Upper West Side

One of the largest and most complete Stegosaurus fossils ever discovered—and the most expensive—is now on display at the American Museum of Natural History. Known as Apex, the 150-million-year-old fossil, measuring 11.5 feet tall and 27 feet long, was unveiled on Thursday just inside the entrance to the museum's Richard Gilder Center in the Kenneth C. Griffin Exploration Atrium. Nearly 80 percent complete, the fossil was loaned to AMNH by Griffin, who purchased it for a record-breaking $44.6 million at a Sotheby’s auction in July, according to Gothamist.
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How an UWS dry cleaner brings joy to the community through elaborate Barbie window displays

All photos courtesy of Debra Kravet unless otherwise noted.

December 2, 2024

How an UWS dry cleaner brings joy to the community through elaborate Barbie window displays

By Lidia Ryan

There’s a splash of hot pink on Amsterdam Avenue — well, Barbie pink. Since the "Barbie" movie came out in the summer of 2023, a dream house scene with doll versions of characters from the movie, including Margot Robbie’s Barbie and Ryan Gosling’s Ken, has been on display (and still growing) in the window of Apthorp Cleaners. But Barbie has a much longer history with this Upper West Side dry cleaner. Since owner Debra Kravet and her husband Joel moved into the space at 383 Amsterdam Avenue in 2009, Debra has been creating elaborate Barbie window displays in keeping with pop culture, the seasons, and timely events. Right now, a "Wicked" display with doll versions of Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo as Glinda and Elphaba complement the “Barbie” movie window.
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This $839K co-op in an Upper West Side mansion has a presidential connection

Photo courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

November 20, 2024

This $839K co-op in an Upper West Side mansion has a presidential connection

If you'd like to live in a grand Upper West Side mansion for less than $1 million, this four-room co-op at 280 West End Avenue rises to the occasion. Built in 1887, the stately Romanesque Revival mansion–once the home of the son and widow of President Ulysses S. Grant, according to the listing–holds the $839,000 key to Manhattan mansion living in the form of a one-bedroom home with an elegantly rounded bay window.
have a look a-round

Distinctive Homes

American Museum of Natural History’s origami holiday tree features 1,000 pouncing paper animals

D. Finnin / ©AMNH

November 18, 2024

American Museum of Natural History’s origami holiday tree features 1,000 pouncing paper animals

The American Museum of Natural History’s beloved Origami Holiday Tree returns this year, featuring over 1,000 hand-folded paper models inspired by the world’s leaping critters. In honor of the leap year's end, this year's theme is "Jumping for Joy," celebrating animals that hop, from rabbits, grasshoppers, and kangaroos to frogs, squirrels, and the newly-discovered leaping leech. The 13-foot tree will be on display in the Ellen V. Futter Gallery on the first floor starting November 25 through mid-January.
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Upper West Side’s Metro Theater may finally reopen

Photo by london road on Flickr

November 15, 2024

Upper West Side’s Metro Theater may finally reopen

A landmarked Upper West Side movie theater that has been vacant for nearly two decades may soon be returned to its former glory—as long as its buyers can raise $7 million by the end of the year. As reported by the New York Times, the nonprofit Upper West Side Cinema Center on Friday announced it reached a deal with the current owners of the Metro Theater, located on Broadway near 99th Street, to purchase the theater, contingent on securing the required funds.
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City Living

‘Smart Curbs’ program to optimize curb space on the Upper West Side

Images courtesy of NYC DOT

October 29, 2024

‘Smart Curbs’ program to optimize curb space on the Upper West Side

The streets of the Upper West Side will soon better suit community needs as part of a new initiative by the Department of Transportation. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez on Monday announced the launch of the agency's "Smart Curbs" pilot program on the Upper West Side, which will modernize the streets by adding neighborhood loading zones, bike corrals, and other amenities and policies to create cleaner, more vibrant, and less congested public spaces from West 86th to West 72nd Streets, between Broadway and Central Park West.
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$4.5M Central Park West duplex in Hotel des Artistes gets color just right

