A renter’s guide to Midtown West, from Hell’s Kitchen to Hudson Yards
Stretching from Fifth Avenue to the West Side Highway and 34th Street to the southern tip of Central Park, Midtown West includes iconic Manhattan districts like Times Square, Clinton (also known by its classic moniker, Hell’s Kitchen), the newly-minted Hudson Yards, and Central Park South. From architecture, music, and theater to restaurants, bars, and shops, Midtown West is a study in New York City diversity and a destination for visitors from all over the world.
Some of the properties featured here are part of paid partnerships, which help support our editorial work. All buildings are selected and independently reviewed by the 6sqft team.
The neighborhood
A growing collection of celebrated residential and professional towers has transformed what was once a patchwork of urban cacophony and low-rise commerce into a 21st-century architectural showcase and a coveted residential location, surrounded by parks and gardens, bike lanes and running paths.
The apartment buildings
Mercedes House
550 West 54th Street
Completed in 2012, Mercedes House exemplifies Manhattan’s new wave of modern luxury rentals. Developed and managed by Two Trees Management and designed by Enrique Norten (TEN Arquitectos), the building’s dramatic glass-and-steel frame forms a unique geometry that makes it one of Hell’s Kitchen’s most recognizable buildings.
Within the building’s 864 apartments, interiors are light-filled, with oversized windows. One side of the building offers unobstructed views of the Hudson River, while the other opens to the city’s skyline and its vibrant center.
Stylish finishes like wide-plank white oak flooring, stainless steel appliances, and Caesarstone kitchen countertops join high-end conveniences like in-unit Bosch washers and dryers and capacious closets. Many units offer private terraces.
The building’s amenities are next-level, with 80,000 square feet of space devoted to the Mercedes Club health club with indoor and outdoor pools, weekly fitness classes, an indoor basketball court, and a spa. For entertainment, you’ll find a chef’s kitchen, open-air movie venue, and Playa Bowls on-site café. Additional perks include a 24-hour doorman, a concierge, and a VIP pet concierge.
Current availabilities range between $4,895/month for a one-bedroom and $8,494/month for a two-bedroom. See all available apartments here.
The Set
455 Tenth Avenue
The Set at 455 10th Avenue is a Hudson Yards luxury high-rise residence with five-star hotel perks. Developed by Related Companies, the 44-story mixed-use building offers 270 studio, one-, and two-bedroom apartments. Opened in 2022, The Set is the rental portion of the building, which is also home to Coterie Hudson Yards, a luxury assisted living facility developed by Related and Atria Senior Living.
Designed by Handel Architects, the building is recognizable by its glass, metal, and terracotta facade, finished in glazed bronze. The rental has a dedicated lobby on 10th Avenue and another on 35th Street for the senior residences.
With the feel of a hotel/residential hybrid, The Set’s turnkey apartments start 15 stories up and feature interiors by March and White Design. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame high-floor city and Hudson River views, and luxury finishes like European oak plank flooring, custom cabinetry, high-end appliances, baths with walk-in showers, voice-controlled smart home technology, and in-unit washer-dryers can be found throughout.
The building’s hotel-inspired services include weekly housekeeping, package and grocery delivery, laundry services, and room service. Fully furnished residences are available, as are flexible lease terms, making it the perfect place for a west side pied-à-terre.
Exclusive amenities at the penthouse-level Set Club include a state-of-the-art fitness center, a lounge, a fully stocked bar, a tasting room for private dining, a work-from-home center, and a rooftop pool with cabanas and lounge chairs. In the building is a restaurant and a cocktail bar from chef Dan Kluger.
Additional perks include a terrace with barbecue grills, a demo kitchen, and a virtual reality room. Residents get priority reservations at Hudson Yards restaurants, access to personal shoppers and stylists, special benefits at The Equinox Hotel and Spa, and more.
Current availabilities for rentals start at $5,540/month for a furnished studio.
Starline Tower
250 West 49th Street
With completion planned for 2027, the 28-story building at 250 West 49th Street offers spacious apartments and impressive amenities in a classic Manhattan location. Developed by Chess Builders and designed by S. Weider Architect, the project includes 138 rental units with 2,500 square feet of retail on the street level.
Studios and one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments have hardwood floors, high-end kitchens, in-unit laundry, air conditioning, and high-speed internet. Bathrooms feature spacious walk-in showers. Stylish finishes feature warm materials, soft tones, and clean, contemporary lines.
Amenities are the real draw here. Perks for residents include a fitness center, a screening room, a coworking lounge, a kids’ playroom, a courtyard, and a landscaped rooftop terrace. Additional services include virtual doorman service, a package room, and bike storage. There are plenty of transportation options nearby.
Current availabilities for rentals start at $5,042/month for a one-bedroom and go up to $14,154/month for a three-bedroom.
