Recent college grad looking for best neighborhood

Area around madison square park (I'd say union square, might be a little too far to walk). If your friends are doing village, I say do it too... very good for young singles.

The parts of UES you will be able to afford won't be that close to work, and a bit tough with transportation overall (until 2017 at least).

How much time do u want to spend walking to work. I walk to and from work when the weather permits. It's like 2 hours of walking per day and I love it. Sometimes I bike. and I'm not in my 20's. so why not union square which is not far from madison square park.

Don't do the UES. It's really quite bland. Where in midtown? The area around Lincoln Center can be fun--has good restaurants and bars and of course there's the Center itself, which in the summer offers outdoor jazz evenings. Transportation is good in this area as well.

The Village is fun (I lived there for years, having moved directly from college) but I don't know that it's necessary to actually LIVE there to enjoy the benefits. Give us more info.

Murray Hill. It's close enough to the Village, it's already in Midtown, and it'll give you the "quiet" you're looking for.

Midtown East and West in 40's and 50's will give you a short
walk to work and rents that in many cases are relatively cheap.

west 50's on 9th..

..far enough from fanny pack midtown proper, yet close enough to work/central park...

all the restaurants on 9th convenience = you can force your friends uptown and downtown to meet in the middle you for drunk brunch..

i love solidarity/silence myself, but UES (and Fidi ftm) feel more like isolation than solidarity

"I walk to and from work when the weather permits. It's like 2 hours of walking per day and I love it."

where to you live and work tom

"The area around Lincoln Center can be fun--has good restaurants and bars and of course there's the Center itself, which in the summer offers outdoor jazz evenings"

He said he's a kid, not a senior citizen.

"good bars" in Lincoln Center area, really?

All those UWS banks, chain stores, gyms/yoga studios, mediocre restaurants and bars are jost so much "livelier" than those UES banks, chain stores, gym/yoga studios, restaurants and bars. LOL!!
Actually, I think there are more chain stores on the UWS now than on the East side.

Then again, some people prefer the streets of Delhi to the streets of Paris.

"All those UWS banks, chain stores, gyms/yoga studios, mediocre restaurants and bars are jost so much "livelier" than those UES banks, chain stores, gym/yoga studios, restaurants and bars. LOL!!"

It's true, you know.

SO much more action at the UWS Chase branches than those stuffy old UES Chase branches.

if you work in Midtown east, Murray hill is very convenient. East to go downtown and rents are affordable.

"All those UWS banks, chain stores, gyms/yoga studios, mediocre restaurants and bars are jost so much "livelier" than those UES banks, chain stores, gym/yoga studios, restaurants and bars. LOL!! "

lol. To me, Lincoln Center is so senior citizen. Add in Lincoln Towers. I can't think of one good bar...

"Actually, I think there are more chain stores on the UWS now than on the East side."

I believe so as well. Pretty darn stocked.

midtown east, murray hill are great choices. well-represents convenience of living in manhattan: choice of good buildings, restaurants, shopping

some of the best rooftops and views are in the area

good luck

>>"The area around Lincoln Center can be fun--has good restaurants and bars and of course there's the Center itself, which in the summer offers outdoor jazz evenings"

He said he's a kid, not a senior citizen.

"good bars" in Lincoln Center area, really?<<

Personally I happen to love that area (Bar Boulud, PJ Clarke's and Shun Lee are a few favorite spots) and there are nice, amenity-laden rental buildings nearby. Plus you have Central Park in easy reach.

As a 30 year old who grew up and still owns at 64th and Broadway I am sorry I TOTALLY disagree that Lincoln Center is "Senior Citizen". Would I put at the top of my list for College Grads, no, not compared to L.E.S., Village, UWS east of Broadway etc BUT, Lincoln Center being "Senior" would only be said by someone who never actually lived there. FAB restaurants to the north, GORGEOUS Central Park to the east, midtown and easy access to Columbus Circle /Central Park South/ transportation .....

Anyway to answer the OP's question, Personally I would stay away from UES.

Lower East Side, East Village, Murray Hill etc..... those are better bets for you IMO.

PJ Clarke's and Shun Lee? Are you serious?
Bar Boulud? for a recent college graduate?

What if the recent college graduate really likes those candy walnuts?

Actually, around Lincoln Center there are not a whole lot of choices for good restaurants, which is why the few there are get booked by anybody wanting to be in walking distance. It's not the quality, it's the proximity.

And there are tons of places on the upper east side that look just like the places across from Lincoln Center (what is the Italian place(s) on a nice sunny Sunday afternoon.

Oh right - I forgot all about Time Warner Center - SO New York having a shopping mall with restaurants.

