What the listing does not show
38 East 70th Street
Manhattan, NY 10021One-family houseLow risk(partial records)
Listed at $13,500,000. The listing does not mention what city records show: 0 open housing violations and 0 open penalties.
- Asking
- $13,500,000
- Beds
- 7 beds
- Baths
- 4.5 baths
- Size
- 5,000 ft²
- Building
- One-family house
- Built
- 1885
- Housing file
- None
- Open building violations
- 1
- Unresolved penalties
- 0
- Unused residential floor area
- 1,462 ft²
01 / Findings
What to ask about
City records a buyer can raise and a seller should be ready to explain. A reading of open filings, not a forecast.
- 01The Housing department has no file for this address. That is common for condominiums and small buildings, and it does not mean the building is clear.
- 021 open Buildings Department violation, which can slow a closing.
- 03Checked: no unresolved penalties on file.
- 04About 1,462 ft² of unused residential floor area the listing does not mention.
- 05In the Upper East Side Historic District, so exterior changes are restricted.
02 / Building
The building
Department of Finance class A4: One-family house.
- Type
- One-family house
- Year built
- 1885
- Floors
- 4
- Units
- 11 residential
- Building area
- 4,963 ft²
- Residential / commercial
- 3,779 / 0 ft²
- Lot
- 1,607 ft²16 × 100.42 ft
- Assessed value
- $637,620Tax assessment, not market value
- Assessed land
- $218,700
- Tax exemption
- None
03 / Zoning
What the lot allows
Zoned R8B. Floor area ratio is how much building the lot can legally hold. Listings rarely spell this out.
Unused residential floor area
1,462ft²
Built at 77% of allowed
Zoning would still allow this much more housing on the lot.
- Commercial FAR allowed
- 0.00
- Community facility FAR
- 4.00
- Affordable housing bonus FAR
- 4.80
- Zoning district
- R8B
- Upper East Side Historic District
04 / Checked
What was checked
A zero means the file exists and is clear. A dash means the city has no file for this address, which is not the same thing.
Housing (HPD)
—
no file
Housing records are kept for registered apartment buildings. Condominiums and small buildings are often not in them.
Buildings (DOB)
1
open violations
0 safety-related. Most recent open filing Apr 29, 2026.
Permits, unsafe structures, boilers, elevators, facades.
Penalties (ECB)
0
unresolved
No unresolved penalties on file.
05 / Full report
Not on the listing
How many documents and sales the city has on file for this building.
3 recorded documents · 0 sales of $10,000 or more · Last sale none · Last mortgage none
06 / FAQ
Questions
How many open violations does 38 East 70th Street have?
As of Oct 14, 2026, the building at 38 East 70th Street has 1 open DOB violations, 0 unresolved ECB penalties. These are building records, so they apply to this listing.
What is the zoning of 38 East 70th Street?
The lot is zoned R8B. The building is built at a floor area ratio of 3.09 against 4.00 allowed for residential use, leaving about 1,462 ft² of unused residential floor area.
Is this property in a flood zone?
No. The lot is not inside a FEMA 100-year flood zone on the 2007 or 2015 maps.
Does a missing city file mean the building is clear?
No. A missing file means the city has no record matched to this address, not that the building has no problems. Condominiums and small buildings often sit outside the housing registry. Ask the seller or the managing agent directly.
Where does this data come from?
Records are combined from NYC DCP PLUTO (tax lot, zoning, FAR); NYC HPD (housing violations and registrations); NYC DOB and ECB (building violations and penalties); NYC ACRIS (recorded deeds, mortgages and satisfactions); Active for-sale listings. PLUTO version 26v2.
Sources
NYC DCP PLUTO (tax lot, zoning, FAR) · NYC HPD (housing violations and registrations) · NYC DOB and ECB (building violations and penalties) · NYC ACRIS (recorded deeds, mortgages and satisfactions) · Active for-sale listings
PLUTO 26v2, refreshed Oct 14, 2026. Written for people buying or selling this property. Not legal, tax, or appraisal advice. Confirm the details with the city before you offer or list.