Morningside Heights in the high 90's low 100's

This link has numerous articles on the condo market up that way on both sides of Morningside Park.
http://tinyurl.com/mk9g69
Good luck! Happy hunting!

That's a great area. Can't say anything bad about it...except parking if that applies. West of B'way from 96th to 110th is one of the best kept secrets. Even the name of the neighborhood eludes people. It's Bloomingdale. It's not Morningside Hts, which is north of 110. And it's not Manhattan Valley, which is East of Broadway.

@HLDC: the last person to call that area Bloomingdale was Peter Stuyvesant!
From 96th to 110th is still prime Upper West Side if you have kids. Without kids, it is sort of a sleepy area and you might like the 60s, 70s, or 80s better.
In terms of Manhattan Valley, there is a new Whole Foods there which has spruced up the otherwise dreary surroundings. http://tinyurl.com/mlr363

Been living near 110th for the past 5 years - I've never heard the term Bloomingdale to describe the nearby area. We personally enjoy amsterdam between 96th and 110th, but that entire area is going to change significantly once that gigantic new development is finished. WEA and riverside drive are very nice as well. The entire area is very nice - but I could never afford to live down there. Parking is incredibly tough down there, especially on sundays with museum traffic.

moved from columbus in the 80s to the area. so much better where we are at now,as we have young kids.

buildings are almost exclusively large pre-war which is preferable. less commercial traffic on wea and rvsd than columbus. bway from 100 to columbia univ is as nice as any area on uws for restaurants, shops, etc. riverside park is imho better for the kids than central park, except for the crazy stairs! one negative is that private school is really a must in this area for the earlier years.

good luck...

I live in the area and it has everything that the more southern end of the UWS has. Riverside park is very wide up there and sometimes you can actually not hear the highway. Restaurants are good, also. One note of caution is that Broadway & Amsterdam between 96 & 100 can be a little scary at times. The area has way more than it's share of shelters & halfway houses and no amount of gentrification will change that. I know people in the Ariel buildings that are not happy at the freakshow that's always happening in front of their door step.

Crashwait: I think that's one of several reasons to favor Ariel West over Ariel East.

I like the area a lot. Heck, I was conceived there (TMI, perhaps). That said, UUWS traded at a steep discount to prime UWS for a long, long time. The gap narrowed between 2003 and 2007, partly because the neighborhood improved, but also because too much money was chasing inadequate supply south of 96th. The tide seems to have turned; so anyone buying up there should be aware of the resale risk and the high potential for buyer's remorse.

@Columbus: I guess you're right but I just can't stand when people call the area 'Manhattan Valley.'

In addition to the width of Riverside Park in this area, there are public red clay tennis courts in the park that are very well maintained. They may be the best public courts in Manhattan. It's like having a little piece of Roland Garros in New York. As I said earlier about the neighborhood...best kept secret.

Love it, one of my favorite parts of the UWS. My partner has vetoed repeated suggestions on my part to move up there. It just feels more relaxed than lower UWS, almost village-like.

I love the area too, though it can feel a bit sketchy at night once you're off the main thoroughfare of B'way. WEA and RSD are very quiet and completely residential, which is great in many ways but they can feel pretty desolate at night, especially in the colder months. Crime's been relatively low in recent years but the downturn has some residents concerned things could turn south again.

And, speaking of cold--the Hudson river packs quite a wallop in the winter--if you live on the Drive, and even WEA to a certain extent, be prepared for lots of whistling wind and rattling windows and bone-chilling walks from the subway.

Wow this is GREAT! Thanks everyone for your terrific comments. I'm sure I will find the perfect place in time--The architecture is perfection and I love the quietness of the neighborhood. Not worried about the a possible downturn affecting the neighborhood--Columbia is a mighty Northern Barrier! I walked up to 137th street over the weekend (during the day) and even thats safe now. The economic situation is a blip (it could be a blip of 2-3 years) but too much has been invested in that area for any real downturn.

I LOVE the area. It's filled with great schools, interesting stores and restaurants.I think that some of the best RSD buildings can be found north of 96th street....
http://nychousewhisperer.blogspot.com/2009/02/manhattan-valley.html

how many listings do you currently have in the area?

