictly prohibited except in connection with a consumer's consideration of the purchase and/or sale of an individual property. This listing information is not verified for authenticity or accuracy and is not guaranteed and may not reflect all real estate activity in the market. ©2025 The Real Estate Board of New York, Inc., all rights reserved. This information is not guaranteed, should be independently verified and may not reflect all real estate activity in the market. Offers of compensation set forth here are for other RLSParticipants only and may not reflect other agreements between a consumer and their broker.©2025 The Real Estate Board of New York, Inc., All rights reserved.