305 East 24

I'm not sure but there once was a meth clinic or rehab center on second avenue. If you're not too picky, take a look a little farther up into the 30's or maybe something along third avenue. Good luck.

Differencing in pricing could be based on views, I don't know if any of the apartments face the river but that could certainly increase price/value. Other factors may be whether the apartment faces the higher or lower rise parts of the Midtown East Houses and whether they face 2nd avenue or 24th (this the corner building, correct?). Second avenue can be noisy with the hospitals, police precinct etc a few blocks away.

As far as sketchy? Depends. Maybe in 1990 you could possibly describe it that way--although Midtown East (where my then boyfriend lived and I spent A LOT of time time) was always fine. There are NYCHA houses in the immediate area and I guess what you call "sketchiness" depends on your comfort level with other than middle class and above white people and norms of behavior. I have not heard of any serious crime or even a spate of petty incidents in that area. Will you probably be exposed to more people hanging out, loud bass from cars, some shouting and perhaps public intoxication? I'd suppose so but you would probably see many of the same things a little further up in Murray Hill just from fresh faced white twentysomethings. Are you going to have to share the corner deli with people who pay with EBT cards? Maybe. Unless you routinely have to walk home late at night, I really don't think your personal safety is in any more jeopardy than most other places in Manhattan, and even then its probably more the feeling rather than the actuality of threat that causes discomfort.