Rental pick of the week

A two-bedroom Hell’s Kitchen co-op (with no board approval), for $3,495

By Nikki M. Mascali  | May 29, 2019 - 12:00PM
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The rent for 325 West 45th St. #104 is $800 less than the median for two bedrooms in Hell's Kitchen.

Warburg Realty

Co-ops make up a large chunk of NYC's housing stock, so you're likely to come across a few when you're hunting for a rental apartment. These are older buildings, so you'll get far fewer amenities than you would if you're renting in a brand new building. Still, renting a co-op tends to be nicer in terms of aesthetics—if you like prewar details—than standard rental buildings, but you will have to go before a board to be approved and co-ops often set limits on how long owners can rent out their apartments.

However, a co-op board interview is not required at this apartment, 325 West 45th St., #104, a two bedroom, one bath in the historic Whitby building in Hell’s Kitchen (or Clinton as some call it), because there’s no board approval required.

Listed for $3,495, this two-bedroom apartment is priced at the median asking rent for a one bedroom in the neighborhood—and about $800 less than the median for two bedrooms there, according to StreetEasy. (When an apartment's rent is low—you should always do your homework to figure out why that is the case. Visit the apartment during the day and at night to see if noise is an issue, for example.) The apartment is available July 1st, 2019.

Classic prewar details include high-beamed ceilings, oak floors, and original crown moldings. The walls throughout are painted grayish-green.

The living room, seen in the main photo above, is bright and seems sizable enough to fit a dining table. There’s a ceiling fan and a set of windows along one wall, though the view seems to be of another building.

The windowed galley kitchen was recently renovated and features stainless steel appliances and lots of counter space and black cabinets.

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Both bedrooms have room for queen-sized beds and other furniture. They have ceiling fans and two decent-sized windows, and one bedroom offers two exposures. 

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According to the listing, the windowed bath has been updated, but since there are no photos of it, it’s unclear what condition it’s really in.

Built in 1923, the 10-story Whitby was designed by acclaimed architect Emery Roth. In the heart of the city's famed theater district, the co-op building has been home to lots of actors and musicians, including the late Doris Day. It has a 24-hour doorman, roof deck, laundry, and bike, storage and package rooms, however, the renter of #104 will only have access to the roof deck and laundry because the other amenities are for shareholders/unit owners only. Pets are allowed on a case-by-case basis.

325 West 45th St. is also a block from Restaurant Row, so dining (and delivery) options are plentiful.

There's plenty of transit options, too. You can catch the A, C, and E trains at 42nd Street-Port Authority or—if you want to avoid that hub and don’t might a slightly longer walk—at 50th Street and Eighth Avenue (though the A only stops there late at night). You can also get N, Q, R, and W trains at 49th Street and Seventh Avenue.

 

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