Photo credit: Real Estate Production Network for Sotheby’s International Realty

October 24, 2024

$4.5M Central Park West duplex in Hotel des Artistes gets color just right

With its Gothic-style facade and rich history of being home to notable New Yorkers, the Hotel des Artistes co-op at 1 West 67th Street is a Manhattan icon. This freshly renovated 1,800-square-foot duplex was converted to a one-bedroom home with gracious proportions and luxurious details, highlighted by a perfectly curated color palette. Asking $4,495,000, the decidedly not-beige pre-war home comes with a separate guest/staff room on the same floor.
a stylish rainbow, this way

Distinctive Homes

This six-story $13.9M Upper West Side townhouse has all of life’s luxuries under one roof, with an elevator to get there

All photos courtesy of H5 Photography for The Corcoran Group

October 10, 2024

This six-story $13.9M Upper West Side townhouse has all of life’s luxuries under one roof, with an elevator to get there

On a historic Upper West Side townhouse block, this six-story home at 308 West 88th Street is truly a Manhattan mansion. From the rec-room-ready full basement to the indoor/outdoor retreat on the rooftop–and the elevator that hits every floor–the home, asking $13,850,000, provides a gracious, historic residence with every 21st-century convenience. A no-expense-spared renovation added modern amenities to the pre-war architecture of the 8,500-square-foot townhouse, including skylights, a sauna, a wine cellar and tasting room, a luxurious full-floor primary suite, and a state-of-the-art kitchen.
take the six-floor townhouse tour

Distinctive Homes

Watch the seasons of Central Park change from this $3.4M top-floor Upper West Side co-op

Photo credit: Joel Pitra of DDreps

October 4, 2024

Watch the seasons of Central Park change from this $3.4M top-floor Upper West Side co-op

Every season is a spectacular sight in Central Park, from the reds and yellows of fall to the pinks and greens of spring. This top-floor Upper West Side co-op offers a front-row seat to the park's evolving natural beauty, with direct views from nearly two dozen windows. Asking $3,399,000, the co-op at 370 Central Park West preserves its pre-war character without sacrificing a modern perks.
take the tour

Distinctive Homes

Celebrate Zabar’s 90th anniversary with 90-cent cups of coffee all October

All photos courtesy of Zabar’s

October 4, 2024

Celebrate Zabar’s 90th anniversary with 90-cent cups of coffee all October

Upper West Side legend Zabar's turns 90 this year and to celebrate, the gourmet deli is offering its loyal customers some special discounts. Throughout October, the grocery store at 2245 Broadway—known for its smoked fish, bagels, and coffee—will sell 90-cent cups of coffee and one-pound bags of its Anniversary Coffee Blend for $9.99. Zabar’s will also roll out a series of new specials through the end of the year.
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See the $300M plan to turn historic church on Central Park into new Children’s Museum of Manhattan

Credit: Diane Bondareff/AP Content Services for CMOM

October 2, 2024

See the $300M plan to turn historic church on Central Park into new Children’s Museum of Manhattan

Plans to transform a landmarked church on Central Park West into a new home for the Children's Museum of Manhattan (CMOM) reached a major milestone this week. The museum on Tuesday announced philanthropist Laurie M. Tisch donated $50 million to support the $300 million campaign for the institution's new home at 361 Central Park West, expected to open in 2028. In addition to the funding news, the museum also released new renderings of the project, highlighting the conversion of the historic structure into a "seven-story magical castle on the park" for the children of New York City.
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Architecture And Design

Cherry Walk greenway in Riverside Park closes to cyclists, pedestrians until spring 2025

Photo credit: Howard Brier on Flickr

September 23, 2024

Cherry Walk greenway in Riverside Park closes to cyclists, pedestrians until spring 2025

A section of the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway, the nation's busiest bike path, will be closed for six months starting this week. The city's Parks Department announced Cherry Walk, a scenic section of the greenway between 100th and 125th Streets in Riverside Park, will close starting Monday through the spring of 2025 for urgent repairs. The $1.5 million project will repave the asphalt damaged by bumps and cracks from tree roots and include restriping the lane markings.
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Portland’s Salt & Straw to open first NYC ice cream shop on the Upper West Side