I had exact same issue moving to NYC and really having no idea about the difference in neighbourhood. When I would ask people would get really insistent that if you didn't live in such and such neighbourhood you were an idiot. They were right. Don't live above 18th. I though walking to work in Midtown would be ideal, but everything within walking distance sucks. Sorry it does. Avoid Murray Hill, avoid anything with Upper in it. If you are under 50 go Downtown (but not too far). And don't discount Brooklyn. I did and subsequently found i=out it was ok, although living in Manhattan is fantastic if you can do it. I ended up near Union Square and love being able to walk to all the different neighbourhoods I care to go to. The only time I go uptown is to visit a museum or central park.

It would probably help if you said what you liked a bit more. And there are lots of grocery stores.

Another option is to rent something furnished short-term for a few months to get a sense. I did this and it helped avoid a massive mistake, like living in UES :)

Ottawanyc
about 13 hours ago
ignore this person
report abuse I had exact same issue moving to NYC and really having no idea about the difference in neighbourhood. When I would ask people would get really insistent that if you didn't live in such and such neighbourhood you were an idiot. They were right. Don't live above 18th. I though walking to work in Midtown would be ideal, but everything within walking distance sucks. Sorry it does. Avoid Murray Hill, avoid anything with Upper in it. If you are under 50 go Downtown (but not too far). And don't discount Brooklyn. I did and subsequently found i=out it was ok, although living in Manhattan is fantastic if you can do it. I ended up near Union Square and love being able to walk to all the different neighbourhoods I care to go to. The only time I go uptown is to visit a museum or central park.

It would probably help if you said what you liked a bit more. And there are lots of grocery stores.

Another option is to rent something furnished short-term for a few months to get a sense. I did this and it helped avoid a massive mistake, like living in UES :)

There are too many unknown factors about the OP that make this advice (and any other above useless). many people value space far too much to make anything below 60th street on either side of the park. some people will work 12 plus hours a day and literally want to be a 5 minute walk to the office. i know plenty of people in their 20's that love living on the ues or uws or in midtown east or west. it's about what flips your switch. i also know people who love living downtown, but, if you care at all about the quality of your apartment, on a recent grad's salary, then living downtown may not be the right fit.

If you like Fratty dudes, Murray Hill is fantastic. If not...good luck!

Hillarious...Too funny.

(Bar Boulud, PJ Clarke's and Shun Lee are a few favorite spots)

You mean the PJ clark's copy of the original east side location?
The Shun Lee second location after the original East Side location?
You mean the restaurant in the empire of the Daniel with the namesake restaurant on E65th?

I think you just proved the point... ;-)

As a 30 year old who grew up and still owns at 64th and Broadway I am sorry I TOTALLY disagree that Lincoln Center is "Senior Citizen". Would I put at the top of my list for College Grads, no, not compared to L.E.S., Village, UWS east of Broadway etc BUT, Lincoln Center being "Senior" would only be said by someone who never actually lived there. FAB restaurants to the north

"FAB" in reference to those UWS establishment would only be said by someone who never actually lived near great restaurants. ;-)

> GORGEOUS Central Park to the east, midtown and easy access to Columbus Circle /Central Park South/
> transportation .....

Wow, change it to the 456NR Bloomietown hub and west, and you just described the east 60s... central park south, midtown, and central park are suddenly closer to the West Side?

Man, this thread really has me laughing.

if you are gay or a closet case, or just frat curious, stick to midtown west...

grindr density = lunchtime lunches every day should you choose

>>You mean the PJ clark's copy of the original east side location?
The Shun Lee second location after the original East Side location?
You mean the restaurant in the empire of the Daniel with the namesake restaurant on E65th?<<

Everything's better on the west side. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Recent college grad? C'mon, no question. Brooklyn, LES, E. Village, unless you're a real bluestocking.

nyc10023
about 1 hour ago
ignore this person
report abuse Recent college grad? C'mon, no question. Brooklyn, LES, E. Village, unless you're a real bluestocking.

or conversely, broke (most are) and value space in an apartment. or have parents helping out that insist on a doorman building (why else do so many kids do shares in murray hill and the ues). or, serious about starting your career and need to be in the office by 8am everyday till 8pm at night and don't want to do anything more than walk 5 minutes to the office. it takes all kinds.

No comments for 9 days...then all of this!? OK now I am more confused! The best advice so far was from Ottawanyc to rent short term furnished. Now I have to figure that one out...any suggestions?! And the what is a "bluestocking?"!

So lucy posted 10 days ago, and nothing since. columbiacounty?

> Everything's better on the west side. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

:-)

Midtown East is the place for you. Great young bars on 2nd Ave, fairly reasonable rents and easy walk to all Midtown.

Re: Recent college grad? C'mon, no question. Brooklyn, LES, E. Village

"Look, I gotta live in Manhattan to be a player." Bud Fox

I love the UWS but Lincoln Sq would not be my choice for a recent college grad (or for a senior citizen). PJ Clark's? Really? My choices in no particular order would be:

Union Sq / Gramercy
East Village
UWS in 80's (would be my first choice if you want Central Park)
Hells Kitchen
Murray Hill

Lucy, if you have to ask what a bluestocking is, then you aren't one, so don't worry about it.

