Upper West Side

The streets of NYC will fill once again this Saturday, January 19 for the third annual Women's March on New York City. The first march took place in 2017, as a demonstration in support of women's rights and in resistance to a growing list of gender-related injustices during the inauguration of President Donald Trump. Last year's march drew an estimated 200,000 participants. As with any jubilant mass display of human resilience, there will be street closings. Read on for info on where to march, how to avoid traffic snarls and what makes this year's march different.
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Events & Things To Do

Campaign to save Westsider Books raises $27,000 in just one day

Via Google Street View

January 17, 2019

Campaign to save Westsider Books raises $27,000 in just one day

Editor's Note 1/22/19: Westsider Books has been saved after over 800 people contributed to the campaign, raising more than $52,000 in just four days. The campaign's organizer, Bobby Panza, told 6sqft: "It's beautiful to see the community, at large, come together like this. Sometimes you don't know what you have until the precipice of losing it. Most times you can't go back and do anything, but here we could. And we did. Thank you to everyone involved. I hope we cherish the great things we love, like Westsider Books and patronize them to keep them in business." News broke earlier this week that the beloved Westsider Books, the Upper West Side's last used book store, would be shutting its doors next month after 35 years at its home on Broadway between 80th and 81st Streets. Co-owner Dorian Thornley had told UWS blog West Side Rag that he would consider staying open if he could raise $50,000. And now a group of locals are trying to do just that, starting a Go Fund Me campaign and raising more than $27,000 in just one day! A tipster tells 6sqft that after hearing the news, a stunned Dorian said, "This renews my faith in humanity."
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Uncategorized

Upper West Side’s last used bookstore will close after 35 years

Inside Westsider Books, via Google Street View

January 15, 2019

Upper West Side’s last used bookstore will close after 35 years

The age of Amazon is now more in-your-face than ever for local bookstores. And though the Lower East Side's McNally Jackson and Midtown's Drama Book Shop were recently saved, it looks like the Upper West Side's beloved Westsider Books will not be so lucky. West Side Rag reports that the shop, which opened on Broadway between 80th and 81st Streets 35 years ago, will close next month amid decreasing sales.
What happened?

Uncategorized

January 14, 2019

At $700K, this cozy duplex is an Upper West Side treasure

Living on 73rd Street right off Columbus Avenue sounds like a seven-figure dream to many Manhattan real estate seekers. You're less than a block from Trader Joes and the 1, 2, 3 trains, just one block from the most classic part of Central Park near the Dakota and John Lennon memorial, and smack in the middle of all the new restaurants and shops popping up along the avenues. But this cozy co-op at 126 West 73rd Street is asking just $699,000. The 700-square-foot co-op not only gives you a coveted location but two floors of living space, a rare second half-bath, and three large street-facing windows.
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Distinctive Homes

Billionaire financier and art collector lists massive Central Park West penthouse for $5.25M

Via Google Street View

January 8, 2019

Billionaire financier and art collector lists massive Central Park West penthouse for $5.25M

By Alexandra Alexa

Editor's note: At the request of Sotheby's International Realty, listing photos that appeared in an earlier version of this post have been removed. Just steps from Central Park on the Upper West Side, this two-bedroom co-op at 23 West 73rd Street is located in the Park Royal, a pre-war, red-brick building that has been called “one of the most attractive sidestreet apartment houses” in the coveted neighborhood. On the market for $5,250,000, the penthouse unit is owned by financier Donald Marron, who is also one of the most recognized private art collectors in America and previously served as President of the Museum of Modern Art’s Board of Trustees.
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Distinctive Homes

January 3, 2019

For $1.6M, this Morningside Heights co-op is a fine example of a pre-war classic six

Located in the picturesque Upper West Side/Morningside Heights neighborhood it shares with Columbia University's campus, Amele Hall at 536 W 111th Street is a classic elevator co-op built in 1910 by architect partners Mulliken and Moeller. This classic six apartment, listed for $1.595 million, has been modernized but retains its turn-of-the-century charm.
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Distinctive Homes

December 28, 2018

Celebrate Kwanzaa in NYC with a live-drawing event, music and dancing, and an artisan market

The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) is hosting its annual Kwanzaa festival on Saturday, celebrating African-American heritage with programs that focus on community, culture, and creativity. Free with admission, the event takes place on Dec. 29 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the museum's Milstein Hall of Ocean Life.
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Events & Things To Do

December 17, 2018

$2,500/month studio may be small, but it’s in the heart of the Upper West Side

The age-old question for apartment-hunting New Yorkers is space or location? And if you fall into the latter camp, this bright and cozy studio on the Upper West Side at 140 West 69th Street may be for you. It's itty bitty, but there's still a functional kitchen, clever storage built-ins, a roomy living area, and a lofted bed to open things up. And best of all, it's located at the corner of 69th and Broadway, right near Lincoln Center, the 1/2/3 trains, Trader Joes, and Central Park and a quick walk to Columbus Circle and Riverside Park. Does all that warrant the small space's $2,500/month ask?
Decide for yourself