Photos courtesy of Salt & Straw

September 19, 2024

Portland’s Salt & Straw to open first NYC ice cream shop on the Upper West Side

The beloved Portland, Oregon-based ice cream shop Salt & Straw is about to sweeten up the Upper West Side with its first-ever New York City location. Famous for its unique flavors, the ice cream company is setting up shop at 360 Amsterdam Avenue on Friday, September 20, offering signature flavors like Double Fold Vanilla and Sea Salt Caramel Ribbons, as well as special NYC-themed flavors like Pastrami on Rye, Cinnamon Raisin Bagels & Schmear, and other creative twists on iconic city fare.
get the scoop here

Food & Dining

96th Street bus lane plan faces backlash from Upper West Side residents

Image via WikiCommons

September 5, 2024

96th Street bus lane plan faces backlash from Upper West Side residents

A plan to add dedicated bus lanes along 96th Street has sparked outrage from some Upper West Side residents. The Department of Transportation proposal, first introduced to Manhattan Community Boards 7, 8, and 11 in May, would limit general traffic along the corridor to a single lane and convert the outer traffic lanes into dedicated bus lanes. During a press conference on Thursday, a group of local residents and elected officials said the plan will exacerbate existing congestion issues and further affect the quality of life in the area, as local news site I Love the Upper West Side reported.
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Pre-war penthouse on the Upper West Side with soaring ceilings and a huge terrace asks $5.95M

Photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

August 9, 2024

Pre-war penthouse on the Upper West Side with soaring ceilings and a huge terrace asks $5.95M

Sitting atop an Italian Renaissance palazzo-style apartment building on the Upper West Side, this penthouse at 257 West 86th Street brings the drama. Upon entering from a semi-private landing, you're greeted by the duplex's sprawling living room that measures 28 feet by 20 feet but feels even larger thanks to the massive window and 20-foot ceilings. Asking $5,950,000, the penthouse has three bedrooms and a stunning private terrace with open views from nearly every angle.
take the tour

Distinctive Homes

All renderings courtesy of VMI Studio

July 18, 2024

Emery Roth’s pre-war UWS tower is reimagined as 131 luxury condos, priced from $1M

A 100-year-old Upper West Side building that once served as a hotel and a senior center is now a luxury condominium. The Emery Roth-designed tower at 720 West End Avenue has been reimagined by Thomas Juul-Hansen and renovated by BP Architects to become 131 modern residences. Sales officially launched this week at the building, with homes starting at roughly $1 million to over $12 million.
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New Developments

July 9, 2024

Lottery opens for 17 co-ops on the Upper West Side, available for purchase from $174K

A housing lottery has opened for 17 apartments on the Upper West Side. Located at 165 West 80th Street, about two blocks from Central Park and the American Museum of Natural History, the five-story walk-up has 10 studios and seven one-bedroom apartments available to New Yorkers earning 120 percent of the area median income, or between $73,319 for a single person and $167,760 for a family of three. The homes are priced at $173,801 for a studio and $184,990 for a one-bedroom.
find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Lincoln Center debuts first-ever night market

Image courtesy of Sachyn Mital

June 19, 2024

Lincoln Center debuts first-ever night market

Lincoln Center is hosting its first-ever night market during the annual Summer for the City festival. Open from Wednesdays to Sundays from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. through August 10, the Lincoln Center Night Market offers visitors an exciting variety of cuisine from curated vendors, from Mexican desserts and soul food from Harlem to Lebanese street food and plant-based options. The market will also feature a tent with rotating food offerings to complement each week of the Summer for the City programming.
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$14M Lincoln Square townhouse was home to designer Perry Ellis and the founder of Rolling Stone

Photo credit: Brad Stein

June 4, 2024

$14M Lincoln Square townhouse was home to designer Perry Ellis and the founder of Rolling Stone

On an Upper West Side block lined with historic brownstones, the 20-foot-wide, single-family home at 37 West 70th Street is in good company. The five-story home, built in 1891, was once the residence of the late American fashion icon Perry Ellis. Purchased in 1987 by Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner and his wife, Jane, the home received a full renovation by designer Ward Bennett. Now on the market for $14,000,000, the home's historic craftsmanship has endured, and a New York City legacy of visionary design has shaped the rooms within.
take the townhouse tour

