When I spoke with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage agent Tom Hartmann about the Astoria Tower Residences & Spa (above) last week, I asked him which developments Astoria Tower is competing with in the neighborhood. “Library Tower,” he said, without hesitating. It makes sense, given its proximity. At 520 S State St, Library Tower is just four blocks north of Astoria Tower, which is located at 8 E 9th St.
These are the two largest condo high-rises that are currently under construction east of Printers Row in the Loop, and they’re somewhat comparably priced: Price points for Library Tower are from the $370s to the $880s, and Astoria Tower is priced from the $230s to more than $1 million.
The floor plan at left is for unit 2805 in Astoria Tower, a 1,406 square-foot two-bedroom / two-bath corner unit priced in the $680s. The floor plan at right is for unit 1722 in Library Tower, a 1,530 square-foot two-bedroom / two-bath unit priced in the $710s.
Both units have outdoor spaces that appear to be almost as large as their living and dining areas. The 15′ x 13′ master bedroom in the Library Tower unit is a bit larger than the 12-3″ x 12-7″ master bedroom in the Astoria Tower unit, but it’s the 10′ x 9′ windowless den in the Library Tower unit that accounts for most of the difference in size between these two.
The buildings’ estimated monthly assessments differ as well. Although Astoria Tower is a full-amenity building, Hartmann says its luxury amenities are offered on an a la carte basis, enabling residents that don’t take advantage of them to keep their assessments low. Assessments start in the $280s for the tower’s one-bedrooms, so I’d expect them to be a bit higher – probably in the $300s – for this two-bedroom. At Library Tower, which has a door keeper, roof deck and fitness center, assessments in the penthouse levels (everything above floor 15) start at $403 for two-bedroom / two-bath units.
Garage parking at both developments starts at $40,000.
– Rate and review Library Tower at NewHomeNotebook.com.
– Rate and review Astoria Tower at NewHomeNotebook.com.