1289 Lexington is an operating Carnegie Hill condominium with three large sponsor residences on its official October 16 availability page. Unlike a launch built on projections, it supplies years of closings, actual building operations and direct same-line evidence. The opportunity is to use that record to test each remaining premium—and to reconcile an unusually complicated offering-plan and sponsor history before contract.
Building context
At Lexington Avenue and East 86th Street, the building combines an exceptionally convenient subway location with the exposure, traffic and commercial activity of a major intersection. HOK designed the architecture, SheltonMindel the interiors, and Zeckendorf Development markets the remaining Meridian Collection. Current marketplace records describe 61 residences in an 18-story building; the official site emphasizes four- and five-bedroom homes, Gaggenau appliances, walnut cabinetry, stone baths, four-pipe heating and cooling, and private laundry.
The amenity program includes full-time service, fitness and children’s spaces, media and music rooms, a library or business center, roof terraces and storage. The buyer should still separate amenities shown in marketing from rights conveyed with the unit and services reflected in actual operating costs.
Current sponsor availability and carrying costs
The official availability page showed the following three sponsor homes on October 16, 2026. Price per square foot uses interior area only. Common charges and taxes are the seller’s current estimates and should be matched to the latest Schedule A, unit statement and tax lot bill.
Some syndicated building pages also displayed Residence 12C as sponsor inventory, while the official availability page did not. Separately, the 2,428-square-foot resale 7D was asking $5.195 million after a $300,000 reduction. Request a dated, all-unit status schedule: official, syndicated and off-market inventory should not be assumed identical.
Negotiate the residence against same-building closings, then negotiate the complete economic package: transfer taxes, sponsor legal fees, common-charge credits, storage, alterations, closing timing and any other shifted cost. A headline discount can be offset by buyer-paid sponsor expenses.
The closing record gives buyers a real price ladder
Residence 17A is the most important public comparison for 18A. It has the same published 3,609-square-foot area and closed July 9, 2026 for $8.1 million after a $9 million ask—10% below ask and about $2,244 per square foot. The $8.8 million 18A ask is $700,000, or roughly 8.6%, above that nominal closing. A buyer should require a dollar explanation for the higher floor, exposure, condition and any different terms rather than accepting the spread as an automatic floor premium.
Other recent evidence shows a wide, residence-specific range. Residence 18C closed in April 2026 for $4.9 million after a $5.1 million ask, about 3.9% lower. Residence 12A closed in October 2025 for $7.195 million after a $7.5 million ask, about 4.1% lower. Residence 15B closed in October 2024 for $7.5 million against an $8.4 million ask, about 10.7% lower; 15A closed in August 2024 for $8.475 million after a $10.75 million ask, about 21.2% lower. Penthouse B recorded a $11.25 million closing in March 2026 and should anchor the PH-A analysis after adjusting for layout, interior area, terrace utility, view and contract terms.
These figures are evidence of prior outcomes, not a promised discount. Rebuild each sale from recorded consideration, last asking price, contract date, concessions and buyer-paid sponsor costs. A six-year sellout also means time on market and inventory strategy belong in the offer analysis.
Reconcile the offering plan, unit count and sponsor identity
The Attorney General database identifies plan CD17-0315, accepted February 1, 2019 and effective November 7, 2022. Its summary page lists 13 residential and 30 storage units, but a 2019 amendment offered 43 previously withheld residential units and later amendments addressed combinations and revised floor plans. Marketplace sources now describe 61 residences. Counsel should use the current plan, declaration and Schedule A to establish the legal count and percentage interests; the database summary alone is incomplete for that purpose.
The official website’s legal notice names 86LEX OWNER LLC as sponsor, while the Attorney General summary retains Monty Two East 86th Street Associates LLC and Ceruzzi-related principals from the original filing. That may reflect a later acquisition or amendment, but the buyer should not infer the chain. Counsel should identify the current selling entity, successor-sponsor rights, assumption documents, obligations that transferred and the party backing contract representations.
Amendment 28, accepted in September 2025, references sponsor financial disclosure, sponsor control, the 2024 financial statement, budget, working capital, permanent-certificate status and unit closing costs. The public record also shows Amendment 29 submitted in August 2026 without an acceptance date as of this review. Obtain the accepted amendment set and determine what, if anything, in the pending submission affects the target residence.
Use actual operations, not the original forecast
An operating building should be judged on audited results and present conditions. Review the 2024 and 2025 financial statements, 2026 year-to-date results, current budget, reserve balance and study, insurance, arrears, litigation, service contracts and capital work. Compare actual common-charge collections with the budget and identify sponsor-paid deficits, concessions or retained-unit allocations that may change after sellout.
Permanent-certificate language and escrow appeared in prior amendments. Ask counsel to confirm today’s certificate status, open punch-list or construction items, warranty claims, releases and any sponsor obligation still secured by escrow. The result should be a dated status, not a conclusion based on an older amendment.
Line, floor, exposure, light, ceiling height, outdoor utility, storage and condition.
Audited results, reserves, insurance, staffing, arrears, litigation and sponsor subsidy.
Price, sponsor charges, transfer taxes, credits, representations, timing and closing condition.
Remaining sponsor homes, resale competition, monthly cost and future buyer depth.
