Under Contract – Backup offers may be accepted
51 W 81st Street #5A
MLS® #RLS20057909
Listing by Sothebys International Realty
Studio
1
Bath
512
Sq. Ft.
1903
Year Built
Quick Summary
Property Highlights
- Views: City, Park Greenbelt
- Exposure: West facing
- Character: Pre-war building (1903)
Property Details
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 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).
Features & Amenities
Interior Features
Building Amenities
Building Information
Financial Details
About Upper West Side
View All Upper West Side ListingsThe Upper West Side (UWS) is celebrated for its cultural richness and architectural grandeur. Nestled between Central Park and Riverside Park, the neighborhood provides an unparalleled connection to nature within the urban grid. Residents enjoy easy access to Lincoln Center, the American Museum of Natural History, and a vibrant culinary scene. The real estate landscape is famous for its historic brownstones and iconic 'white-glove' apartment buildings along Central Park West and Riverside Drive.
Upper West Side Live Market Data
View NeighborhoodActive Listings
468
Median Asking Price
$1.95M
Median $/Sqft
$1,626
Avg Days on Market
N/A
New This Week
23
Price Reduced
26%
Sold (30 Days)
75
Median Sale Price
$1.50M
Live data from RLS at REBNY • Updated 2/27/26, 4:11 AM EST
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Location
51 W 81st Street #5A, Upper West Side, New York County
Listing Data
RLS® at REBNY (Real Estate Board of New York) via Trestle API. Updated in real-time.
Market Data
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Listing Courtesy of Sothebys International Realty - Susan Lawrence Baker
Listing Contact: (347) 443-1554
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. ©2026 The Real Estate Board of New York, Inc., all rights reserved. This advertisement does not suggest that the broker has a listing in this property or properties or that any property is currently available.
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RLS Data display by Keller Williams NYC. Data last updated on 2/27/2026 at 9:11 AM UTC