Riverside Blvd

weather -- can be brutal in winter with wind off the river howling through the bluffs; canyon of West End sometimes intensifies blizzard effect

furry friends -- not talking about squirrels, rats are a problem. I watched a rat in broad daylight go from door to door on Riverside checking out if there were large enough cracks to slip into. trick or treating?

dog poo in Riverside Park -- sure there are runs (not enough), but the border strips are an unholy filthy place to play with kids or let them walk on. whenever i see people in the summer stretched out soaking up the rays i wonder if they are aware of the poo they are relaxing on.

commutes -- the closer you are to an express stop, the less annoying the commute can be

parking -- am assuming you don't have a car that needs parking in the street

sunsets -- well, they are great! enjoy!

There's a supermarket right there on Freedom place, along with a bunch of existing stores and some new ones being opened.

I am guessing you have already made the walk? And I know you are no neophyte to the UWS, but I don't recall if you are familiar with the riverside winds in the winter. They can be brutal, particularly if you are a bit uphill from the river. "ridge-lift" increases the wind speeds on a hill above the posted wind speed you hear in the weather. Coupled with cold air and the wall of Trump buildings and it can be pretty brutal. Try it once on a breezy (and especially a windy) winters day. Might make the long walk to the Subway tough as well.

It is certainly survivable, but not to everyone's taste.

Note: I never lived there but I did live on RSD and 100th. I have heard the issues are similar on RSBlvd. (One gust tore the door of my Wrangler out of my hand like it was a sail and snapped the not unsubstantial steel rod that held its retaining strap. And that was as the Jeep was facing uphill.)

It feels sort of like Battery Park City/North. Very isolated.

Also, check out the limited restaurants/retail on 72nd between B'way and West End. If there are locations there that will satisfy you it might take the edge off the longish walk.

As to parking, yeah, I would guess street parking is totally limited, but it is an area with some of the more affordable garages on the UWS.

There's advantages and disadvantes. Some like the isolation, it's a little removed from some of the daily negatives of the city. And if you want all that it's a few blocks away..

"And if you want all that it's a few blocks away.."

It's a long-ass walk.

Allow at least 15 minutes just to get to Broadway.

Funny what Matt said. I also was going to add that it had always been my impression that the people who lived there, like those in BPC the first 20 years, were not people who really wanted to live in NYC. But I refrained because, frankly, I don't have experience living there. The closest I come is having dated people in Lincoln Towers and frequent runs all over the west side. So I didn't feel qualified to talk about the quality of life and the "pro"s of life in that area.

Matt's right. It's kind of a hike. We moved to the 199 zone and looked at Trump apts. Have you looked at them yet? The only amenity that my husband and I both found enticing was the 24 hr on-site gym. I don't remember which building we toured, but the playroom was small, dark, and grimy. It functioned more as a receptacle for unwanted toys and books than as a space where kids could run, jump, and play. Perhaps there are nicer playrooms in other buildings. The neighborhood grocery store might be fine for emergency items, but it's a very poor substitute for TJ's and Fairway. The playground (Little Engines?) is convenient and 199 is close if you want to change it up in the afternoon or on weekends. We ultimately decided on a place much closer to Broadway with fewer amenities but more space for our money (and a bigger kitchen!)

"The neighborhood grocery store might be fine for emergency items, but it's a very poor substitute for TJ's and Fairway."

Jubilee is it's name. I've been there once. From the outside it looks bigger and nicer than it really is. It's certainly better than a bodega, but for serious shopping you'll be needing to become intimately acquainted with Fresh Direct.

The parks there are far better than far east 34th, though.

If you live on the southern end, the M31 and M57 both go east-west on 57th, so its not terrible commute or otherwise, depending on where you work.

And again, on southern side, the Hells Kitchen restaurants on 9th are actually a lot closer than the UWS ones.

To me, a lot nicer than far east 34th.

Thanks for all the comments. UWS mom - where in PS 199 can you get more space for your money than in the Trump Buildings?

Hi newbuyer - we found a place (2br/2ba) in a prewar building with very few amenities, but we were also looking in July. I did a quick search on 140/160/180 and prices seem significantly lower now. I will admit that nice 2+ bedrooms in 199 are hard to find.

Hmm. The wind is mega annoying - flipped umbrellas, I was blown over once. I don't remember what the price points are for the diff. Trumps but other comparable buildings in zone:

1) Tower 67
2) 155 W 68
3) 30 W 70
4) 154 W 70
5) 225 W 71
6) 241 W 71
7) 251 W 71
8) 228 W 71 (don't know if they have 2b2b)
9) 220 W 71 (ditto see above)
10) 235 WEA (condo, they have sublets)

Preschool schlep will get old unless you send your kids to Woodside ($$$).

Closest Pharmacy - CVS on WEA & 70th, not too bad.
Deli - there's an okay one on 72nd bet. WEA & Bway, also once you're on WEA, it's very quick to Fway & Citarella.
Emergency Groceries - Jubilee is fine, and they have a good selection of stuff.
Bar - I try not to go out on the UWS, so everything is a schlep anyway. Walk out to WEA for cabs - decent chance of getting 'em at 70th & WEA.

Basically, if you can ignore the pain of getting to WEA, then you're golden.

"Bar - I try not to go out on the UWS, so everything is a schlep anyway. Walk out to WEA for cabs - decent chance of getting 'em at 70th & WEA."

So what's the point of living on the UWS if you're not going to hang out on the UWS??

Because I spend the majority of my time not going out to eat or drink. Day to day, it works for my routine.

Ah yes, 10023 provided a nice list. Sorry to be so vague. We really only looked at 2 or 3 other buildings b/c we were pinched for time. The Trump bldgs only had 2 vacancies, neither of which had a separate dining area. If i remember correctly, they were asking high 5's for the small 2br's. They seem to have more inventory now (which is how they adjust price).

Ogden Cap handles rentals for 155 W68: http://ogdencapproperties.com/

Also, if you move to the area and are looking for a good pediatrician, Cathy Ward just opened up her own practice on West 70 between WEA & RSB. She's excellent.

Thanks, everyone. Issue is we need at least a 3-bedroom (for a variety of reasons). I'll check out all the other buildings listed, some of them I knew about, others I had not.

bad location, pure and simple. You have to walk 15 minutes to get to civilization. I also think you are going to deal with traffic/noise from West Side Highway if you live in an apartment facing the river. not worth it. I looked at 100 Riverside Blvd, 120 Riverside Blvd and 10 West End Ave. All 3 were nice, but just bad locations. West End Ave is the farthest west you want to be.