OVERVIEW

BUILDING FEATURES

APARTMENT FEATURES

Elegant, pre-war buildings along the boulevards of Broadway, West End Avenue, Riverside Drive, and Central Park West meet shady, quiet streets lined with brownstones. Much of the area is protected by landmark status, and the neighborhood's restored townhouses and high-priced co-op apartments are coveted by actors, young professionals, and young families. It is primarily an upscale residential neighborhood. The apartment buildings along Central Park West, facing the park, are some of the most exclusive apartments in New York, if not the world. The Dakota at 72nd St. has been home to numerous celebrities including John Lennon. Other famous buildings include the San Remo, Eldorado, Beresford and Majestic on Central Park West all built by Emory Roth, and along Broadway, the Apthorp and the Ansonia Hotel.

A major appeal of the Upper West Side is its proximity to Central Park, which runs for 50 city blocks from 59th to 110th Street and encompasses 843 acres, and to Riverside Park, whose western border starts at 72nd street and extends into Upper Manhattan. Central Park is an oasis of green in the middle of New York City with over 800 acres of scenic views, playgrounds and ponds. It's a great place if you want to take a break from the busy city. There are bike and jogging trails, athletic fields, and a Boathouse. You can even find a skating rink. A haven for Rollerbladers, dog lovers, joggers, and cyclists, Central Park also offers entertainment and activities year-round for children and adults. During the summer, Shakespeare is performed in the Delacorte Theater and free events occur all summer long at the Central Park Summer-stage. Children can enjoy the Wildlife Center, the Tisch Children's Zoo, the Carousel, and the Swedish Cottage, where puppeteers perform.

Lincoln Center, located at West 62nd through West 66th streets is the country's foremost performing arts center, offering live orchestral music, ballet, opera, and theater, and is home to the New York Ballet Company and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. It is also home to the New York State Theater, the New York City Opera, the Metropolitan Opera House, Avery Fisher Hall, the Vivian Beaumont Theater, Jazz At Lincoln Center, the Library and Museum of the Performing Arts, Alice Tully Hall for chamber music, and the world-famous Julliard School of Music. The Walter Reade Theater is the home of the center's film society. Its central plaza is the focus of summer outdoor performances of all kinds and dance nights.

The American Museum of Natural History, located at Central Park West and 81st Street, is one of the largest and most important museums in the world. The museum is situated on four blocks and owns nearly 40 million specimens, including the mesmerizing giant mounted skeletons of dinosaurs. The famous Hayden Planetarium, long a part of the Museum of Natural History, has been newly renovated and renamed The Rose Center for Earth and Space. In the area surrounding the museum, buildings and homes are being restored, refurbished, and renovated, and old residences are giving way to brand-new apartment towers. Most streets are tree lined and quiet where you will find brownstones, townhouses and pre-war buildings. Modern high-rises are usually found on the avenues.

Stroll along Columbus Avenue to investigate the glitzy boutique-and-restaurant strip; walk along Amsterdam Avenue with its mix of bodegas, bars, and boutiques. Dining choices include two of the city's most beautiful restaurants - the romantic Caf des Artiste and fantastical Tavern on the Green, plus a mind-boggling variety of cafs and restaurants along Columbus Avenue, serving everything from deli sandwiches to burritos to haute cuisine.