As 555 West End Readies for Sales, See NYC’s Best School-to-Residential Conversions

Just under four years after developer and architect Cary Tamarkin purchased 555 West End Avenue from the Archdiocese of New York for $50 million, a teaser site has been launched for the Catholic school-turned-luxury condominium. Jointly developed with CL Investment Group, 555 West End will be Tamarkin’s first Upper West Side project. Further down the island, the firm’s Hudson River Dioramas set new standards for living on the West Village waterfront, and 456 West 19th Street was among a wave of stunning new architectural developments along the High Line.

The eight-story structure was originally built in 1908 by William A. Boring. Since then, residents and visitors have marveled at the carved stone façade elements, parapets, filigreed windows, limestone window bays, and turrets among the eye-catching details of the English collegiate and Gothic style design. More than 100 years later, Tamarkin restored these elements while adding a discreet penthouse and making modest alterations, all with approval from Landmarks.

The school’s interior spaces have provided excellent bones for the apartments. All 13 three- to five-bedroom homes will feature 12’ ceilings, oversized windows, gracious entry foyers, and eat-in kitchens with hand-crafted cabinetry. Amenities at this doorman building will include a fitness center, recreation room, storage, stroller valet, cold storage, and bike room. An offering plan listed a whopping $161.3 million sellout; to that end, listings will start at $7.9 million, well above the neighborhood median of $4.47 million for similarly sized condos (per CityRealty data).

555 West End Avenue is the latest in a long line of schools that have been converted to residential buildings in some of New York’s most desirable neighborhoods.