Distinctive Homes

50 West 66th Street is officially the Upper West Side’s tallest tower

All renderings courtesy of Recent Spaces

May 15, 2024

50 West 66th Street is officially the Upper West Side’s tallest tower

The Upper West Side has a new tallest tower. This week the residential skyscraper 50 West 66th Street reached its pinnacle height of 775 feet, officially taking the title from its 52-story tower neighbor 200 Amsterdam. Developed by Extell Development Company, the building includes 127 condominium units and 50,000 square feet of amenities.
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Japan Parade returns to NYC this weekend

Photo courtesy of 7beachbum on Flickr

May 9, 2024

Japan Parade returns to NYC this weekend

A parade dedicated to Japanese culture is returning to New York City for its third year. On Saturday, May 11, the Japan Parade kicks off at 1 p.m. on Central Park West and West 81st Street and heads south to 68th Street. The parade will feature live music, martial arts, traditional dance and drum performances, appearances by prominent Japanese organizations, and more.
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Events & Things To Do

$14M penthouse atop landmarked Astor building has pre-war details and palatial private terrace

Renderings courtesy of Binyan Studios

April 17, 2024

$14M penthouse atop landmarked Astor building has pre-war details and palatial private terrace

A new penthouse perched above a 120-year-old Upper West Side residential building checks all the boxes. As one of three modern penthouses added to the historic Astor condominium, this residence offers pre-war-inspired details with modern conveniences, expansive living space, and over 1,700 square feet of private outdoor space. The exclusive five-bedroom duplex recently hit the market for $13,950,000; 6sqft got a first look at the home's incredible interiors and terrace space.
see inside

Distinctive Homes

Double turreted condo in a Central Park West castle is a quirky NYC dream home for $10.5M

All photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

April 5, 2024

Double turreted condo in a Central Park West castle is a quirky NYC dream home for $10.5M

In a city of unique homes, a condo in this landmarked castle on Central Park West may take the cake. Constructed in a spectacular French Renaissance style, the brick building with majestic turrets at 455 Central Park West opened in the late 1880s as the first cancer hospital in the country. After a later notorious stint as a nursing home, the building sat vacant for decades before becoming a luxury condominium in the early aughts. One of the units is now on the market for $10,500,000, offering circular rooms, a Central Park-facing terrace, and a fascinating history.
more on this manhattan castle

Distinctive Homes

For $8.85M, a condo with Central Park and Manhattan skyline views from every room

Photo credit: Allyson Lubow for Corcoran

April 3, 2024

For $8.85M, a condo with Central Park and Manhattan skyline views from every room

Want priceless views of Central Park and the Manhattan skyline? It will cost you $8,850,000. Every room of this newly available corner condo unit at the Deutsche Bank Center at 25 Columbus Circle, provides front-row urban and park vistas, high above it all. Sprawling and sunny, the 67th-floor apartment measures 2,400 square feet and contains three bedrooms.
views and more views

Distinctive Homes

Unidentified photographer, Manhattan: the Hippodrome, Sixth Avenue between, 43rd Street and 44th Street, 1905. Patricia D. Klingenstein Library, New-York Historical Society

April 2, 2024

New-York Historical Society exhibit looks back at NYC’s lost landmarks

A new installation at the New-York Historical Society explores the forgotten places that once defined New York City. The installation, called "Lost New York," brings to life the city's lost landmarks, including the original Penn Station, the Croton Reservoir, the Chinese Theater, and river bathhouses, through more than 90 items from the museum's collections and first-hand accounts from community voices. On view from April 19 through September 29, the museum is launching a new pay-as-you-wish program on Friday evenings from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. to coincide with the new exhibition.
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Lincoln Center taps design team to make Amsterdam Ave side of campus accessible ‘performance park’

Along 62nd Street looking north toward Damrosch Park. Photo by Lawrence Sumulong.

March 4, 2024

Lincoln Center taps design team to make Amsterdam Ave side of campus accessible ‘performance park’