UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                  SCHEDULE 13G

                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                             

                           American Financial Realty Trust
                       -----------------------------------------
                                (Name of Issuer)

                                     Common
                                     ------
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                    02607P305
                                    ---------
                                 (CUSIP Number)


             Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement

                               September 30, 2005
                              --------------------

Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which the Schedule 
is filed:

[x]     Rule 13d-1(b)
[ ]     Rule 13d-1(c)
[ ]     Rule 13d-1(d)

* The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting  person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any  subsequent  amendment  containing  information  which  would  alter the
disclosures provided in prior coverage.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or
otherwise  subject to the  liabilities  of that  section of the Act but shall be
subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

SEC 1745 (12-02)
                                     Page 1








                                  SCHEDULE 13G

CUSIP No.   02607P305                                         Page 2 of 6 Pages
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1)  NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
    S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON (entities only)

    Cohen & Steers, Inc.    14-1904657
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2)  CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
                                                          (a) [ ]
                                                          (b) [x]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3)  SEC USE ONLY

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4)  CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

    Delaware
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    NUMBER        5)   SOLE VOTING POWER
    OF                 12,286,371
    SHARES        _____________________________________________________________
    BENEFICIALLY  6)   SHARED VOTING POWER
    OWNED BY            0
    EACH          _____________________________________________________________
    REPORTING     7)   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
    PERSON             12,921,571
    WITH          _____________________________________________________________
                  8)   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9)  AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

    12,921,571
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10) CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES
    CERTAIN SHARES

          [ ]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11) PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)

    10.04%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12) TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

    HC
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                     *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!

                                     Page 2





SCHEDULE 13G

CUSIP No.   02607P305                                         Page 3 of 6 Pages
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1)  NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
    S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON (entities only)

    Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc.    13-3353336
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2)  CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
                                                          (a) [ ]
                                                          (b) [x]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3)  SEC USE ONLY

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4)  CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

    New York
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    NUMBER        5)   SOLE VOTING POWER
    OF                 12,286,371
    SHARES        _____________________________________________________________
    BENEFICIALLY  6)   SHARED VOTING POWER
    OWNED BY
    EACH          _____________________________________________________________
    REPORTING     7)   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
    PERSON             12,921,571
    WITH          _____________________________________________________________
                  8)   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9)  AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
    12,921,571
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10) CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES
    CERTAIN SHARES            [ ]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11) PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
    10.04%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12) TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

    IA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                     *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!

                                     Page 2





SCHEDULE 13G                                                        Page 4 of 6

Item 1  (a)  Name of Issuer
             American Financial Realty Trust

        (b)  Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Office
             1725 The Fairway Jenkintown 
             PENNSYLVANIA 19046

Item 2  (a)  Name of Person(s) Filing
             Cohen & Steers, Inc.
             Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc.

        (b)  Address of Principal Business Office:
             The principal address of both entities is:
             757 Third Avenue
             New York, New York 10017

        (c)  Citizenship or Place of Orgainization:
             Cohen & Steers, Inc.:       Delaware
             Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc.:    New York

        (d)  Title of Class of Securities
             Common

        (e)  CUSIP Number
             02607P305   

Item 3.     If this statement is filed pursuant to Rule 13d-l(b), or
            13d-2(b), check whether the person filing is a

            (a)  [ ]  Broker or Dealer registered under Section 15 of the Act

            (b)  [ ]  Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Act

            (c)  [ ]  Insurance Company as defined in section 3(a)(19) of
                      the Act

            (d)  [ ]  Investment Company registered under Section 8 of the
                      Investment Company Act

            (e)  [ ]  An investment advisor in accordance with Section 
                      240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E)

            (f)  [ ]  An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance 
                      with 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F)

            (g)  [x]  A parent holding company or control person in accordance 
                      with Section 240.13d-l(b)(1)(ii)(G) 

            (h)  [ ]  A savings association as defined in Section 3(b) of the 
                      Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813)

            (i)  [ ]  A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an 
                      investment company under section 3(c)(14) of the 
                      Investment Company Act of 1940 (15U.S.C. 80a-3)

            (j)  [ ]  Group, in accordance with Section 240.13d-1(b)(l)(ii)(J)

                                                                Page 5 of 6





Item 4.      OWNERSHIP

             (a)  Amount of Shares Beneficially Owned as of September 30, 2005:

                  See row 9 on cover sheet

             (b)  Percent of Class:   

                  See row 11 on cover sheet

             (c)  Number of Shares as to which such person has:
 
                  (i)   sole power to vote or to direct the vote:
                        See row 5 on cover sheet

                  (ii)  shared power to vote or to direct the vote: 
                        See row 6 on cover sheet

                  (iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the 
                        disposition of: 
                        See row 7 on cover sheet

                  (iv)  shared power to dispose or to direct
                        the disposition of:
                        See row 8 on cover sheet

Item 5.      OWNERSHIP OF 5% OR LESS OF CLASS:
             Not Applicable

             If this  statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the
             date hereof the  reporting  person has ceased to be the  beneficial
             owner of more than five percent of the class of  securities, check
             the following. []

Item 6       OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN 5% ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER PERSON:
             Not Applicable

Item 7       IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBSIDIARY WHICH 
             ACQUIRED THE SECURITY BEING REPORTED ON BY THE PARENT 
             HOLDING COMPANY

             Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc., an investment advisor 
             registered under Section 203 of the Investment Advisers Act, 
             is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the parent company.

Item 8       IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP:
             See Item 3

Item 9       NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP:
             Not Applicable






Item 10      Certification

        By signing below I certify  that,  to the best of my knowledge  
        and belief,  the securities  referred to above were acquired and are 
        held in the ordinary course of business and were not acquired and are
        not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or 
        influencing  the  control  of the  issuer  of the securities and were
        not acquired in connection with or as a participant in any 
        transaction  having that purpose or effect.


Signature


  After  reasonable  inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, 
I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, 
complete and correct.

Date: October 10, 2005


/s/Robert Steers
----------------------------------
Signature


Robert H. Steers, Co-Chairman and Co Chief Executive Officer
Cohen & Steers, Inc. and Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc.
------------------------------------------------------------
Name and Title




                                                                Page 6 of 6

                             JOINT FILING AGREEMENT

         In accordance with Rule 13d-1(k) promulgated under the Securities 
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the undersigned hereby agree to the joint 
filing with all other Reporting Persons (as such term is defined in the Schedule
13G referred to below) on behalf of each of them of a Statement on Schedule 13G 
including amendments thereto) with respect to the common shares of American 
Financial Realty Trust , and that this Agreement may be included as an Exhibit 
to such joint filing.  This Agreement may be executed in any number of 
counterparts, all of which together shall constitute one and the same 
instrument.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned hereby execute this Agreement as of
October 10, 2005.


                              COHEN & STEERS, INC.

                                        /s/Robert Steers
                                   By:-----------------------------------------
                                            Name: Robert H. Steers
                                            Title: Co-Chariman and Co-Chief 
                                                   Executive Officer



                              COHEN & STEERS CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC.

                                        /s/Robert Steers
                                    By:----------------------------------------
                                             Name: Robert H. Steers
                                             Title:  Co-Chairman and Co-Chief 
                                                     Executive Officer