515 E 79th St Unit 6D

Asten House

Asten House gives neighboring buildings on the chic East End Avenue a run for their money. Here, residents come home to a marble and chandelier-clad lobby that was featured in the Bette Midler movie “Beaches,” and those living on the southern side can luxuriate in clear views of the East River, which is right down the block. “When you go up higher, you basically have the whole city skyline,” says Christine Mulligan, the resident broker from Douglas Elliman. “If you go around the corner on 80th and East End, three-bedroom apartments there are $7 million. And they don’t even have the same kind of views.” When residents take the elevators, which were replaced in 2023, they enjoy a sense of privacy thanks to the fact that each floor has no more than three units. That quietness is also apparent on the street — “I call it the country-fied section of Manhattan,” Mulligan says of the neighborhood — and contributes to the feedback Mulligan has gotten from fellow residents. “Anybody I’ve put in the building has told me it’s even better than I claimed it to be.” Two-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom floor plans are the most common option in Asten House, where nearly every unit from the fourth floor up has a private balcony. The two bedrooms are sized from 1,000 to nearly 1,300 square feet, and like most of the building’s units, have sunken living rooms to create some separation from the dining area. Three bedrooms max out storage space by adding multiple closets to the foyers and sleeping areas, and combination units, which are sized up to 2,700 square feet, can also have double-wide balconies. Beyond that, larger combination units have four or five bedrooms, as well as multiple balconies, and can reach up to 3,600 square feet. Inside, units mix classic with contemporary. Flooring styles range from parquet to hardwood plank and more modern stone tiles. Marble, porcelain or granite countertops are common, as are dishwashers. More extensively renovated units have open kitchens with high-end appliances and, in a few cases, walk-in showers. But finding any with washer-dryers is difficult. “There are some grandfathered washer-dryers. But if they’re not already in the apartment, they don’t allow you to put them in,” Mulligan says. Prices in Asten House match those in nearby co-ops of similar age and height. Most recently, one bedrooms have sold for around $800,000, while two bedrooms have sold for between $860,000 and $1.6 million, depending on their square footage, finishes and whether they have particularly amazing views. Three bedrooms have sold for $3 million to $4 million, and even larger combination units have sold for as much as $5.3 million. Monthly common charges range between $2 and $2.60 per square foot, which encompasses the $2.56 average for Manhattan co-ops as of early 2024, according to data from real estate appraisers Miller Samuel Inc. The co-op board allows pieds-à-terre but not sublets. Amenities may not be a big draw, but they are extremely useful. There are close to 15 on-site employees, including 24-hour front-door staff and a live-in resident manager. The underground parking garage next door offers residents discounted rates, and flanking the other side of the building is a tiny plaza maintained by the city Parks Department. Residents pay a small annual fee to use the fitness center, and the shared laundry room is on the lobby level, “so you’re not going into a hot basement to use it,” Mulligan says. Yorkville’s far east side is primarily residential, with two waterfront parks just north and south of Asten House — John Jay, with an outdoor pool, and Carl Schurz, with dog runs, playgrounds and pickleball courts. The mayor’s house, Gracie Mansion, is a few blocks north, and just west, First and Second avenues are lined with bars and restaurants fit for both casual and special occasions. “Some people who moved from First or Second avenues come here because they don’t want to deal with all that honking and excessive traffic. And yet you can walk two avenues over and have restaurants and things like that. It’s part of the reason why I came here,” Mulligan says. Residents have just under a mile walk to subway stops on 86th Street, which are served by the Q and 4, 5 and 6 trains. Public transit within Manhattan is also quick via the ferry at 90th Street or nearby buses, including the 79th Street crosstown bus that stops in front of the building. FDR Drive has nearby entrances for driving downtown or upstate, and the East River Promenade is there for waterfront biking and walking.