Top Boutique Condos (< 50 Units)

Walker Tower, standing 22 stories tall at 212 West 18th Street in Chelsea, represents a masterful blend of historic preservation and modern luxury. The building takes its name from Ralph Walker, the architect who designed the original 1929 telephone switching building that forms its lower floors.

The architectural firm Cetra/Ruddy undertook the building's transformation, carefully preserving and expanding upon the original Art Deco design elements while adapting the structure for contemporary residential use. Their work maintained the building's distinctive Gotham style while elevating it to meet 21st-century standards.

The building offers an extensive suite of amenities including a 24-hour doorman, concierge service, and a fully-equipped fitness center with a dedicated yoga room. Residents also enjoy access to refrigerated storage, a children's playroom, bike storage, and a sauna.

One of Walker Tower's most notable features is its library lounge, complete with a pantry and bar. The building is crowned with a landscaped roof deck that includes a dining area, sun lawn, and covered cabana space, providing residents with exceptional outdoor living options.

The building's Chelsea location places it within easy reach of several New York landmarks and conveniences, including the High Line park, numerous acclaimed restaurants, and vibrant nightlife destinations. Transportation is readily accessible via the 18th Street 1 train.

40 Mercer Street stands as one of SoHo's most architecturally significant residential buildings, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning French architect Jean Nouvel in collaboration with renowned hotelier André Balazs. Completed in 2006, this 14-story, 41-unit luxury condominium occupies an entire blockfront on Grand Street between Mercer Street and Broadway. The building's striking glass façade features distinctive red and blue fenestration and a deep blue rooftop that makes it an unofficial landmark of the neighborhood. Originally conceived as a hotel, the project was converted to residential use following the September 11 attacks, with Balazs adding two additional stories to accommodate the change.

The building's apartments showcase Nouvel's innovative design philosophy, featuring 11-12 foot ceilings and massive floor-to-ceiling windows, some of which are electronically retractable - a rarity in New York residential buildings. Units range from 1,800 to over 3,000 square feet, with many featuring dramatic great rooms up to 57 feet in length, custom sliding walls that can expand living spaces, and chef's kitchens designed by prestigious European firms like Bulthaup and Molteni. The penthouses are particularly notable, offering private pools and nearly 1,600 square feet of landscaped terraces with mature trees, creating what's described as "a private park in the sky." Celebrity residents have included Meg Ryan.

The building's amenities rival those of a five-star hotel, reflecting Balazs's hospitality expertise. Residents enjoy 24-hour white-glove concierge service, underground valet parking with direct building access, and the exclusive M40 club featuring a 50-foot T-shaped lap pool with Carrara marble walls, a fully equipped fitness center with Pilates reformer, and spa facilities including sauna, steam room, and 12-person Jacuzzi. Additional amenities include landscaped rooftop and courtyard spaces, private storage, and a residents-only lounge with catering bar and projection screens.

Located on a quiet cobblestone street in prime SoHo, 40 Mercer Street represents a successful fusion of cutting-edge architecture and luxury hospitality. The building's use of massive glass panels up to 7 by 12 feet was considered the most advanced residential glass application in the United States at the time of construction. With its combination of architectural pedigree, exceptional amenities, and prime location among SoHo's cast-iron architecture and high-end boutiques, the building has established itself as one of downtown Manhattan's most prestigious addresses.

147 Waverly Place, designed by prominent architects Jardine, Kent and Hill and known as The Waverly Building, was originally constructed in 1912. The building's characteristic shape reflects the oblique angle of its prime corner site. Adapted as a boutique 20-unit condominium, The Waverly Building now includes a 24-hour doorman, 24-hour concierge service, a full time superintendent, a beautiful roof terrace with Village, Empire State Building and skyline views, and basement storage. The building is steps from Washington Square Park, gourmet grocery stores, amazing restaurants, and public transportation.

