One Carnegie Hill

215-217 East 96th Street · Carnegie Hill / Yorkville, Manhattan

One Carnegie Hill is a 41-story Related Companies tower on East 96th Street between Second and Third Avenues, completed in 2005, with roughly 200 condop residences on the floors numbered 23 to 42 above about 261 rental apartments. Both sides share one lobby and an 18,000-square-foot residents' club designed by the Rockwell Group.

At a glance

Type: Condop (shares in One Carnegie Hill Owners, Inc., on a ground lease) above Related-owned rentals
Built: 2004 to 2005 (topped out summer 2005; Related lists completion as 2006)
Height: 41 stories (floors numbered to 42), 428 feet
Residences: About 200 condop apartments on floors 23 to 42, plus about 261 rentals below; about 475 apartments in all
Developer: The Related Companies
Architect: HLW International with Ismael Leyva Architects; lobby and amenity floors by the Rockwell Group
Service: 24-hour doorman and concierge, live-in superintendent, managed by Related Management
Amenities: 18,000 sq ft residents' club with 50-foot skylit pool, fitness center, yoga and Pilates studios, saunas; landscaped third-floor garden with barbecue grills and children's playground; rooftop lounge and sundeck; playroom, pet spa, business center, bike room, storage, garage
Pets: Allowed (dogs, cats, caged birds, and fish; board consent needed for more than two pets)
Land: Ground lease from the Islamic Cultural Center of New York, expiring December 31, 2102; ground rent resets starting January 1, 2029
Policies: 10% minimum down payment; sublets, LLC purchases, and investors allowed; resale fee of three months' common charges

A rental-and-condop hybrid on the mosque's land

The tower stands on land owned by the Islamic Cultural Center of New York, whose copper-domed mosque, opened in 1991 and turned 29 degrees off the street grid to face Mecca, holds the corner of Third Avenue and East 96th Street next door. Related bought a 99-year ground lease from the center in a deal that closed in late 2003, broke ground in 2004, and topped out in the summer of 2005. The building includes a 63,000-square-foot community facility for the Islamic Cultural Center with its own entrance. The lease runs to December 31, 2102, after which the land reverts to the center.

HLW International designed the red-brick and glass tower, with Ismael Leyva Architects also credited and HRH Construction as builder. At 428 feet and 41 stories, it is the tallest building on East 96th Street, and together with Related's Monterey across Third Avenue it frames the mosque between them. The Rockwell Group designed the barrel-vaulted lobby and the 18,000-square-foot residents' club, which holds a 50-foot skylit pool, a fitness center, and yoga and Pilates rooms, while HM White landscaped the outdoor spaces. Floor-to-ceiling windows on the upper floors look out over the low rooftops of Carnegie Hill and East Harlem.

Related first planned an all-rental building, then split it across the middle: rentals on the lower floors and for-sale apartments from the 23rd floor to the top, with one shared lobby but separate elevator banks. The Real Deal later called it possibly the city's first rental and condo hybrid. About 75 percent of the 200 sale units sold within a few months in 2005. Because the land is leased, buyers purchase shares and a proprietary lease in One Carnegie Hill Owners, Inc., which took over the leasehold in October 2006, a condop structure with condo-style rules. Ground rent is scheduled to be recalculated from January 1, 2029, a point every buyer's lender and attorney should review.

Josh's view of One Carnegie Hill

What you won't find on a listing portal, in Josh's own words.

Who it suits

Ideally suited for those seeking the very best of Upper East Side living, this exceptional location offers convenient access to the charm and elegance of Carnegie Hill, the scenic East River waterfront, and the neighborhood's finest dining, shopping, and cultural attractions. Its proximity to Mount Sinai Hospital also makes it particularly appealing to medical professionals seeking a luxurious residence with an effortless commute.

Buying here

This building offers an exceptional collection of amenities that create the feeling of a vibrant, welcoming community rather than a traditional apartment building. The impressive fitness center rivals some of the neighborhood's finest private gyms, while the beautifully landscaped third-floor terrace offers a park-like retreat in the heart of the city. Complete with inviting cabanas, professional-grade barbecue grills, and generous outdoor gathering spaces, it's the perfect setting for relaxing, entertaining, and enjoying a true sense of community without ever leaving home.

The best lines

One of the building's most appealing features is that the condop residences begin on the 23rd floor, offering an elevated living experience from the very start. With every residence situated on a high floor, all apartment lines enjoy impressive views of the New York City skyline, creating a spectacular backdrop for everyday living.

Mistakes buyers make

With the Q train conveniently located directly across the street, getting to Midtown and around Manhattan couldn't be easier.

What a listing won't tell you

Related Companies does an excellent job managing this building, and the staff is truly outstanding. Everyone is friendly, attentive, and always willing to go the extra mile. Over time, you really get to know the people who work here, and they make you feel like part of an extended family. It's the kind of personal service that makes living in this building so special.

Inside One Carnegie Hill

The Islamic Cultural Center of New York, the domed mosque and minaret next door at Third Avenue and East 96th Street (the neighbor, not the building)

Stairs and escalator at the 96th Street Q station on Second Avenue on its opening day in 2017 (the nearby subway, not the building)

Next door and down the block: the Islamic Cultural Center and the 96th Street Q station.

Living at One Carnegie Hill

The building sits on the north side of East 96th Street, the street that traditionally divides the Upper East Side from East Harlem, at the northeast edge of Carnegie Hill where it meets Yorkville. The mosque is its western neighbor, the Second Avenue Subway is half a block away, and Mount Sinai and Metropolitan hospitals are both within about half a mile.

Subway and buses: Q train at 96th Street, with the nearest entrance at the southwest corner of Second Avenue and 96th Street, across 96th Street and about half a block east (roughly 0.1 mile); 6 train at 96th Street and Lexington Avenue about 0.2 mile west; M96 crosstown on 96th Street, M15 and M15 SBS on Second Avenue, and M101, M102, and M103 on Third Avenue
Parks: Samuel Seabury Playground and the Marx Brothers Playground within about 0.15 mile; the East River Esplanade about half a mile east; Central Park at Fifth Avenue and 96th Street about 0.6 mile west; Carl Schurz Park at East 86th Street about 0.9 mile
Hospitals and landmarks: NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan (First Avenue at 97th Street) about 0.25 mile east; The Mount Sinai Hospital (Madison Avenue at 100th Street) about half a mile northwest; the Islamic Cultural Center of New York next door; Museum Mile along Fifth Avenue
Shopping and dining: supermarkets on Lexington and Second Avenues within a few blocks, Whole Foods Market on Third Avenue at 87th Street about half a mile south, Fairway on East 86th Street, and the restaurants of Second and Third Avenues

Photos: Photo by Deans Charbal, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo by Jim.henderson, Wikimedia Commons, public domain · Photo by jseliger2, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

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