Distinctive Homes

Rendering via Studio Gang

December 11, 2018

Judge rules in favor of Studio Gang’s Natural History Museum expansion plans despite lawsuit attempt

In October, plans by Studio Gang to expand the American Museum of Natural History and create the Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education and Innovation were stopped in their tracks after New York State Supreme Court Justice Lynn Kotler issued a temporary restraining order. A lawsuit had been filed by a community group opposed to the expansion on the grounds that it would destroy public parkland and threaten the surrounding environment. Judge Kotler on Monday ruled in favor of the museum in a decision confirming that all appropriate procedures in preparation for the project were followed. The decision will allow the museum to proceed with the $383 million expansion project.
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Via Joe Schulz on Flickr

December 10, 2018

Time Warner Center will be renamed for Deutsche Bank

Columbus Circle's Time Warner Center will be renamed the Deutsche Bank Center, Commercial Observer reported on Monday. The name change comes as the Deutsche Bank inked a deal for 1.1 million square feet at the complex. The 25-year lease gives the German bank all available office space at the building except on its 20th floor.
More here

Real Estate Trends

City rejects bid to stop tallest Upper West Side tower

Courtesy of Binyan Studios/ Snøhetta

December 4, 2018

City rejects bid to stop tallest Upper West Side tower

By Chava Gourarie

The Department of Buildings this week rejected a challenge against the tallest tower planned for the Upper West Side, as first reported by Crain's. Community groups argued that the design of Extell Development’s 775-foot condominium tower at 50 West 66th Street violated the city’s building code, but the department overruled those objections.
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Madonna loses three-year legal battle with Upper West Side co-op board

1 West 64th Street via CityRealty (l); Madonna via Wikimedia Commons (r)

November 30, 2018

Madonna loses three-year legal battle with Upper West Side co-op board

By Annie Doge

Madonna lost an almost three-year legal battle with her Upper West Side co-op board after a judge this week tossed her complaints, Page Six reported. The pop star had first sued her building, Harperley Hall, in April of 2016 after the board attempted to enforce a rule that prohibited her family or staff to be in the home without her being physically present.
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Celebrities

November 21, 2018

MAP: Where to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

There are 2.5 miles of public viewing along the parade route in NYC; this interactive map can help you find a great spot instead of getting lost in the crowd. The map, from the fine folks behind the parade, outlines when the parade will pass by, which streets have the best public views (6th Avenue from West 59th to West 38th Streets gets the thumbs-up) and which ones are restricted, such as Central Park South at Columbus Circle. Also marked are all-important things like coffee, food, and restrooms.
More info, this way

Events & Things To Do

November 20, 2018

A little steampunk adds vintage flair to this $900K Riverside co-op

This Upper West Side co-op at 224 Riverside Drive would be a great deal on its own, with a spacious one-bedroom layout, totally renovated kitchen, and oversized windows that let in lots of sun and incredible Hudson River views. But add in these subtle steampunk touches--moody grey walls paired with whitewashed brick, vintage-style furnishings like a leather Chesterfield sofa and industrial lighting, and an all-black bathroom--and that $900,000 price tag seems like even more of a steal.
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Distinctive Homes

Will Jeff Bezos live in one of his Upper West Side apartments when Amazon comes to town?

Photo of Bezos via NMAH’s Flickr and photo of the Century via Wikimedia

November 15, 2018

Will Jeff Bezos live in one of his Upper West Side apartments when Amazon comes to town?

With Amazon officially coming to New York City, where will its founder and chief executive live? Jeff Bezos will have an easier time finding a property in the city than most, as he already owns four apartments in Manhattan. All of the NYC properties owned by the multi-billionaire are located on the Upper West Side at 25 Central Park West, in a condo building known as the Century (h/t I Love The UWS). Bezos, who owns several homes (as well as the biggest in Washington, D.C.) and remains one of the top landowners in the country, has requested helipad access for Amazon's new Long Island City headquarters, making any neighborhood he chooses to live just a quick ride away.
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Celebrities

November 12, 2018

For under $400K, this Upper West Side studio is cozy, clever, and convenient

It's a hard thing in this city to find a studio that doesn't induce claustrophobia and is still affordable, but this charming $375,000 co-op at 156 West 73rd Street rises to the challenge. Not only is it located less than two blocks from Central Park and a half block from the 1, 2, 3 trains at 72nd Street, but thanks to 10-foot ceilings, oversized street-facing windows, a sleeping loft, and separate kitchen, it feels a whole lot larger.
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Distinctive Homes

Developer bets on seniors in the city with luxury assisted living tower on the Upper West Side

