Top Reasons to Buy an Apartment on the Upper West Side
By Sean Creamer on May 12, 2023
When it comes to living the New York City life, the pizazz of the Upper West Side is hard to beat.
This historic slice of the Big Apple has unique architecture, serves as a diverse melting pot of culture, and is convenient to the rest of the city. The pre-war buildings and brownstones are nestled between Riverside Park and Central Park, creating a unique ambiance on corridors like West End Avenue.
From quaint restaurants to upscale nightlife, there is plenty to love about the Upper West Side. That is why the team at Prevu Real Estate put together the top reasons why people buy an apartment on the Upper West Side.
Reasons to buy an apartment on the UWS
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Living the high life near the parks
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Proximity to performing arts
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Easy to reach the rest of Manhattan
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World-class restaurant and food scene
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Stunning architecture
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Happening nightlife
Living the high life near the parks
Living on the UWS gives you access to some of the best outdoor spaces in the city.
Riverside Park is to the west, along the Hudson River's shores. This 4-mile-long park runs from 72nd up to 158th, offering hilly trails and scenic overlooks of the river. If you turn around and face east, you can see the splendor of the skyline.
The park also offers baseball fields, basketball courts, and soccer fields. This expansive park also has a public boat marina with 110 slips, a skatepark, and a gymnastics playground called the Travelling Rings.
While Riverside Park has plenty to offer, it is hard to match the splendor of Central Park. With over 840 acres, the park extends up and down the road of Central Park West, stretching from 59th up to 110th Street. While the Upper East Side has the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Upper West has the American Museum of Natural History.
Folks living near Central Park West can play tennis at the Central Park Tennis Center or head south to Bethesda Terrace to take in a concert at the nearby SummerStage.
Proximity to performing arts
The Upper East Side has stunning art masterpieces in The Met and the Guggenheim Museum.
But if you want to take in the performing arts, you will want to head to the Upper West Side.
The neighborhood of Lincoln Square is home to the illustrious Lincoln Center at the intersection of Broadway and Columbus Square. The center opened in the 1960s to bring classical performing arts to New York City.
The 16.3-acre campus has 30 indoor and outdoor stages to take in performances across a spectrum of arts. The New York Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera, The Juilliard School, and the New York City Ballet all practice and perform their masterpieces at the Lincoln Center.
While Lincoln Center is the star of the show, father north on Broadway is the Beacon Theater. This marquee theater holds about 2800 people and showcases some of NYC’s most anticipated concerts and comedy shows.
Easy to reach the rest of Manhattan
Part of what draws people to the Upper West Side of Manhattan is accessability. Whether you have to commute south to Midtown or head north toward Columbia University, there are plenty of ways to get where you need to go.
The MTA has several trains running through the area, including the 1, 2, and 3 lines to the west and the A, B, C, and D lines to the east along Central Park West. The 1 and 2 trains can get you into the Bronx, while the 3 stops in Harlem. These same trains can take you through lower Manhattan, extending deep into Brooklyn and Queens.
The A, B, C, and D trains can take you as far west as Jamaica Center in Queens or to the beaches of Far Rockaway. But when it comes to getting around the Upper West Side, buses are the best route. The M5, M7, M11, M57, and M104 routes are just a few of the buses available to folks living on the UWS.
World-class restaurant and food scene
If you end up moving to the Upper West Side, you will have access to some of the best food you can find in New York City.
If you are looking for an authentic Jewish Deli experience, you want to head out to Barney Greengrass for some smoked salmon and a cream cheese schmear on a bagel.
While tourists flock to Shake Shack, you can find a famed local alternative at Jacob's Pickles. This UWS gem serves up Southern comfort foods like fried chicken, biscuits, and assorted pickles. If you are looking for some fine dining down by Lincoln Center, you’ll want to check out Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi. The James Beard Award winning chef Kwame Onwuachi curated a menu ranging from snow crab to braised oxtails, there is a dish for all diners.
But the Upper West Side is not all wining and dining, as there are ample opportunities to find fresh groceries. The most famous grocery store on the Upper West Siude is Zabar's. This neighborhood institution sells fresh-baked bread, artisanal cheeses, and plenty of smoked fish.
The Westside Market is a chain of stores on the Upper West, providing ample options for a casual night of cooking. But if you want high-quality seafood to cook at home, you want to make the trip to Citarella, where you can find professionally-prepared pescatarian dishes to-go and fresh scallops, oysters, and octopus.
Stunning architecture
If you are a fan of storied architecture and historic interiors, then you want to check out the treasured buildings of the Upper West Side.
Many folks yearn to live in a pre-war co-ops for their high ceilings, decorative moldings, and ornate metalwork.
Brownstones are another staple of the Upper West Side, featuring delicate plasterwork that is irreplaceable today. Some even come with recessed library shelving; others have functional fireplaces made of tile, stone, or marble.
"While many of these historic townhomes have been converted to multifamily residences, according to Sara Gladstone, a real estate agent with Prevu. "There are still a few single-family homes in areas near Central Park West and West End Avenue Historic Districts."
Yet the Upper West Side offers more than storied architecture. Buyers can find modern amenities in buildings like Claremont Hall, a new condominium featuring gothic architecture on 100 Claremont Avenue right near Columbia University.
Beyond homes, you can find landmark buildings recognized for their architectural grandeur. This includes the Cathedral of Saint John the Devine, and the American Museum of Natural History, built in the Beaux-Arts style.
Happening nightlife
Most people coming to Manhattan stay on the Lower East Side or the West Village for a night out. But if you live on the Upper West Side, you don’t always have to go south of Columbus Circle for a great time.
Head to The Dead Poet on Amsterdam Avenue and you can enjoy a book-lined interior perfect for having a craft cocktail and enjoying your favorite book. If you want saucier experience, you can sneak a drink at Prohibition. This speakeasy-themed bar on Columbus Avenue offers live jazz, dim lighting, and classic cocktails.
The Mermaid Inn is another iconic UWS watering hole. This seafood-themed restaurant has a happening bar scene offering dollar oysters and discounted drinks at happy hour.
If you want to take in the views only NYC can provide, you want to head to The Heights Bar & Grill. The rooftop patio offers unique sights of the skyline, all while providing patrons with a menu full of comfort food and a well-stocked bar.
