Is 212 Fifth Avenue the 'New York-iest' Address?

March 2, 2015 — A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, having a 212 area code used to mean you lived in Manhattan. That was long before 646 came to ruin everything forever. According the Daily News, 212 has "become a status symbol and social signifier — and a pop culture mainstay," citing a Seinfeld reference. You don't get more New York or more pop culture than Seinfeld, right? But that's the area code… and based on that area code, and whatever cachet it still boasts today, new development expert Andrew Gerringer of the Marketing Directors is calling 212 Fifth Avenue — site of a condo conversion — a "magical address." The Fifth Avenue part certainly doesn't hurt, but, really? Is 212 a magical address just because the area code used to be (and arguably still is) a big deal? Joe Sitt, chairman and CEO of Thor Equities, one of the developers involved in the conversion, insists the "212 moniker will be an unstoppable branding tool, both for locals and international buyers." He adds, "Honestly, the address was 50 percent of the reason I bought the building." Whatever you have to do to generate buzz and get people excited. Considering that the soon-to-be condo is "less than a block from the tony Whitman condominium, at 21 E. 26th St., where Jennifer Lopez recently snagged a $20 million penthouse, and across the park from One Madison, the glitzy curtain glass tower that Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen call home," we can guesstimate that sales at 212 won't be a problem. 

Photo by Christopher Bride for Property Shark.