2330 Broadway. Source: Design by SLCE Architects, rendering by ARC Shadow

November 12, 2018

Developer bets on seniors in the city with luxury assisted living tower on the Upper West Side

Betting that well-heeled seniors want to stay in the city as they age–and are willing to pay accordingly–developers Welltower, Inc. and Hines have purchased a pair of Manhattan building lots with the intent of building an assisted living tower for frail and memory-challenged seniors who want to stay in the neighborhood. Rising on two lots at 2330 Broadway at 85th Street will be the partnership's second luxury assisted living facility in the borough, Bloomberg reports. The 17-story residence will offer a spa, a rooftop garden and a “bistro” for cocktails and card games.
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New Developments

November 9, 2018

William Randolph Hearst’s one-time Central Park West penthouse returns for $18M

Three years ago, T-Mobile’s CEO John Legere dropped $18 million on this palatial Upper West Side penthouse, but after first re-listing the sprawling duplex at 91 Central Park West for $22 million in February, he's now dropped the price down to $17,995,000--meaning he'll break completely even. Not only will the new buyer be able to say they're living in William Randolph Hearst's one-time home, but Legre worked with esteemed contemporary architectural design firm SheltonMindel to update the residence while retaining its magnificent historic details such as stained glass windows, elaborately carved woodwork, and ornate ceiling moldings. Plus, there's an equally expansive private terrace overlooking the park.
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November 7, 2018

Rent a turreted 10-room wing of the Upper West Side’s famous Ansonia co-op for $21K a month

Here’s a chance rent a sprawling space in the famous Ansonia on the Upper West Side for $21,000 a month. The 2,900-square-foot pad offers stunning views from east, south, and west exposures. The capacious co-op is the result of combining three units that formed their own wing of the building, representing the largest original layout ever designed by the building’s architect, Duboy of Graves and Duboy. The apartment was listed for sale in back in 2015 for $12M.
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November 5, 2018

Upper West Side brownstone living with a huge private roof deck for $6.5K a month

Move-in ready is more than just a phrase in the case of this two-bedroom co-op at 126 West 80th Street in the Upper West Side. On a postcard-worthy brownstone street a block from the park, this equally charming floor-through may be up four flights, but you won't have to haul any furniture when you move in. For $6,500 a month, the space comes fully furnished, including a private outdoor terrace and monthly cleaning service to keep it all tidy.
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Distinctive Homes

October 31, 2018

Take a walk down West 69th Street, the most over-the-top Halloween block in NYC

There are plenty of neighborhoods throughout the city that get in on the Halloween spirit and make for the best trick-or-treating, but arguably the biggest spectacle exists on the Upper West Side--probably not your first guess for spooky, kooky, and downright insane holiday decor. But thanks to the West 69th Street Block Association, the stretch of the street between Broadway and Central Park West turns into a wonderland of skulls, zombies, bloody scenes, and even a table setting complete with brains and rats. 6sqft took a walk down 69th Street and captured all its Halloween mayhem in the photos ahead.
See all the over-the-top decorations

Events & Things To Do

Reopened 86th Street B,C station boasts new murals inspired by Central Park and Beaux-Arts architecture

Photo © 6sqft

October 30, 2018

Reopened 86th Street B,C station boasts new murals inspired by Central Park and Beaux-Arts architecture

The 86th Street B, C station reopened last week after five months of renovations and upgrades. The improved Central Park West station now features six colorful mosaic and ceramic murals translated from artist Joyce Kozloff's "Parkside Portals" artwork, which depicts different perspectives of the neighborhood. The art shifts from aerial views of Central Park to close-ups of Beaux-Arts and Art Deco elements found on the iconic facades of surrounding buildings.
See the murals

Rendering via Studio Gang

October 30, 2018

Museum of Natural History expansion plans stalled by restraining order and lawsuit

As 6sqft previously reported, last October the architects at Studio Gang tweaked their proposal for the American Museum of Natural History expansion to preserve more public parkland–and the Landmarks Preservation Commission unanimously approved the plans. Now, Curbed reports, those expansion plans have been put on hold after a temporary restraining order (TRO) was issued against the Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education and Innovation by New York State Supreme Court justice Lynn Kotler. The TRO follows a lawsuit filed by a community group that has been opposed to the expansion, saying it will destroy the park, cause trees to be removed and endanger the safety and environment surrounding the construction area.
How big a setback is this?

Columbus Circle is getting a ‘small-format’ Target next year

Rendering via Target

October 29, 2018

Columbus Circle is getting a ‘small-format’ Target next year

New York City is getting its 28th Target store, the retail giant announced on Monday. The company will open a "small-format" store near Columbus Circle on the Upper West Side in 2019. This new Target is part of the company's plan to open 130 small-format stores by the end of next year in urban and highly-populated suburban areas, as well as near college campuses.
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New Developments

October 24, 2018

At $4.8M, this historic Upper West Side townhouse costs less than a Midtown condo