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The Spencer is a 1920s cooperative building in Morningside Heights with 24 units and amenities like a doorman and laundry room. It is conveniently located near parks, Columbia University, restaurants, and transportation options.
The Spencer is a six story, 24 unit co op at 523 West 121st Street in Morningside Heights, designed in 1904 by architect George F. Pelham and converted to cooperative ownership in 1921. Its apartments reflect the period's substantial Edwardian planning, with classic five and six room layouts, side by side living and dining rooms, high ceilings, hardwood floors, transoms, wainscoting, and original woodwork appearing across multiple residences.
A recurring feature is the flexibility of these generously scaled homes: formal dining rooms, studies, or oversized auxiliary rooms have been adapted into additional bedrooms or guest spaces, while several apartments retain layouts that could accommodate three bedrooms. Windowed kitchens and bathrooms are common, and the building's apartments range from traditional two bedroom homes to larger three bedroom configurations. Private basement storage transfers with many apartments, with some residences having unusually large dedicated storage rooms.
The building has a 24 hour doorman, live in superintendent, central laundry, bike room, resident storage, and mail delivery to each owner's door. It is 100% shareholder owned and pet friendly. Recent capital work includes a new roof, façade pointing, upgraded electrical systems, improved elevator mechanics, and more energy efficient laundry equipment; the building has an A energy efficiency rating and is ahead of schedule for NYC emissions compliance.
On a tree lined block between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue, The Spencer is close to Columbia University, Barnard College, Teachers College, Union Theological Seminary, Riverside Church, Manhattan School of Music, Miller Theatre, and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Morningside Park and Riverside Park are both nearby, along with restaurants, bookstores, grocers, and neighborhood shops.
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For some co-ops, instead of price per square foot, we use an estimate of the number of rooms for each sold apartment to chart price changes over time. This is because many co-op listings do not include square footage information, and this makes it challenging to calculate accurate square-foot averages.
By displaying the price per estimated room count, we are able to provide a more reliable and consistent metric for comparing sales in the building. While we hope that this gives you a clearer sense of price trends in the building, all data should be independently verified. All data provided are only estimates and should not be used to make any purchase or sale decision.
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