upper west side studio - 55 west 88th

This UWS studio oozes with classic brownstone character.

Studio apartments are sometimes cold and utilitarian — small white boxes into which you cram as much as you can. If you’re lucky, your studio is either cheap enough or in a good enough location to make the trade-off worth it. That’s what makes this Upper West Side studio such a score: It’s dripping in gorgeous brownstone detail, less than a block from Central Park in a highly desirable neighborhood, and somehow still $200 below Manhattan’s median rental price for a studio apartment.

Address: 55 W. 88th St. #2F

Price: $2,400

Size: studio

Neighborhood: Upper West Side

Best feature: Just look at this place! The windows, the woodwork, the built-ins, the fireplace, the floor inlays — we can’t choose just one feature. And while these details are pretty breathtaking, the fact that it’s all on a tree-lined stretch of brownstones just half a block away from Central Park is the icing on the prewar cake.

Why it’s a deal: A monthly rent of $2,400 is not cheap, per se, but this is a primo location we’re talking about: The median rent for an Upper West Side studio apartment is actually $2,480, and it’s $2,600 for Manhattan overall. That makes this listing a good deal by both neighborhood and borough standards.

Upper West Side Rentals Under $3,000 Article continues below

Biggest drawback: Let’s talk about the kitchen. It is…well, it’s a little bit sad, especially in comparison to the opulent look of the main living space. If you’re an avid cook or looking for high-end appliances, this is not the apartment for you. And the listing does not show a floor plan, so the size and usefulness of the lofted area is a bit unclear. But overall? Wow.

See the listing: 55 W. 88th St. #2F, listed by Michael Sieger of Sotheby’s.


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