305 East 86th Street

Old, rundown building. Looks like a crappy retirement home in FL. People who live there have either lived there for at least 40 years, or are young, college shares. They have been renovated the building for at least 2 years, and are only offering 2 year leases, because they don't want to lose tenants because of ongoing construction. If size is all that matters, go for it, as they have large apartments, but the building itself is rundown, old and not worth it.

i know they are renovating the pool/gym... anyone know when it will be done?

Once had to live there for 6 months and that's about all I could manage. It does feel extremely dated and depressing. Since it's 60's-era construction, you've got thin walls and can hear doors slamming, other people's conversations and other noises right through the doors and walls.

Walked past it last week and they are renovating the front area around the driveway and sidewalk.

A good friend lives here. It is sort of old and staid but her 1 bdroom is quite large, w/a small terrace, facing north. She pays around $1800. I think you could do a lot worse.

esyle, when did you friend sign the lease to get that price... seems cheap even for today's standards

They claimed, 2 months ago, that the pool/gym all reno would be finished within 2 months... well, it is 2 months later, and still nowhere near being finished. $1800 for a 1 bedroom, must've signed a lease years ago. Now they are asking $2750 for all 1 beds and offering 1 month free on a 2 year lease, I've heard of people negotiating down to $2550, but not lower than that. As I said before, if space is your biggest concern, this building has it, but the rest.. Crap. Try going up the block to 201 E. 87th - better quality apartments and much much nicer building, comparible prices.

Who is the management company?

hemsley spear?

How are folks getting in touch with management? Just going to the building? I Googled Hemsley Spear, but only came up with their commercial leasing unit.

broker... the building is paying the fee

Management company is Schneider & Schneider. Studios in the building go for $1900-2000. They are doing one year leases with 1 month security. The leasing agent's name is Jennie Ruiz and her number is 212 831-0600. The walls in the building are thin, but the building is very quiet. Apartments are good size for the price. The renovations are almost complete, but they have been doing them forever. The people in management office work there probably because no one else would hire them - the rudest and most inept bunch of a-holes I have ever seen. The doormen are quite nice, though. Have no idea when the swimming pool will be open. A lot of tenants are rent controlled and have been there for ages, but younger people are starting to move in as well. The building has central air, but on really hot days it is inadequate. However, you are allowed to have your own unit installed. The management company looks at everything the the prism of the law: if they are not required to do something, they will not. Customer service and going the extra mile means nothing to them.

To say that the management office is the "rudent and most inept bunch of a-holes" is putting it nicely. They lost a good prospective tenant because of their behavior.

anyone know if they have a bike storage room

they do not

All of the above are spot on.

50% student accommodation, 50% old age home. Yes, the apartments are decent size and prices are probably in line. But management is disgusting. Doorman range from ok to pathetic. Don't get sold on renovations, they will be going on for the next year at least - driveway and lobby have taken that long and are still going. Pool aint happening soon. I have been there 6 years, and can't wait to get out when my renovation is done.....6 months and counting....

How about the school district in this area? I can't find any elementary schools. Can you go to 290 and 158 if it doesn't have an elementary school?

zoned for 290

We lived there for 5 years. There are mice in the apartments.

this may be one of the least aesthetically pleasing looking residential buildings in manhattan. i know thats a bold statement, and some people may not care about the outside of a building, but this one is bad. i lived across the street for some time, and that front/driveway renovation has to be at least 1.5yrs underway at this point

Walked by there last week. The driveway rehab is done. Driveway looks nice but it didn't do anything for the appearance of the rest of the building.

I heard this building has a perchloroethylene contamination (carcinogenic to humans) underneath it. There used to be a dry cleaners underneath the building, which is where the contamination/spill occurred . The company hired to clean it is unsure if the air quality in the building will be compromised.

I agreed, this is TOTALLY old people land, although its close to the main retail drags (and across from the Viand).

That being said, its 2nd avenue construction time. NOT good.

...ahhh "across from the Viand"....The Greasy spoon that's been padding the bills of drunken college student's for decades.

i was just in that building yesterday. i saw an apartment listed as a two bedroom for $2795 per month in a doorman building. i couldnt resist. the building is old and moldy feeling. doorman was really nice however. told me a pool was being renovated. but seeing as this post is 7 months old, who knows when.
the unit itself was very large-but a one bedroom. once upon a time someone had put up a temp wall to make a 2nd bedroom (with no window i might add) but it had been taked down by management. pretty good finished in bath and kitchen. small terrace. but i wouldnt want to live there.

There is a smallish jr 4 in the building where you can divide the L with a large windowed living room and a small 2nd br. I don't think they come with terraces. I am surprised the regular 1br is that expensive still in this market. I took a look in 2008 at jr 4 and they wanted $3300 - the broker said he could get it for me for $3195 but wanted a fee and I said forget it. With the drop in rents I would think the jr 4 should be 2795 by this time

love the apartment units but management (specifically Jennie Ruiz) is rude, and highly incompetent. Look elsewhere

There are always rumors about this building going condo, anyone know anything about that?

2nd ave subway ruining the ues....

has anything changed in this building over the last few years? are renovations (from 2 years ago) mostly done? management any better these days?

Gotten worse. The vibrations from the dynamiting are insane. On the second avenue side you think the building might actually collapse.

I thought the dynamiting was going on down on 72nd now, way below this building. bsc, do you live in the building and feel the vibrations? Also, what's this I hear about perchloroethylene? We just looked at a monstrous 1400 square foot 2BD with a nice balcony overlooking 86th and 2nd that was priced below market (not WAY below, but below). What am I not seeing?

Interior renovations are done. The pool and gym are operational and are not bad. The hallways are okay. They never do anything to fix problems in apartments, so if you want anything done, make sure it is done before you take up residency. The Second Avenue Subway noise is insanely loud and extends from 7:00 a.m. through 10:00 p.m. and has completely blocked the driveway, making it very hard to drive up and unload. The central air conditioning is iffy. If you look at an apartment and the units are old, make them change it. The super is a corrupt jerk. The doorman are nice. Management/ownership is Schneider & Schneider, who took out Helmsley Spear a few years ago.

stellar has taken over!

It turns out that any apartments which were decontrolled before June, 2009, were improperly removed from regulation based on the owners' J-51 tax abatement. Thus, market rate tenants who were in their apartments then may be entitled to renewal leases and have been asked by the Tenants' association to call the DCHR to request that a copy of the rent roll be sent to them. 718-839-6400, option 1 for English and then 6, leave message requesting rent roll.

Now they've shut down the gas to all the units because the new owners have been doing illegal construction. Dangerous, too. https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20160510/yorkville/illegal-gas-hook-ups-leave-700-ues-homes-without-gas-con-ed-says