Once it's completed, the rebuilt 96th Street subway station is going to be very nice. ADA compliant, plus more greenery in the street's median. It's an express stop, and the area of B'way and 96th will look so much better at street level once the station is fully operational in its new state. Currently the station is a dump (even pre-construction) especially the 96th Street entrances/exits. 94th Street entrances/exits are better -- fewer stairs, none of that going up/down and going back down/up business from the platform.

Riverside Park is more wide in this vicinity, very true, I love the choices of where to walk -- river side, promenade level (dog runs, gardens, sports fields/counts, playgrounds) or outer periphery and hearing the birds tweeting (b/c you're nearer the tops of trees) or the islands with dirt paths, statuary, lovely blooming plants (thanks volunteers!). To me it's "prime" Riverside Park in the 90s and 100s. My girlfriend who lives at 87th and Broadway says that it is only in the past couple of years that the park in this area has gotten this nice and well-maintained with signage (for NYC Greenway). It feels undiscovered, a lot of people don't know about it, when I talk about it.

still wondering about listings in the area. do you have any?

We moved to the neighborhood so our kids could walk to school (and have their own bedrooms so they would stop killing each other) The playgrounds in Riverside Park are great, although as others have noted, Riverside Drive in winter is WINDY and kind of dark. West End has so many doormen I have always felt safe at any time of day or night. The little Bloomingdale branch (ahem) of the public library has a friendly, homey kids' room too.

Actually, CC, I have no current listings in the area. I recently closed on 325 RSD (105th) and 258 RSD (98th).

>>I walked up to 137th street over the weekend (during the day) and even thats safe now. The economic situation is a blip (it could be a blip of 2-3 years) but too much has been invested in that area for any real downturn.<<

Your enthusiasm is very sweet but is also quite naive. "Walking up to 137th" is indeed 'safe' and pretty on a beautiful early summer day, but isn't always so friendly at night.

As for the so-called 'blip' of an economic downturn--please don't delude yourself into thinking it will only last 2-3 years. Areas above 96th (and especially those above 116th) will very likely see some major changes for the worse before things get better again. This is not to say they won't be livable, but they may not be as 'safe' as you seem to think.

Not sure what you mean by the vaguely racist description of Columbia as a "northern barrier", but again, the comment comes across as somewhat naive and clueless. If crime rates rise Columbia won't be able to do much about it but keep its gates locked and guarded as was necessary in the 70s and early 80s.

Bottom line--it sounds like you're just starting out and haven't done much more than briefly wander around the neighborhoods you've mentioned. Make sure to do LOTS of research before jumping into any purchase, or perhaps consider renting in the area before committing to buy.

Squid, did you really need to essentially call the poster stupid and a racist? They asked a question and were looking for people to be helpful. Leave the insults to people who ask for them - there are plenty on this board as it is.

starfish--

I responded to the poster's comments. Which happen to be somewhat naive (not stupid--that's your word). And yes, the Columbia quip is indeed vaguely racist and also rather naive. The OP asked for advice from residents of a particular neighborhood. Well, I am such a resident and have replied accordingly.

These are not insults, nor are they meant to be personal attacks. They are simply my responses to the OP's post.

You started off you response by saying "Your enthusiasm is very sweet but is also quite naive." Are you really sticking with your claim that that is not an insult or a personal attack? And calling somebody's post "vaguely racist" is the same as calling them racist, whether you believe it or not. So, the next time somebody calls you "sweet, but naive" and "vaguely racist," I hope you get a chuckle out of it - as I think most people would not. You could have answered the question just as well without the comments.

Squid: ""Walking up to 137th" is indeed 'safe' and pretty on a beautiful early summer day, but isn't always so friendly at night." ... 'always' is a very big word. But what is your basis for this statement. Certainly it's a creepy and isolated walk under the IRT bridge, but that doesn't necessarily translate to crime.

Additionally, I don't see the racist element in "northern barrier" ... clearly Columbia is a distinct area-defining entity in a narrow continuum of blocks (betw. the parks), so one would expect a different character to the areas north and south of it. Add to that the Stalinist projects and ex-limited equity housing blocks, the IRT bridge, and the commercial zoning, and Columbia clearly marks a norther barrier to the mix of prewar mostly-residential neighborhoods that define the two or three miles to the south of it.

I do agree with you that Columbia has no magic powers against crime or urban blight, as is clear from the steep decline in Morningside Heights in the 1960s and 1970s.

