Park West Village

A nice place to live, but the apartments are overpriced to the quality of the building.

I disagree. I think Park West Village has tremendous value. They are unattractive buildings on the outside, with spacious apartments, great views, unbelievable closet space, balconies and amenities.

http://nychousewhisperer.blogspot.com/2009/01/park-west-village-and-tale-of-two.html

They're not THAT spacious for the price.

And as far as design, they are typical boring, humdrum, postwar shoeboxes with uninspired floorplans.

I agree somewhat with Nan. The apartments are set up nicely with big windows and many with terraces. But the buildings themselves are shabby. The hallways decrepit. Elevators very slow. And heating and air conditioning outdated. So they are not, by any means, million dollar apartments. Still, a very nice $600 to $700 psf apartments.

listings for apartments at this building and 400 are increasing to close to $1000 psf. Any thoughts about this?

We have a junior four converted to a 2 bedroom on the first floor that we're selling for about $900 per sf. For an established full service condo with low monthlies I can't think of too many condos that can compare.

http://www.randny.com/listings.cfm?ListingID=305318&ListingSource=RPL&PropType=S

There's a lot of value in these buildings which are well located with parking, a great gym, playroom, community room and full time doorman.

We saw an OH at 400 CPW, part of Park West two weeks ago. http://streeteasy.com/nyc/sale/489051-condo-400-central-park-west-upper-west-side-new-york. 2Bed/2 Bath 1200 square feet. It's $1,165 a foot. We liked the unit because the view over CP, however, the unit I felt could use updates, kitchen had formica, cheap cabinets, and sears cheap appliances installed a couple of years ago and the bathrooms we're just ok, not high quality. Late 80's early 90's Home Depot Reno on Bathrooms. That being said, 392 CPW, also part of Park West, http://streeteasy.com/nyc/sale/495429-condo-392-central-park-west-upper-west-side-new-york, has a gorgeous renovation, ready to move in. 3 Bed/3 Bath 1875 square feet, $850 a foot. No major CP View, but all the views are city views, over the neighboring roof tops, no brick wall views here. That being said, is the 2Bed/2Bath view of CP from one window and one terrace worth $400,000, if both units were compared equal at $850 a foot? CC and Taxes are very cheap in Park West so if you amortize that over 30 years, the units should command an ok Price per square foot. These two units referenced here, face north over 100th street. I lived at 107 and CPW for 3 months when I first moved to NYC, in 2002. Wasn't that pleasant of an area, maybe it's changed, but I really don't think so. There's a big bldg on the corner of 110 and CPW and they would be hard pressed to get $750 a foot.

Wow...those are some extremely pink walls. Nice apartment, but...wow.

Pink Walls, are you talking about the 1800 square foot unit? If so, check out this link to realtor site: http://www.halstead.com/detail.aspx?id=972617 I'm seeing green walls. Either one of us is color blind or your monitor has to be adjusted. Cheers

Nope -- talking about NShipley's place. (Your comment slipped in before mine.) His walls are definitely pink.

I've rented in PWV for almost a decade. I would've thought we'd have bought long ago, but the economy has kept us here and will probably do so until we see some more decline in the sales market.

Pros: Proximity to park, view (if and only if your apartment faces the park; looking out over the projects is ugly and over 97th Street is loud), doormen, fitness room in building, outdoor space (which we really don't need because of, yes, the park), proximity to Whole Foods and other stores, and to subway.

Cons: Demarcation point between nicer neigborhood south of 100th Street and the projects (apartments which face north on to 100th Street will see and hear lots of folks--sometimes clearly inebriated--hanging out on the corner), the elevators are glacially slow (be prepared to invest an extra five minutes commuting time if you rely on the elevator), thin walls, mediocre construction.

Nice to rent, but we won't buy here. Overpriced for above factors.

I agree with rlm. They are nice, middle income apartments that recently have become "luxury" even though they were never meant to be "$1,000 psf. Better to rent than own there.

I recently looked at a got renovated 1 br apt that they are asking 900 psf. Does that seem overpriced?

We just dropped the price of 1B to $730,000, which is $869 per sf.There isn't a lot in PWV at that price.

$869 per square foot is too high for a first floor apartment (no terrace). Other apartments on higher floors with terraces have sold for that amount. Do not just look at the asking prices, look at what is actually selling.

