225 E 34th St

Charleston Condominium

Interested buyers may begin to feel like the appraising fairytale character Goldilocks when touring The Charleston. The residences are nice but not extraordinary; the amenities, while a step up from the units, are modern but not lavish. The location, right outside the Queens-Midtown Tunnel exit, is unideal (traffic, horns and fumes) but convenient. Ultimately, the 22-story condominium is a worthy contender for buyers, especially considering it was only completed in 2007 when most other residential buildings in Murray Hill were completed in the mid-1900s. Altogether, the building may be “just right” for those looking to live in Midtown Manhattan. Even the smallest of The Charleston’s 191 condos is in line with the average square footage in Murray Hill. In fact, most units are larger than average. Each of the 10 studios is over 530 square feet and sold for under $750,000. Comprising roughly 84 percent of the building’s units, one- and two-bedroom residences span 720 to 1,500 square feet and, in recent years, sold for between $1.2 million and $2 million. The building only has eight three-bedroom condos total; most sold for over $2.5 million and cover at least 1,700 square feet. Finishes across each unit are consistent, from the hardwood floors and stainless-steel appliances to the large, double-insulated windows and soaking tubs. The open kitchens are well-designed but fall somewhere between outdated and contemporary, mainly due to the high-contrast, wood veneer and etched glass cabinetry, which place the units firmly in the 2000s. In the bathrooms, the sand-hued tiles and mosaic tile accents have a similar effect. Still, the condos feel more modern than much of the area’s inventory, and, in some cases, offer desirable features like nine- to 11-foot ceiling heights, balconies and wine refrigerators. The residences wouldn’t qualify as top-tier luxury in today’s market, but the amenities and common spaces nudge the building closer to that status, accounting for residents’ pets-, laundry- and wellness-related needs. Between the lobby’s living plant wall, museum-worthy display of objets d’art and polished concrete floors, the 24-hour-attended space is decidedly modern. Residents have access to a concierge and a private dry cleaning and laundry service located right off the lobby. In the spacious fitness center, each treadmill, bike and elliptical is connected to cable TV. And on the second floor, a lounge and event space called “Club Charleston” offers a separate living area, dining room and catering kitchen for all residents. Off the lounge, an outdoor garden is outfitted with two built-in barbecues, bar seating and lounge sets. A second outdoor space can be found on the rooftop, complete with a turfed area, resort-like cabana and 360-degree city views, including the Empire State Building roughly five blocks away. A rare yet welcome addition rounds out the building’s amenities: an outdoor, fenced-in dog run. Although The Charleston’s location near the Queens-Midtown Tunnel means a lot of traffic, pedestrians will find it rather convenient. Second and Third Avenues, both less than 400 feet in either direction, offer an array of bars and global eateries, as well as businesses like bodegas, salons and banks. Residents may run errands at the Trader Joe’s or Duane Reade along Third Avenue or enjoy their day at the AMC theater or St. Vartan Park along Second Avenue. NYU Langone Health, a major employer in the area, is just two blocks east. Behind it, the East River Esplanade offers waterfront benches and a path for bikers and runners. The nearest subway station, serviced by the 4 and 6 trains, is at East 33rd Street and Park Avenue, roughly 0.3 miles away. As a closer alternative, residents can catch local and express buses along East 34th Street. On nice days, residents might take the East 34th Street Ferry (ironically located just north of East 35th Street) to Queens, Brooklyn or other parts of Manhattan. Cars exit the Queens-Midtown Tunnel just outside the building, but Queens-bound drivers must head north to East 37th Street to access the tunnel. With FDR Drive nearby, travel throughout Manhattan is also convenient.