1049 Fifth Avenue merges an opulent pre-war style with state-of-the art finishes and technology.

It recently underwent an interior gut renovation that included substantial soundproofing between floors and apartments. With only 54 condominium residences on 23 floors, there are no more than three units per floor, with one floor designated for smaller staff apartments.

Residences are sprawling, averaging over 2,000 square feet. There are libraries with raised panel walls, coffered ceilings, Chicago windows with hand-operated panels, solid core raised panel doors, crown moldings and hand-laid rosewood herringbone patterned floors with ebony borders. Marble bathrooms have cherry wood raised panel cabinetry, double sink vanities and deep soaking tubs. Eat-in kitchens have top-of-the-line appliances, white marble and polished gray granite floors, full-size washers and dryers and butler’s pantries with warming ovens. Many residences have multiple terraces offering some of the best views in Manhattan of Central Park and the city.

It has a full-time doorman and concierge, private storage, attended elevators, a bicycle room and refrigerator storage for deliveries.

Completed in 2000, 515 Park Avenue stands as one of the tallest residential buildings on Park Avenue above 59th Street, rising 43 stories with only 30 apartments. Developed by the Zeckendorf General Partnership and designed by Frank Williams & Associates, this limestone and beige-brick tower replaced a pre-war Italian Renaissance palazzo, though its post-modern interpretation drew sharp criticism from architectural critics. Robert A.M. Stern described its silhouette as "awkward," while Paul Goldberger called it "particularly ungainly" with a "pretentious muddle" façade, despite its commercial success during the late 1990s luxury boom.

The building has attracted notable residents including theater impresario James L. Nederlander, luxury magnate François Pinault (owner of Christie's), music executive L.A. Reid, and Vivendi Universal chairman Jean-Marie Messier. Apartments showcase grand prewar-inspired proportions with 10 to 11.5-foot ceilings, herringbone hardwood and parquet de Versailles floors, and floor-to-ceiling windows offering Central Park and city views. Many units feature chef's kitchens with high-end Thermador, SubZero, and Miele appliances, marble and onyx bathrooms, and multiple bedrooms with en-suite baths. Twelve of the 38 apartments are duplexes, including spectacular 5,000-square-foot penthouses on floors 36-37 designed by renowned decorator Juan Pablo Molyneux, complete with private interior elevators and sweeping onyx staircases.

The building offers white-glove service with Chef Daniel Boulud as exclusive caterer, along with 15 private climate-controlled wine cellars, 38 storage rooms, and individual staff suites on the second floor for residents' use. Additional amenities include a state-of-the-art fitness center, private dining room with full catering kitchen, concierge and valet services, and 24-hour security. Located at the corner of Park Avenue and 60th Street, the building provides easy access to Central Park, Madison Avenue shopping, and Midtown's business district while maintaining the quieter residential character of the Upper East Side.

The Astor Place at 445 Lafayette Street is a 21-story residential tower completed in 2004, distinguished by its undulating glass façade and curved architectural design. The building contains 39 residences ranging from 1,449 to 4,156 square feet, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows and contemporary finishes. Designed by Gwathmey Siegel & Associates, the building stands as a notable architectural landmark at the intersection of Lafayette Street, Astor Place, and Fourth Avenue.

The project's development history included earlier unrealized designs by renowned architects Rem Koolhaus and Frank Gehry before Related Companies commissioned Gwathmey Siegel for the final design. The building sits on land owned by Cooper Union, which created a 99-year lease arrangement for the development.

Residences feature high-end finishes including cherry wood cabinets, granite countertops, and premium appliances from Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Miele. Building amenities include 24-hour doorman and concierge service, a fitness center, private storage, and direct access to a parking garage. Located at the crossroads of NoHo, the East Village, Greenwich Village, and the Bowery, the building sits in one of Manhattan's most vibrant neighborhoods with excellent access to transportation, dining, and cultural attractions.

Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Richard Meier, 165 Charles Street stands as the third and southernmost tower in a celebrated trio of modern residential buildings that transformed the West Village waterfront when it opened in 2005. This 16-story boutique condominium distinguishes itself from its Perry Street siblings by being the only building where Meier designed both the exteriors and interiors, delivering fully finished residences complete with custom details down to the doorknobs. The building houses 30 apartments plus one penthouse, with most floors featuring two river-facing units, and won the AIA 2005 Housing Design Award for its architectural excellence.

The building has attracted an impressive roster of high-profile residents, including Calvin Klein, Natalie Portman, Martha Stewart, Princess Khaliya Aga Khan, and the Winklevoss Twins, along with gallery owner Barbara Gladstone and fashion designer Norma Kamali. Apartments feature 11-foot ceilings, floor-to-ceiling triple-paned windows, and wide-plank Wenge wood floors, with river-facing units offering private balconies and unobstructed Hudson River views. The residences are organized around island kitchen units that allow living spaces to flow seamlessly, while select floors feature unique layouts including double-height living rooms and convertible spaces.

Residents enjoy white-glove amenities including 24-hour concierge service, a 50-foot infinity-edge pool with cascading waterfall in a double-height atrium, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and a 36-seat screening room with custom Meier-designed leather seating. Each apartment comes with a private wine cellar capable of storing 360 bottles, while the building's prime West Village location provides direct access to Hudson River Park and proximity to the neighborhood's renowned dining and shopping. The building's position offers the best southern views of Lower Manhattan among the three Meier towers, making it a coveted address that sold out in record time upon completion.

The Westbury stands as a distinguished prewar condominium at 15 East 69th Street, occupying a prime corner location on Madison Avenue just one block from Central Park. Originally constructed in 1927 as the Westbury Hotel and operated by Trust House Forte, this 18-story red brick building with limestone base was thoughtfully converted to just 47 luxury condominiums in 1999, maintaining only four residences per floor to ensure exclusivity and privacy.

The building's conversion preserved its hotel-caliber service standards, offering residents 24-hour concierge and doorman services, along with amenities including a fitness center, wine cellar with individual storage units, bicycle room, and optional maid service. The double-height lobby retains the elegance of its hotel origins, while the ground-floor retail spaces have housed prestigious tenants including Sulka, Alfred Dunhill, and Gucci, reflecting the building's position along one of Manhattan's most exclusive shopping corridors.

Residences at The Westbury typically feature elaborate entrance galleries, wood-burning fireplaces, and custom millwork that showcase classic prewar craftsmanship. Apartments range from approximately 1,600 to over 3,000 square feet, with many offering coffered ceilings, marble bathrooms, and custom closet systems. The crown jewel is a duplex penthouse with over 2,000 square feet of terraces providing panoramic city and skyline views. The building's location provides immediate access to Central Park, the Frick Collection, Madison Avenue's luxury boutiques, and some of the city's finest restaurants, while welcoming both pets and pied-à-terre ownership.

40 East 66th Street is a distinguished pre-war condominium designed by renowned architect Rosario Candela in 1929 and converted from rental units in 2008 by Vornado Realty Trust. The 13-story red-brick building, featuring a limestone base and decorative architectural details, houses 33 luxury residences in one of Manhattan's most coveted locations, just one block from Central Park.

The residences are characterized by generous proportions and classic Candela layouts, featuring wood-burning fireplaces, high-end appliances from Viking, SubZero, and Miele, and thoughtfully designed living spaces. Many units offer unique architectural elements typical of Candela's sophisticated design approach, including well-proportioned rooms and elegant flow between public and private spaces.

This white-glove building offers comprehensive amenities including 24-hour doorman and concierge service, a fitness room, children's playroom, bike room, central laundry, and private storage. Its prime Upper East Side location provides immediate access to Madison Avenue's luxury boutiques, fine dining establishments, art galleries, and cultural attractions, embodying the essence of sophisticated Manhattan living.

The Pearline Soap Factory building is a seven-unit boutique condominium constructed in 2008 and named in honor of the tenant that once stood on the site at 414 Washington Street. The building was designed to honor its historic surroundings, and every full-floor home is reached via key-locked elevator.