Starfish,

I am not interested in engaging in a word-by-word analysis of my post. My comments stand. They are not intended to be hurtful to you or anyone else. If they have caused you offense you are free to use the ignore button.

battle of the sea creatures ;)

>>battle of the sea creatures ;)<<

Ah, yes. Would that I were a giant squid from the depths of the ocean, able to do battle with blue whales and orcas! But alas, I'm only a wee calamari and must take my lumps from starfish and other creatures my own size.

>> ""Walking up to 137th" is indeed 'safe' and pretty on a beautiful early summer day, but isn't always so friendly at night." ... 'always' is a very big word. But what is your basis for this statement. Certainly it's a creepy and isolated walk under the IRT bridge, but that doesn't necessarily translate to crime.<<

Alan, I'm assuming, perhaps incorrectly, that you're a man. Try the same walk at night as a woman and you'll see what I mean by not 'always so friendly'.

>>Additionally, I don't see the racist element in "northern barrier" ... clearly Columbia is a distinct area-defining entity in a narrow continuum of blocks (betw. the parks), so one would expect a different character to the areas north and south of it.<<

But the poster is not talking about the "northern barrier" as an 'area defining entity', he's suggesting it will somehow protect the nabe immediately south during a potential downturn-driven blight. And a 'barrier' is by definition a blockade, which begs the question--who exactly is this so-called 'barrier' intended to keep out? The Huns, perhaps?

Parts of UWS used to be heavily Central European, so Huns would be a good guess.

"Try the same walk at night as a woman" ... difficult. I guess I could fake it, but I don't have the wardrobe. But more seriously, among the women I know, there's a vast range of comfort levels for that sort of isolated environment, and for the arrested-development catcalls that I assume you're referring to. So again, it comes down to actual crime. Perhaps I'm wrong about actual crime in that zone.

Morningside Heights is NYC's best kept secret...even though its not much of a secret anymore. I moved to the area 14 years ago from the UES, and I would not live anywhere else. You have everything, Riverside Park, Central Park, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Columbia University, Riverside Church, great restaurants and bars. It really is the best of everything, while maitaining a laid back relaxed feel, open, wide sidwalks--unlike the UES. As a broker, I rent and sell quite alot in the area, people that know the area, want to be here. Morningside Heigts - north of 110th from RSD to Morninside Drive up to 125h Street.

nice way to slide it in....so is it a secret or isn't it?

how about cpw in the 60's for $400 a square foot? would you live there?

Mlj1962, in a few years this area will be very expensive (reasonable money moving up from UES and lower UWS zip codes). The buildings are beautiful, and right now you simply get more for your dollar.
Squid: why do you feel it's OK to patronize the OP?

> From 96th to 110th is still prime Upper West Side if you have kids.

and don't own a map.

I guess when you realtors say Manhattan Valley has great schools you mean private schools... because the public ones are clearly subpar.

As to the area "being very expensive in a few years" that comment is simply incomprehensible. It could mean:

a) it's already very expensive (just like the rest of freakin'Manhattan after 10 years of bubblicious increases that are falling off a cliff as we speak)
b) it will become very expensive (as in go up from where it is, meaning "buy now or be priced out forever") LMAO
c) something else

we could always ask the kind realtor to explain, I'm sure his/her reasoning is based on lots of factual information and research and not just vested interest.

i think maryann is sulking along with carolst. continues to be a lot of brokers coming out of their hidey holes.

Trompiloco, I'm by no means a broker of anything, including RE. And my opinion means as much as yours, no?

Have to add that I live in 10024, so no vested interest either.
Stressing the point that ALL opinions are presumed equal, unless proven otherwise.

beholder, i'd also add my curiosity as to why you think morningside heights will increase in price? i love the area, but it has seen some of the greatest appreciation rates in recent years, and lacks the school options found further south.

i don't find the area dangerous at all at any time, comparatively. i'm sure there are some blocks i'd avoid, but that's true anywhere.

Trompiloco: "I guess when you realtors say Manhattan Valley has great schools you mean private schools... because the public ones are clearly subpar."

A strong argument can be made that the Delta program at MS 54 Booker T Washington Middle School on 107th St. is the best junior high school in the city. Their placement record of students into the city's top high schools is quite impressive.

ar, it's not Morningside Heights, as was stated by someone else (Bloomingdale?) For all intents and purposes, that are has no clear name.
I think it will increase in price because you get more house for the same money now, and as other zip codes, already overpriced, don't hold the same space/price ratio, this area is still under the radar. Once it gets on the radar, and it's on its way there, the prices will go up. It's still underpriced, because, I think, only people steeped in Manhattan (reed: New yorkers) know that it's not on the moon.

