325 5th Ave

325 Fifth Avenue Condomiums

For buyers who want to be in the middle of everything — for better or worse — Manhattan’s Midtown South neighborhood is about as central as it gets. Some New Yorkers may balk at the idea of having the Empire State Building in their backyard, but for those who can appreciate the kinetic energy it adds to the area, there’s 325 Fifth Avenue. Designed by Stephen Jacobs and Andi Pepper, the 42-story glass tower features a series of large balconies on each floor and 50 different layouts across 250 total units. Since its completion in 2005, the tower’s presence has helped pave the way for newer residential developments. “This area of town is one of the last prime [residential] areas to come up. [Sales in this neighborhood] have been a little slower than Flatiron or NoMad, but this building is one that brought it up,” says Charles Hawkins, a broker with Elliman and part of a top-selling team with his partner and wife Julia Jiang. Just under 20 years ago, it was prime market time in Manhattan, leading buyers to the then-new build in the bustling midtown location: “People were buying just from the floor plans without even seeing it,” Jiang adds. “But today, the high ceilings — they’re 10 feet — as well as the balconies are still great.” Although the building has all the essentials one would expect of a high-end building, including an indoor swimming pool and gym, the common spaces and amenities are a bit dated, especially compared to new luxury developments. Still, residents here get a decent price per square foot, good natural light and views of Manhattan’s arguably most famous building. If buyers can put up with the cacophonous noise of the area (and high-foot traffic along Fifth Avenue and 33rd Street) it’s still an attractive buy.