372 is the best location of the four PWV buildings and it's been upgraded year by year as wealthier people have been moving in, while common charges are still held low. The apartments are big, with great closet space, and some have big balconies. It was designed by the renowned firm S.O.M., so even though some may think it's not beautiful on the outside - it actually has a pedigree. The lobby in 372 was redone beautifully a few years ago. Everyone in the building knows the hallways are overdue for a refresh, so I'm sure that will happen soon. It's hard to beat this building for value in terms of living on CPW, and it's also nice having the subway at the front of the building. New construction all along CPW, up to 110th, have pushed prices up; also the new retail shopping on Columbus Ave. at 97th has been great.

PWVer -- do you think that 372 is a relatively quiet building, or a relatively loud one? For example, are the walls thin, and do people...you know, practice the tuba at 3am or that sort of thing? RLM mentioned thin walls -- how thin are we talking?

(And is the elevator really that slow?)

Bob, I seriously can hear people sneezing next door, as well as anything going on in the hallway. As for the elevators, imagine two elevators for two hundred apartments. Now picture one elevator for the lot during recycling collection, move-ins, etc.

392 CPW is the best bang for your buck of all the west village buildings. There's a sense of calm when walking out of the building, which you don't get in most locations in the city. It's very spacious and monthly parking is convenient and reasonable. Also street parking is usually a cinch to find. Yes there's a long wait list for the parking space in the back, but it's perk if you can get one. It's half the price monthly than at the garage. It's great location both to get dowtown in twenty minutes or into new jersey the same time driving. As you can tell I like this location a lot because it's so convenient if you have a car.

nshipley, it looks like your first floor offering went for a price that is very cost effective to the buyer. I have had experience living many years on low floors and really enjoy not be dependent on the elevator. And the property taxes on these condos are insanely low.

i'm considering renting there...the prices are good, renovated kitchens, bathrooms.

Per Chance, if someone lives (Specifically) in 10C through 20C at 372 CPW and was entertaining the thought of selling, well you might have a buyer here. Best Regards,

I'm considering buying a 1BR here and converting it to 2br but then there'd only be an a/c in one of the created rooms. Does anyone who lives there know if the buildings (especially 400) allow for putting in a second thru the wall a/c? Or any comments with those experienced converting a 1BR into a 2BR at Park West would be welcome.

I had a recent client purchase a studio next to their current apartment there and combine it. The super is very helpful, he is the one to ask first and then confirm what he says with the managing agent.

Keith Burkhardt
The Burkhardt Group

I know somebody who had a 1 bedroom there. Not a bad size. She lived there alone.
She insisted on buying the studio next door and combining. That was in 2002 or so.
She didn't even need the extra room. I told her not to do it.

Now she's barely covering with renting it out.
I would ask her to comment on here but she works in financial and she got transfered to China.

Thank you, Keith. I'll do that.

392 and 400 are becoming way overpriced now due to the higher value new buildings on Columbus that enclose the complex. 392 is in severe need of renovations and upgrades to be compatible with the other buildings at PWV. Everything stated in previous comments are true - poor heating and cooling, old, drab hallways, slow elevators, and paper-thin walls/ceiling - we can not only hear people sneezing but also walking across the floor upstairs, closing doors and yes, even going to the bathroom! Management has gone thru many shifts over the past few years and priorities often not what they should be. If you hear hammering, loud noises or loud parties going on at 1am, don't expect the management to do anything about it, even though we have noise restrictions in the evenings and weekends listed in the building rules!
And 392 and 382 are adjacent to the new buildings on Columbus - now people can look directly into windows so the complex has lost it's more "suburban" spacing between buildings.
On the plus side, there are "some" units that have been nicely renovated and upgraded but even with larger closets and windows, the units are in general, over-priced for 100th Street, especially those units facing north towards the public housing. The buildings of PWV cannot (and should not) compete in price with the new, high-amenity buildings on Columbus.

A lot has changed since the above comments. Most of the arts begin at $1400 sq ft and go up from there. 382 has all it's public spaces were fully renovated a few years ago.

The Board President & Cronies appointed by Frank Pappa have been the Worst Board President of the Vaux Condominium. They have broken the laws of the condo rules and laws many times and have waisted valuable funds that unit owners had the right to vote on. The BOARD PRESIDENT - FRANK PAPPA - has a stranglehold on the other board members. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW! Must be removed and as a result of unit values are declining and is trying to instigate unnecessary repairs are absolutely unnecessary. Little to no maintenance on balconies. Pappa doesn't even respond to unit owners and building is run by clowns such as himself and others. NEEDS TO BE REMOVED!!!