Bloomingdale is the dip between Upper West Side and Morningside Heights, literally as well as every other way. There's a stream that flows down the (fairly steep) hill @ 96th Street. Morningside Heights will continue to come up (figuratively -- I'm not much of a geologist) because Columbia figured out about 10 years ago that suburban parents want their kids to go to college in a place that's more mall-like than gritty-urban. The east side of Columbia, along actual Morningside Park is gorgeous too... but a bit dark at night -- definitely a cab-after-midnight area.

It used to be called Szechuan Valley.

I've lived in many different neighborhoods in NYC in the 20 years I've been here so dont think I'm at all naive about any of these things--as the NICE people on here pointed out, all I was looking for was some feedback from people who live/have lived in that neighborhood, nothing more. The reference to Columbia just meant that the neighborhood would not deteriorate as Columbia is a huge presence North of where I'd be. If that in any way came off as racist, my apologies.

Everyone is welcome in my new neighborhood--except Squid who seems to be a rather unpleasant fellow :-)

Anyone else in this neighborhood want to add their impression of how they like it? What's your FAVORITE thing about RSD in the 90's or 100's?

How quiet it is, the little islands with dirt paths that separate Lower Riverside Drive from Upper Riverside Drive, access to the river, the forever wild sanctuary. There's a real peacefulness there in the streets that doesn't exist in prime UWS.

I agree with emmapup. It's a serene, family-friendly neighborhood. Much less frenetic than further south in the UWS. That said, it's not sleepy. There are lots of Columbia students and 20-somethings wondering around that give the area a good and real energy.

Thanks emmapup and flatironnj. I've walked through that Forever Wild part of Riverside Park--its beautiful!!!

MH is the nicest part of Manhattan in many respects. Both Riverside and Morningside Park are very nice and the neighborhood is alive and very convenient to live in.
It only takes 40 mins to get downtown...or you can take the 1 train uptown to some place in Washington Heights and then catch it down to reach your destination at Chambers in only 30 mins from Washington Heights

Mjh1962, I can attest to the fact that if you live in West End Avenue in the 100s you will not have to wait long for a taxi in any weather. The taxi service on the last few blocks on WEA are phenomenal because the taxis turn off Broadway onto WEA; there is a constant stream of yellow taxis.

A very favorite place of mine is at Broadway and West 105th at Silver Moon Bakery. When the guy gets the giant paddle with the 4-5' handle and takes a batch of baguettes out of the oven, I think I have died and gone to Paris. French baguettes right out of the oven or still warm, honestly, where else can you find that?

Thanks Emmapup--I LOVE Silver Moon it is a little slice of fresh baked heaven! Their sandwiches and everything else are good too. I was up in the neighborhood today looking at a place on 104th St--I hope I get it as MSH is now my favorite neighborhood. As far as I can tell it only needs one thing to be perfect--a movie theater :)

We just closed on 98th (b/w Riverside and West End) and are moving up in about a month. Will post then -- everybody come say hi!

ali r.
{downtown broker}

very nice front_porch congratulations!!

Oh poor you, front_porch living so close to Riverside Park including one of those little dirt islands with the firemen memorial. So low class why don't they pave over it and open a Citarella ? All those birds chirping in the trees that line the block. It's a huge mistake. The noise will keep you up all the time! It will be unbearable! And the hills, oh you will really be regretting the climb up and down them. Your legs, how will they forgive you? And you have to walk 2 short blocks to a bodega ? And there is an express train at 96th Street? Well, certainly that is a huge hit to your property value. No one wants to live above 96th Street for good reason, I'm surprised as a real estate agent you don't get it.

You know I'm kidding!

Ali, nice to have a talented broker in this charming neighborhood. You'll be arriving just in time for the Whole Foods at 97th Street.

I saw where a W Hotel marketing exec recently bought on WEA in the low 100s.

I've been here, more or less for 26 years and it sure has improved a lot over the years.

When is the Whole Foods coming to 97th St? 97th and what avenue? More and more people keep "mentioning" this nrighborhood to me. Is it about to be the next "It" Neighborhood?

It's Columbus and 97th. Go take a look and report back about your thoughts on the "it" factor.