171 East 86th Street (Credit: ZD Jasper)
Farewell Papaya King, hello deluxe condos. It’s a storyline as New York as a slice of pizza or a $10 latte: beloved institutions make way for luxury towers. Whether you’re lamenting or celebrating, one thing that's for sure is the Upper East Side skyline is growing.
At 171-179 East 86th Street, a low-slung commercial building that housed hot dog mainstay Papaya King for 91 years has been replaced by the construction of a sleek, 230-foot-tall condo tower. To borrow from The Jeffersons (whose fictional high-rise is directly across the street), Papaya King is "moving on up"—or rather, it’s been replaced by another batch of "deluxe apartments in the sky."
In this article:
The corner of the lost Papaya King at 86th and Third Ave in 2014 (Google maps)
Papaya King first opened its doors in 1932, becoming a neighborhood icon — and, according to Anthony Bourdain, home to the city's best hot dogs. But the era ended in 2023 when the building was demolished following its $21 million sale. Construction workers are now hard at work on the foundation of the 17-story tower, which will house just 24 residences, each offering expansive layouts and private outdoor loggias (semi-enclosed terraces).
Excavation continuing at the site as of January 2025
The developer behind the project is ZD Jasper, a Long Island-based firm with a growing portfolio of NYC properties, including the under-construction 501 Ninth Avenue in Hudson Yards and Paragon on the Long Island City waterfront. For 171 East 86th Street, ZD Jasper commissioned Brooklyn-based design firm Archimaera and architectural powerhouse Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). Their collaboration has resulted in a column-and-lintel design reminiscent of SOM’s-own Park Loggia on the Upper West Side, which quickly sold out at over $2,600 per square foot.
The 60,000-square-foot development will house just 23 capacious full- and half-floor residences. The standout feature is its deep loggias along the east and west elevations. They are shielded behind a grid-like arrangement of tall, vertical frames finished in a warm light terracotta tone.
The gridded facade, which may be structural, is designed to eliminate the need for interior columns, offering uninterrupted column-free spaces behind floor-to-ceiling windows. However, due to the building's 210-foot height limit and similar-in-height neighbors, views from most residences will be limited, but they will still benefit from the openness of facing two wide streets.
The convenient location will make up for the lack of postcard views. The site is situated at the corner of Third Avenue and East 86th Street, a stone's throw from the Lexington Avenue Line’s perpetually under-construction 4/5/6 station and the spiffy Second Avenue Subway’s Q train stop.
The convenient location will make up for the lack of postcard views. The site is situated at the corner of Third Avenue and East 86th Street, a stone's throw from the Lexington Avenue Line’s perpetually under-construction 4/5/6 station and the spiffy Second Avenue Subway’s Q train stop.
The transformation of this Upper East Side corner
is a recurring theme in the city, where long-timers lament the loss of local landmarks like Papaya King. One resident told the New York Post, “Everything that made New York, New York is being taken away... Just what New York doesn’t need, another luxury apartment house.”
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Another commenter in The New York Times criticized the broader trend toward glass towers that they see as sterile and uninspired. "European cities manage to preserve their charm and still move into the 21st century," the commenter observed. "Meanwhile, NYC has turned into a sterile, artless wasteland. While these views are quite extreme, we see their point.
The area surrounding the development offers a mix of old and new. Across Third Avenue, rental building The Colorado rental building and a Whole Foods market keep watch, while the Park Lane Towers pictured in The Jeffersons reminds us that these high-rises have long represented the American Dream.
Nearby cultural highlights include 92Y, Museum Mile, and Carl Schurz Park, while gourmet markets like Whole Foods and Citarella ensure residents won’t go hungry (even if hot dogs are no longer an option).
New construction in Carnegie Hill is rare due to its many beautifully preserved historic districts. However, the neighborhood east of Park Avenue, especially along 86th Street has seen recent additions which include The Lucida, 1289 Lexington Avenue, 126 East 86th Street, and The Harper.
Local condo listings on East 86th Street
The Brompton, #8K (Living New York)
126 East 86th Street, #8B (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
The Harper, #15A (CORE Group Marketing LLC)
1289 Lexington Avenue, #7B
$5,650,000
Carnegie Hill | Condominium | 4 Bedrooms, 4.5 Baths | 3,078 ft2
1289 Lexington Avenue, #7B (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
180 East 88th Street, #30B
$7,000,000
Carnegie Hill | Condominium | 4 Bedrooms, 3.5 Baths | 2,388 ft2
180 East 88th Street, #30B (Corcoran Group)
Sixty East Eighty Sixth, #16
$7,900,000
Carnegie Hill | Condominium | 3 Bedrooms, 3.5 Baths | 2,225 ft2
Sixty East Eighty Sixth, #16 (Corcoran Group)
The Lucida, #PHH (Modlin Group LLC)
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
Just complete the info below.
Or call us at (212) 755-5544
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
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