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40 East 78th Street
Last updated on Feb 8, 2026

The Charles House,
40 East 78th Street

The Charles House is a luxury condominium on East 78th Street with full-service amenities and a prime location. It offers a doorman, roof deck, fitness center, and garage, and welcomes pets, pied-a-terres, and investors. Currently, 2 apartments are for sale.

40 East 78th Street Location Map
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Overview of The Charles House at 40 East 78th Street

The Charles House at 40 East 78th Street is a 16 story, 103 unit condominium built in 1956 and converted in 1986, occupying an entire block front on Madison Avenue between 77th and 78th Streets. The white and gray brick building stands out architecturally with its indented second story that creates a visual lift effect and recessed central façade that reduces the building's perceived mass. The building gained retail prominence in the late 1990s when it secured Missoni as a tenant for a glamorous two story flagship store at the 78th Street corner, marking a significant northward expansion for the luxury fashion house.

Residences range from a 709 square foot studio to spacious 4-bedroom apartments, many featuring recent high-end renovations with premium appliances from Wolf, Sub-Zero, Miele, and Gaggenau. Common apartment features include hardwood floors, oversized windows, abundant storage, and luxury bathrooms with soaking tubs and rain showers. Several units offer Central Park views and private terraces, while some of the more recent renovations include smart home systems and surround sound. The building's corner location provides many apartments with multiple exposures and treetop views over quiet 78th Street.

The Charles House operates as a full service, white-glove condominium with 24 hour doorman service, live-in superintendent, and recently renovated lobby and common areas. Building amenities include a landscaped roof deck with unobstructed Central Park and Manhattan skyline views, fitness center, parking garage, bike storage, and private storage units. The building welcomes pets, pied-à-terres, and investors, making it particularly attractive to a diverse ownership base.

The location is considered prime Upper East Side real estate, situated one block from Central Park and walking distance to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Whitney Museum, and Madison Avenue's luxury shopping corridor. The neighborhood offers excellent schools including P.S. 6, fine dining establishments, art galleries, and convenient transportation via the 77th Street subway station and cross-town bus service on 79th Street.

Doorman
Full Time
Type
Condo
Year Built
1924
Converted: 1985
Apartments
Floors
16
Pets: Allowed
Neighborhood
Min Down
10%

Amenities

  • FT Doorman
  • Resident Storage
  • Full Service Garage
  • Rooftop Terrace
  • Washer/Dryer in building
  • Elevator
  • Fitness Center
  • Outdoor Entertainment Space
  • In-Unit Washer/Dryer
  • Bike Room
  • Live-In Superintendent
  • Terraces / Balconies
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  1. 6
at Lexington Ave 0.18 miles
  1. 4
  2. 5
at Lexington Ave 0.47 miles

Pros & Cons

  • Interesting indented second-story
  • Doorman
  • Sidewalk landscaping
  • Some Terraces
  • Some bay windows
  • Excellent public transportation
  • Garage
  • Close to many major cultural institutions
  • Attractive- quiet street
  • Close to Subway
  • Full-service building with 24-hour doorman and live-in superintendent
  • Good public transportation access with subway at 77th Street and Lexington
  • On-site fitness center and full-service garage
  • Pet-friendly building welcoming pied-a-terres and investors
  • Prime Upper East Side location steps from Central Park and Madison Avenue shopping
  • Recently renovated elegant lobby
  • Rooftop terrace with unobstructed Central Park and Manhattan skyline views
  • Walking distance to world-class museums including Metropolitan Museum and Whitney
  • Quiet tree-lined street location while maintaining avenue convenience
  • No Balconies
  • Older building construction from 1956
  • Some units have through-wall AC units rather than central air conditioning

CityRealty Rating

25
/44
Architecture
+
26
/36
Location
+
16
/39
Features
+
8
Editor’s Points
=
75
CITYREALTY
RATING
  • How is the CityRealty Rating calculated?

    Architecture
    • 30+ remarkable
    • 20-29 distinguished
    • 11-19 average
    • < 11 below average
    Location
    • 27+ remarkable
    • 18-26 distinguished
    • 9-17 average
    • < 9 below average
    Features
    • 22+ remarkable
    • 16-21 distinguished
    • 9-15 average
    • < 9 below average

Broker & Buyer Comments

This "gracious" Madison Avenue condo offers "superb" Upper East Side living with "attentive service" and "hotel-like" common areas. The "uniquely configured" building stretches a full block, delivering "fantastic natural light" through its shallow depth. Residents praise the "ample" bedrooms and "generous closet space," though bathrooms are "basic." The "prime location" on "pretty blocks" makes this a "solid choice" for those seeking classic Upper East Side living.

Sales Summary

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Sales History by Apartment Size

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Pricing Comparison of Similar Buildings

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