A chic loft in the NYC building that birthed The Velvet Underground lists for $1.79M

This New York City loft comes with a dash of extra downtown cool — but it won’t cost you a song.

At 56 Ludlow St., a chic loft has listed for sale asking $1.79 million. But more than a swanky pad, the building itself is regarded for being the birthplace of The Velvet Underground — the rock group that influenced decades of alternative and underground music down the line, despite its own lack of success.

In 1964, the fifth floor of this Lower East Side building housed the Welsh musician John Cale, now 82 and with a new album “POPtical Illusion” out this week, who was a founding member of the group.

As detailed in a Wall Street Journal interview, Cale split the $25 monthly rent with a roommate at the time.

It was in this very building that Cale and the late Lou Reed — who died in 2013 at age 71 — founded the band, recruiting neighbors Angus MacLise (the first drummer who left after one gig, claiming performing for money was “selling out”) and guitarist Sterling Morrison.

The Velvet Underground dissolved in 1973, only to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996, with Rolling Stone ranking them No. 19 on their “100 Greatest Artists of All Time” list in 2004. In 2018, New York was home to a Velvet Underground immersive experience that drew fans with archival videos and curios from the band’s days.

Built in 1900, 56 Ludlow has long been a haven for artists. Though it was a rundown tenement in Cale’s time, where the only heat source was a gas stove, the building is now a meticulously restored and maintained co-op, still buzzing with artistic spirit.

The loft for sale spans the whole fourth floor. The current owners are the artists Giancarlo Biagi, Jill Burkee Biagi, Germana Pucci and Paul Lucchesi. The Biagis and Pucci own the fifth floor where Cale once lived.

This move-in-ready 1,788-square-foot loft boasts an expansive space with an additional 450 square feet of private rooftop space. There are two bedrooms and two bathrooms, and images show airy interiors.

Natural light floods the home through four large windows on both sides, with original exposed brick and decorative fireplaces adding historic charm. The unit itself is rented out to tenants currently, and can be delivered vacant.

Sheri Terry with Corcoran holds the listing.