Currently living down in BPC with wife and infant. We've been renting a 2-bedroom in a new construction condo. Gotten kind of accustomed to the convenience and shine of a new and well-maintained building (e.g., central air, nice kitchen, etc.). But looking to move to West 80s/90s for personal reasons. Money won't go as far there, but looking for suggestions on nicer buildings in that neck of the woods--doesn't necessarily need to be new construction and can be a rental building. Looking for a 2-bedroom rental but would not be adverse to a purchase at right price. Any insights/suggestions much appreciated.

The Lyric is great, but expensive. 94th and B'way.

Hubby and I live in the West 90s, and one flaw of that beautiful Edwardian housing stock is that climate control is not modern. For newer buildings I like the Bromley - a condo where the owners sometimes sublet - on West 83, but it's pricey.

ali r.
DG Neary Realty

All the nice stuff there is pricey. I lived in the Melar on West 93rd. Awesome location and really nice units. Columbus Square is a bit higher up and super modern, but crazy crazy pricing. There are also the Archstone units which are fairly reasonble but no washer / dryer. The non-rental buildings tend to be pre-war, although there are some really nice renovated ones that come up all the time.

ali - does your "hubby" call you "the little woman"?

Would you EVER, in actual conversation, with live human beings, refer to your husband as your "hubby"?

ph41--I do even worse. I occasionally say 'hubs'. In actual conversation. Much to the chagrin of my friends.

ali - actually "hubs" doesn't make me gag nearly as much as "hubby"

Well, my 'hubs' calls me 'the wife' so I guess we're somewhat even...

If he ever starts calling me 'the old lady' things gonna get real ugly in a hurry.

The Lyric (255 west 94)

51 west 86

101 west 90

Columbus Square (808 Columbus Ave and 805 Columbus Ave)

Columbus Square will be the most expensive but the nicest, followed by The Lyric, and then the others.

PH41, "hubby" is my internet shorthand for my husband when people don't know him. In the vice-versa situation, he just uses "harridan."

{*grin*}

ali - why can't you just say "husband" even on the internet? 5 letters shorter is that important? PLEASE!!!

sorry - 2 letters shorter

The two classiest rental buildings in the area, are West River House at 424 West End and the Montana on Broadway at 88th.

Uwsbeagle, the Lyric has tiny rooms, not just expensive. It doesn't hold a candle to West River house and the Montana. and why would someone want to rent, at a condo, albeit, the Bromley is a fabulous building, in a great location, but West River House is superior in location, and has many apts with fabulous views, given it's location looking south over Zabar's and north over B&N. and a postwar war rental on WE at 81st. Unique and highly desirable. Ditto the Montana. I hear 393 West End has been sold. Wondering what the plans are for that building, corner 79.

Gaongaon, I've lived in the Lyric twice (2003-2004 & 2009-2011). The Lyric has generously sized rooms depending on the layout and price-point and is, in my opinion, par for a late 90's rental construction. On my second go-around, I found some of the finishes and appliances tired and dated but the overall "product" was satisfactory. It is still light-years ahead of 323 W 96 Street (Hudson Park) which is a P.O.S. construction of the worst quality I've ever seen. And that location sucks. I considered WR House but found the rooms smaller than the Lyric (based on the unit I saw - maybe you had larger rooms). To me, Lyric location and WR House location is a wash given proximity to Zabar's/Citarella of one vs. proximity to Whole Foods / Express 96 stop of other.

How can you possibly consider the locations of 94th corner broadway, and 81st and west end , a wash?
Hands down, (and frankly i now live closer to the Lyric than WRH), but West End and 81st, is, THE perfect location. Shopping, food, transportation. and it's practically on Broadway, but isn't. Only problem is that they have been doing condo level renovations, really high end, to many, but not all apts, and the price has risen accordingly. I bet you could still get a one bedroom with a view for under 3500. The Sagamore, over on Amsterdam is not bad, but is sorely lacking in closets. Nice thing about all of these post war rentals, is that there is no broker's fee. another saving.

Personally, I'd rather live on 94th and Broadway than on 81st and West End. I like the neighborhood better, and it's closer to the 2/3 trains.

We are in the 90s. No charm but major convenience with shopping and subways.

Riverside Drive all the way up to Sakura park(Grant's Tomb) is great.

Proximity to express train at 96th and Central Park and Riverside tennis courts trumps all other UWS locations for me.

What is your budget? I have some recommendations. You might want to rent directly from an owner. That's what we did

Thanks everyone--very helpful. I was hoping to be somewhere in 5.5K-6.5K. I haven't seen any of the West River House units, but close to 8K for a 2-bedroom seems absurd. I would also most likely be looking for a 2-year lease and would probably be starting lease during non-peak season (i.e., late 2012 or early 2013).

I would also be willing to extend a bit south -- down into mid to high 70s.

hopkins10 - I've rented at 780 WEA (pre-war condo on 98th and WE) for a couple years and love it. There is a 2br/2ba listed there for 5,500. I haven't personally seen the unit so i can't speak for it. But in terms of everything else (convenient location to parks and subway, well kept building, and nice/helpful building staff), it's been really great.

(PS - longtime SE follower, but am a new poster as i wanted to provide you my input...just wanted to throw that out there as I thought my "Posts: 1" would raise some eyebrows among this crowd).