117 E 57th St

The Galleria

Despite featuring a 54th-floor roof deck and lounge with butler service, The Galleria tends to get (literally) overshadowed by the newer, taller and even higher-end condos on Billionaire’s Row. This name has become attached to a stretch of 57th Street containing numerous super-tall and super-skinny ultra-luxe condos where some of the wealthiest people in the world own units (but don’t necessarily live in them). Though The Galleria is 57 stories, it’s not the tallest residential building on Billionaire’s Row, and it predates its newer neighbors by about 37 years. Yet these reasons help explain why the condo offers lower prices, considering its location. “It attracts people from all over the world,” says broker Harry Nasser of Sotheby’s International Realty, who points to The Galleria’s specific location as a draw. “Some people like to be on the east side of 57th Street as opposed to the west side,” he says, citing how the eastern half feels like a more seasoned neighborhood. But as with other Billionaire’s Row buildings, many units are used as pieds-a-terres. David Kenneth Specter of Specter DeSouza Architects built the Galleria in 1975, and even then, the somewhat perfunctory glass facade received a lukewarm response; a 2003 New York Times article referenced Paul Goldberger, an architecture critic for The New Yorker, who opined, “You can almost dismiss it as this ordinary banal thing from an ordinary banal decade — but in fact it's much better than that because it had all these well-meaning intentions.” For example, the condo still features its share of talking points, from its panoramic skyline views to its eight-story, recently renovated atrium lobby. Another shoutout goes to larger units containing partial glass ceilings that create a solarium effect; these were originally dubbed winter gardens. Fun fact: Famed magician and longtime resident David Copperfield lives in a four-story glass penthouse that’s perched on top of the building. The Galleria is one of the few residential buildings on 57th Street where it’s possible to buy an entry-level unit for less than a million. It offers 230 residences with varying layouts, starting with 512-square-foot studios. A 533-square-foot pad without major views recently sold for $650,000. Even the smaller spaces pay attention to design, including original features like mirrored walls, separate kitchens and oversized, black-framed windows. Those with views capture everything from the Empire State Building to the Plaza Hotel. One-bedrooms start at around 704 square feet and $1.3 million for renovated units on higher floors. Two-bedrooms are the most common and range from 1,200 to 3,000 square feet, with recent sales at the smaller end going for $1.7 million. This size is where the winter garden apartments come into play, along with dedicated dining rooms, laundry areas and en suite bathrooms for both bedrooms. A smaller percentage of three-bedrooms sprawl between 1,700 to 3,200 square feet. There hasn’t been any recent market availability, but some have sold for as low as $2.3 million in 2022. Four or more bedrooms are even rarer but do exist. Some units have been combined over the years, making it possible to obtain as much as 5,000 square feet in the building. Not least, it’s not uncommon for overhauled units to include jacuzzi tubs, Subzero wine fridges, Miele washers and dryers or even built-in Nespresso makers. The statement stairway entrance and soaring lobby create a dramatic sense of arrival as one enters this white-glove condo from hectic 57th Street. Nasser estimates the lobby height to be around 30 feet, while contemporary art decorates the airy space. A flower-lined walkway leads to the elevator bank: “It’s like walking in a garden,” Nasser observes. “When you get to the elevators, you’re greeted by another person who helps with the elevators; they will press the button for you.” This includes pressing buttons to head to the renovated, windowed gym on the 19th floor and the roof deck with two expansive terraces, Central Park views and an enclosed lounge on the 54th floor, where butler service is available all day to serve coffee, tea or alcohol to those who supply the latter. Another perk is the attached parking garage with valet service that also provides direct access into the building. The Galleria is found in between Park and Lexington avenues, and those who spend any amount of time in the neighborhood will find 57th Street and the surrounding blocks are lined with luxuries, which get more upscale heading west toward Central Park. These encompass Bergdorf Goodman, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Bloomingdales, auction houses like Phillips, art galleries like Macklowe, chic hair salons and exclusive jewelry boutiques, perfumers and watch shops. For culture, legendary Carnegie Hall is a fifteen-minute walk west for all manner of concerts, while The Plaza is even closer, whether for beauty treatments at Guerlain Spa or afternoon tea at the opulent Palm Court. The social set can also be found dining at plant-filled Avra Madison for Greek fare on two levels; The Grill, which sets the bar for steakhouses, complete with midcentury decor channeling the “Mad Men era”; and Harry Cipriani, the exalted Italian restaurant located in the nearby Sherry-Netherland, which was fashioned after the original Harry’s Bar in Venice. Nasser adds, “You have all the conveniences of Lexington… but this section also feels more cozy.” Those conveniences include chain shopping, casual restaurants and transportation. Plus, both Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s are within walking distance. Those relying on cars will find quick access to FDR Drive. Otherwise, the 4, 5, 6 trains at 59th Street and Lexington Avenue are merely two blocks north, while the N, R, W lines at Fifth Avenue and 59th Street, E and M lines at Fifth Avenue and 53rd Street and F and Q trains at Lexington Avenue and 63rd Street are all within a 10-minute jaunt. “The building operates as a condo, but they are quite selective with who buys; they want to make sure people are financially qualified… but I don’t think they muddle into the rest of your life,” says Nasser.