Aro
252 West 53rd Street
Completed in 2016, this 60-story rental residence in Manhattan’s Midtown West neighborhood, just blocks from Central Park, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Theater District, was designed for Algin Management by CetraRuddy. The building’s dramatic, curved white-steel latticed exterior holds 426 luxury apartments and 40,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenity spaces. At its base, there is 15,000 square feet of retail space and attended parking.
The building’s curving form highlights dramatic Manhattan views–including Central Park and Columbus Circle–and accentuates transparency and light. Within are studios, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom rental homes, topped by a four-bedroom duplex penthouse. Many apartments have private terraces, and all are light-filled with high ceilings and oak floors.
Kitchens feature stainless-steel appliances, Caesarstone countertops, and custom cabinetry; baths feature Carrara marble floors, Dolomiti marble-tiled walls, and glass showers. Each unit has a washer and dryer.
Perks include a 24-hour doorman and concierge, and 40,000 square feet of luxury indoor and outdoor amenities, including the ARO Club, an indoor pool, a game room, and landscaped outdoor terraces.
A private chef’s kitchen allows residents to entertain on a grand scale; fitness amenities include a basketball court, a golf simulator, and a state-of-the-art fitness center and yoga room. The exclusive ARO Sky Club offers a lounge and outdoor pool with dazzling city views, and there’s an attended underground parking garage.
Current availabilities at Aro start at $4,750/month for a studio and go up to $8,295/month for a 789-square-foot one-bedroom penthouse. See all available apartments here.
Henry Hall
515 West 38th Street
This 30-story luxury rental tower at 515 West 38th Street near the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and north of the Hudson Yards in Midtown West was completed in 2017 by Imperial Companies. Located at the junction of Hudson Yards, the Garment District, Theater District, and Hell’s Kitchen, the building was designed by BKSK Architects in the style of a classic pre-war loft, with a red brick exterior, steel-encased factory windows, tall ceilings, and an articulated crown. Within are 225 studios and one- and two-bedroom layouts with interiors by Ken Fulk.
Apartments begin on the 6th floor; the top four floors have only four apartments each. The loft aesthetic continues inside each home with ash hardwood flooring, kitchens with white quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances and brass fixtures, and simple, classic bathrooms.
Amenities include a planted roof deck with Hudson River views, a 24-hour concierge, a lounge and parlor, a private dining room, a library, and a fitness center. In the Jam Room, a private recording studio, residents can play and record music on professional equipment.
Current availabilities start at $4,550/month for a studio and go up to $8,821/month for a two-bedroom penthouse.
Lyra
555 West 38th Street
Developed by Rockrose and designed by Pelli Clarke & Partners with SLCE as the architect of record, this 52-story rental tower rises from the heart of Manhattan’s 21st-century neighborhood of Hudson Yards. Within are condominium-level finishes, stunning city views, and an impressive collection of amenities.
Studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom homes offer high-end finishes and considered design details, including oak wood flooring, oversized windows with roller shades, individually controlled HVAC, in-unit laundry, and chrome Grohe fixtures. Kitchens feature Bertazzoni appliances, quartz countertops, and custom cabinetry.
Amenities include a rooftop terrace with Hudson River vistas, a state-of-the-art fitness center, resident lounges, a golf simulator, and a squash court. The surrounding Hudson Yards development offers world-class dining and shopping, The Shed cultural venue, and easy access to the rest of the city via the nearby 7 subway line.
Current availabilities at 555 West 38th Street start at $3,740/month for a studio and go up to $8,704/month for a two-bedroom. See all available apartments here.
Culture and lifestyle
In addition to the bright lights and bustle of Times Square and the Theater District, surrounding residential enclaves like Hell’s Kitchen and Hudson Yards boast covetable recreational, culinary, and cultural amenities like Hudson River Park, The Shed, and the Museum of Modern Art. Just beyond the Theater District, stretching to the river, Hell’s Kitchen has long been the choice for Broadway babies who wanted a short commute.
Once known as much for its community gardens as its gritty street scene, the grit has gone, but the green has remained. DeWitt Clinton Park and Hudson River Park offer respite from city life. The latter is part of a 4.5-mile-long recreation zone that stretches south all the way to Battery Park, offering a sun deck, ballfields, playgrounds, and more.
A spin-the-compass collection of international restaurants lines Eighth and Ninth Avenues. Colorful Spanish food market Mercado serves Hudson Yards, and many of the city’s best eateries, Locanda Verde, Eataly Caffe, and Russ & Daughters, to name a few, have opened outposts here.
Hudson Yards transformed more than 28 acres of rail yard into the city’s newest business, retail, and residential district. Skyline-changing towers designed by noted architects from SOM to Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) rose from its midst, surrounded by the Shops at Hudson Yards and The Shed, a world-class arts venue that recently hosted the Frieze Art Fair and offers an impressive slate of performances and other programming all year ’round.
The newly-completed 7 subway station makes the neighborhood even more convenient, with Amtrak, LIRR, and New Jersey Transit nearby as well.
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