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| Primary address | 488 Madison Avenue |
| Secondary address | 15-23 E 51st St |
| Neighborhood | Central Midtown |
| Zip code | 10022 |
| Borough | Manhattan |
| Block & lot | 01287-7502 |
View detailed information on past sales, title documents and property taxes, including the assessed market value, in their dedicated tabs.
| Tax class | Register |
| Lot sq. ft. | 21,590 |
| Lot dimensions | |
| Property type | Special Condominium Billing Lot (R0)
|
| Building sqft | 410,961 |
| Buildings on lot | 1 |
| Stories | 23 |
| Structure type | Miscellaneous retail |
| Basement type | Full |
| Year built | 1950 |
| Frontage(s) | East 51 Street (narrow) East 52 Street (narrow) Madison Avenue (wide) |
| School district | 2 |
| Community district | 5 |
View more neighborhood information such as transportation, nearby schools and risk designations in the dedicated tab.
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You will find all alternate addresses for the property in this section.
488 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022 was built in 1950 and has a total of 410,961 square feet.
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| Listing type | For Lease |
|---|---|
| Listing date | 08/17/2022 |
| Last updated | 05/19/2026 |
Reigning over Madison Avenue in the heart of midtown Manhattan is the layered, white modernist office tower and architectural landmark of 488 Madison Avenue. Historically referred to as ‘The Look Building’, it was designed by Emery Roth & Sons in 1949 for Look Magazine, the flagship of Cowles Communications, and now boasts a prestigious tenant roster of global corporations.
The 23-story building overlooks Saint Patrick’s Cathedral and is just blocks from Grand Central Terminal. It is located in proximity to area businesses, restaurants, shopping, hotels and mass transit, and offers full floor identity, 24/7 access, and an attended marble lobby. The building has been home to many notable publishing and communications firms including Esquire Magazine, Institutional Investor, Euromoney Publications and Abbeville Press.
This sleek Madison Avenue tower is comprised of glazed white brick and configured in round-edged layers, often likened to a wedding cake or ocean liner. The architecturally massive frame whose modern lines have been carefully preserved adds to the roster of New York City’s richest and eclectic architecture.
Although the enormous letters of LOOK are a memory, the building’s 447,000 square feet of space have undergone extensive interior and exterior renovations. While retaining its original character, the building’s white brick façade has been completely rejuvenated. The windows have also been upgraded but still have the distinctive detail befitting their style. Interior renovations include a new lobby, updated elevators and new retail façade.
The former Look building has today regained all of its gleam, glamour and prestige. 488 Madison Avenue now stands out as one of the most attractive post-war brick buildings in New York City, with details that are designed to draw the eye to its infinite strips of ribbon windows and columns.
| Suite name | Space type | Lease rate | Available space | Brokers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9th Fl, Ste 900 | Office | Listing price not available | 21,797 | Timothy D. Parlante Kyle Young |
| 12th Fl, Ste 1200 | Office | Listing price not available | 5,184 | Timothy D. Parlante Kyle Young |
| 17th Fl, Ste 1706 | Office | Listing price not available | 5,462 | Timothy D. Parlante Kyle Young |
| 21st Fl, Ste 2100 | Office | Listing price not available | 6,498 | Timothy D. Parlante Kyle Young |
| Partial 12th â 5,184 RSF | Retail | Listing price not available | 0 | Timothy D. Parlante Kyle Young |
| Partial 21st â 6,498 RSF | Retail | Listing price not available | 0 | Timothy D. Parlante Kyle Young |
| Partial 12th â 5,586 RSF | Retail | Listing price not available | 0 | Timothy D. Parlante Kyle Young |
| Suite #1210 | Office | Listing price not available | 5,586 | Timothy D. Parlante Kyle Young |
Create a free account to view the complete sales history for 488 Madison Avenue, New York, including title documents, transfer conditions, mortgages, liens, and pre-foreclosures.
The complete history of permits filed for 488 Madison Avenue, New York, including new construction or demolition permits, plus any work pertaining to plumbing, heating and sprinkler systems is available with a free account. Available data goes back to 1990.
Access a detailed real estate market overview of Central Midtown so you can assess current trends, home values, types of properties sold and transaction volume.
View the median home sale price in Central Midtown and compare it to other neighborhoods in Manhattan.
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| FEMA flood zone(s): | X (See more on map) |
| Name | Rating | Att. zoned | Type | Grade range | No of students | Distance to school (mi) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P.S. 59 Beekman Hill International | 8 | Yes | Public | PK, K-5 | 523 | 0.49 |
| P.S. 59 Beekman Hill International | 8 | Yes | Public | PK, K-5 | 523 | 0.49 |
| Gan Aliya | NR | No | Private | PK-K | 42 | 0.32 |
| Gan Aliya | NR | No | Private | PK-K | 42 | 0.32 |
| Saint Albans | NR | No | Private | PK, K-8 | 0 | 0.49 |
| Name | Rating | Att. zoned | Type | Grade range | No of students | Distance to school (mi) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Albans | NR | No | Private | PK, K-8 | 0 | 0.49 |
| St Albans School | NR | No | Private | PK-8 | 118 | 0.49 |
| The Browning School | NR | No | Private | K-12 | 418 | 0.53 |
| Aaron School K - 12 | NR | No | Private | K-12 | 185 | 0.56 |
| Lyceum Kennedy French American School | NR | No | Private | PK, K-12 | 0 | 0.56 |
| Name | Rating | Att. zoned | Type | Grade range | No of students | Distance to school (mi) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Beekman School | NR | No | Private | 9-12 | 71 | 0.37 |
| Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis High School | 3 | No | Public | 9-12 | 249 | 0.44 |
| Art and Design High School | 8 | No | Public | 9-12 | 1,469 | 0.47 |
| Repertory Company High School for Theatre Arts | 6 | No | Public | 9-12 | 229 | 0.52 |
| The Browning School | NR | No | Private | K-12 | 418 | 0.53 |
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