Value each remaining residence differently
For 18B, compare the $2,217-per-square-foot ask with four-bedroom closings and with the live 7D resale after adjusting for 842 additional square feet, the extra bedroom and bath, floor, exposure and loggia. Test whether the six-room plan gives enough separation and storage for a buyer expecting 3,270 square feet.
For 18A, the same-size 17A closing is unusually strong evidence. Start at $8.1 million, then itemize the value of one floor, exposure and any condition or contract differences. Also resolve the unit’s current occupancy and timing: public feeds have shown 18A marketed for both sale and furnished rental, with the rental later marked in contract.
For PH-A, first value the 4,038-square-foot interior against PH-B and the best upper-floor closings, then value the 1,679-square-foot roof terrace separately. Confirm deeded or exclusive-use status, access, view protection, outdoor kitchen responsibility, drainage, waterproofing, seasonal utility and the cost of maintaining improvements.
Model competition from both sponsor and owners
The remaining sponsor homes sit above an established resale base. A future seller may compete with the sponsor’s marketing, unpublicized inventory and concessions while also competing with owners who can price below original cost. Residence 7D’s current reduction illustrates why the resale set must stay in the model even when bedroom counts differ.
The durable case is large-format condominium living, full service and direct transportation in Carnegie Hill. The constraints are equally concrete: avenue exposure, five-figure monthly carrying costs for the remaining collection, a narrow family-buyer pool and a long sponsor sellout. Underwrite a hold period long enough to outlast current inventory, then stress-test sale costs and a resale price below the sponsor ask.
For 18A, same-size 17A sharply narrows the valuation range. Any offer above that closing should attach a written adjustment for floor, light, condition and terms. If the adjustment cannot be explained in dollars, it is probably marketing rather than analysis.
Confirm buyer-broker compensation before contact
The remaining residences are distributed through Zeckendorf Marketing and RLS-connected channels, and represented buyers have closed in the building. The public pages reviewed on October 16 did not state a current numeric, unit-specific buyer-broker offer. Participation history is not proof of today’s amount, eligibility, duration or procuring-cause rules.
Before the buyer or anyone acting for the buyer contacts the sales office, obtain written registration and compensation terms for the exact residence. Reconcile them with the buyer-representation agreement and disclose any potential buyer obligation. Confirm whether a broker must accompany the first visit and how a prior inquiry, rental contact or direct registration affects eligibility.
Questions for Zeckendorf Marketing, management and buyer’s counsel
- What is the dated status of every sponsor, resale, retained, rented or combined residence?
- Which legal documents reconcile 13 original units, 43 previously withheld units and the current 61-residence marketplace count?
- What successor-sponsor documents establish the current seller and transfer of obligations?
- What explains the target unit’s premium or discount to the closest closing?
- What do 2024–2026 actual operations show for reserves, insurance, arrears, staffing and sponsor support?
- What certificate, escrow, warranty, punch-list or litigation items remain?
- What written buyer-broker registration and compensation terms apply today?
Build a residence-specific decision file
Record ask, proposed price, interior and outdoor value, common charges, verified taxes, mansion tax, financing and title costs, sponsor-shifted expenses, credits and expected monthly ownership. Attach the floor plan, current Schedule A, tax bill, accepted amendments, sponsor-chain documents, audited financials, relevant closings and written sales-team answers.
Which same-line or same-size closing anchors the offer, and what is each adjustment worth?
What unit, percentage interest, storage or terrace right and seller entity will the contract convey?
Do actual results support the monthly charge without sponsor subsidy or deferred capital work?
Which sponsor and resale homes may compete, and how many buyers can absorb the price plus carrying cost?
1289 Lexington buyer FAQs
What sponsor homes are officially available?
On October 16, 2026, the official page showed 18B at $7.25 million, 18A at $8.8 million and PH-A at $13.75 million. A dated status schedule should confirm any additional, withheld or syndicated inventory.
What is the strongest comparable for 18A?
Residence 17A has the same published 3,609-square-foot area and closed in July 2026 for $8.1 million. Adjust for floor, exposure, condition and deal terms rather than relying on a building average.
Why does the Attorney General page show only 13 residences?
The summary reflects the original filing structure; an amendment later offered 43 previously withheld residences and other amendments addressed combinations. Counsel should reconcile the complete accepted plan with the declaration and current Schedule A.
Is 1289 Lexington a new building?
It remains marketed as a new development with sponsor homes, but it is an operating condominium with years of closings. That gives buyers actual financial and resale evidence unavailable at a fresh launch.
Does the sponsor pay the buyer’s broker?
Broker participation is evident, but no current numeric unit-specific offer was public in the sources reviewed. Confirm registration, amount, eligibility and any buyer obligation in writing before contact.
What should be compared outside the building?
Compare family-size sponsor and resale choices at 1122 Madison, The Harper, 200 East 75 and 255 East 77, adjusting for location, service level, legal status, monthly cost and remaining inventory.
Availability, pricing, taxes, common charges, plan status, compensation and building conditions can change. Verify all facts in current sponsor materials, accepted plans and amendments, written brokerage terms, tax records, financial statements and professional diligence.
Official availability · Official building site and legal notice · NYS Attorney General offering-plan record · Current listings and closing history
1289 Lexington search
Compare three agents prepared to rebuild the offer from the closing record.
Share the residence, budget, timing and any prior sales-office contact.
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