Midtown or UWS are your best bets.

OP, it really depends on what you are looking for. My recs:
UES (Yorkville) is a great nabe if you want to come home to peace and quiet. Lots of post-collegiates plus a nice diverse mix of other ages and ethnicities; a true "neighborhood". People here go elsewhere for their nightlife though!
East Village/LES if you want to be in the middle of the action. Tons of young people, great dining, lots of energy and things going on at all hours.
Don't know much about Murray Hill but it does seem to draw a post-collegiate crowd as well. Maybe the best bet: close to Midtown, closer to cool stuff downtown than UES, but still a more peaceful vibe.

Just look on Craigslist. Loads of short-term furnished stuff that you can do month to month. Get somewhere between 14th and 32nd, then you are central and can explore different places. You'll find lots of stuff in Murray Hill because it is so lame. Frat bars. Terrible. By blueblood the guy meant uppity. THink ladies lunching wearing pearls. And you need to think about neighbourhood amenities. If you live in expensive area you will have expensive stores, expensive restaurants. And quiet does not need to mean lame, as in UES. Go to DUMBO or Greenpoint, or West Village.

Good luck!

This site is ridiculously biased and unfair. Why hasn't anyone mentioned the benefits of living in Columbia County? My personal favorite area is right off the Rip Van Winkle bridge.

OP: are you looking for a quiet neighborhood OR a quiet apartment? They are very different. There are plenty of very quiet apartments in the Village... on the quieter side streets. The quietest apartment I ever lived in was on 10th street between 1st and Ave A. And by the same token I am sure the corner of 70th and York on the UES would be a pretty loud apartment.

"Don't know much about Murray Hill but it does seem to draw a post-collegiate crowd as well. Maybe the best bet"

I already told you: fratty frat dudes and soror____ types.

"Don't know much about Murray Hill but it does seem to draw a post-collegiate crowd as well. Maybe the best bet"

I already told you: fratty frat dudes and soror____ types.

"Don't know much about Murray Hill but it does seem to draw a post-collegiate crowd as well. Maybe the best bet"

Lucy -- I think your two best options are Murray Hill or the East Village. BUT which one is best for YOU depends on what type of person you are:

Murray Hill if:
- you like men in baseball caps with sports logos
- St Pattys Day and Cinqo de Mayo matter to you
- Budweiser, appletinis and scotch on the rocks appeal to you
- Lady Gaga on the soundtrack is your thing

East Village if:
- you like men in skinny jeans with bushy beards and horned rim glasses
- food truck flash mobs matter to you
- craft cocktails, amaro(s)?, and secret passwords appeal to you
- post punk or twee bands on the soundtrack are your thing

;)

I live in Murray Hill, and I see lots of young couples, children, older people as well as the post college crowd.

The newer rental buildings probably attract a lot of the post college crowd, but Murray Hill is home to a lot more than one specific "type".

penthouselady, could you compare the "type" of people in Murray Hill with the "type" of people in Columbia County? Assuming you've ever made the trip up there ... I realize it's a few hour drive.

I think you should pay attention to West34. Loved it

Yes West34 perfectly nailed it!

mid town east is cheap and convenient. Try Urbansherpany.. avoid wasting money on a rental broker.

http://www.urbansherpany.com/searchListing/

It really depends on what kind of neighborhood you want to come home to every day and how much you can spend on rent. As a recent college grad I refused to consider midtown, Hells Kitchen or Murray Hill because let's be honest they're awful places to live. I was fixated on the Upper East, but the type of place I could afford there was so far removed from everything and not that nice. So my broker suggested the Upper West (which I didn't even know existed) and the apartments she showed me there were not only twice as nice for the price, the locations were way better. Unless you have a roomate situation available on the upper east already, I would not recommend it for a college grad. There are plenty of cute affordable walkups in way better spots on the UW, big banks and all.

Brooks2
about 3 hours ago
ignore this person
report abuse mid town east is cheap and convenient. Try Urbansherpany.. avoid wasting money on a rental broker.

http://www.urbansherpany.com/searchListing/

48 comments

Sure give it a shot. Then find one broker who you think will do a good job. I'd give you a success rate of less than 10% trying it Brooks way. I've looked at urban sherpa. they've got a fairly small percentage of what is actually availalble, and the data is old.

I live in UWS but would not recommend it for recent college grad, I would definitely live downtown and just take the subway to work. Anywhere in the Village or even Flatiron/Grammercy since its close to everything. If you insist on walking to work I would vote for Murray Hill since there are a lot of college grads in that area.

here are some more for you
http://www.skymanagement.com/apartments.php

brooks, have you looked into Sky Management before your recommended it?

http://www.shalomtenants.org

No hunterburg, he hasn't. They're essentially tenements. But hey, no fee right?

It isn't an issue that Sky is tenements. If that's what someone wants, merely standing outside of one will confirm that a building is a tenement.
Read the site for some information on their reputation.