UWS high 80s - low 90s

I lived in that area for 30 years. In the high 80's to low 90's going eastward, close to Broadway and close to CPW is the best. The area between Amsterdam and Columbus varies widely.

When the neighborhood was first created, premium apartments were built on Broadway, West End Ave., and CPW. Brownstones were built between CPW / Columbus Ave. and Riverside Drive /West End Ave.

The business area and more modest apartments/houses were built between the Columbus and Amsterdam Aves. area. During the depression, luxury residential construction virtually stopped. Broadway was supposed to be like Park Ave. , but they gave long leases on the empty lots to commercial development on Broadway. Between Columbus and Amsterdam, there were some elegant brownstones built, but a lot of modest housing was mixed in. Later, projects and Mitchell Lama housing were built along areas Columbus Aves. Smaller city housing buildings were built in areas of Amsterdam Ave.

Many of the commercial buildings on Broadway in the low and high 80's ran through their leases and have been replaced with modern condos and rentals. That started up about 30 years ago.

Many of the Mitchell Lama buildings have recently opted out of the program and gone "fair market value". So many of those buildings have been upgraded.

Thanks Jelj13. I'm glad you responded, as I frequently saw your name as a poster regarding questions about this part of the UWS. Is the area any less safe than low-mid 80s? The crime stats don't seem to suggest it. I did notice that the restaurant/shopping options generally trend more upscale once you move a few blocks south. With the seemingly ongoing conversion of the Mitchell Lama buildings, did you experience any side effects? Ie does it result in a sudden supply glut that temporarily places downward pressure on appreciation of existing condos/coops? Or rather the opposite, due to rising neighborhood incomes and accompanying gentrification?

There isn't much nightlife here. There is a stretch of bars on Amsterdam in the West 80's that cater to Columbia students/alumni and have beer pong and things like that. There aren't any clubs or dancing places up here. However, the subway is pretty convenient with the 123 line here and then the BC accessible via Central Park West.

Thanks Raventerrance. We got that impression while exploring the area. Having lived in midtown for over a decade, with multiple bars/clubs/restaurants on each block, it will definitely be a big change, but hopefully a welcome one - if we do move to this area. I currently fall asleep to blasting music coming from the rooftop bar across the street, and it's getting pretty tiresome. It seems like a good neighborhood to start and raise a family.
While convenient enough, the walk to the subway will be longer than what I'm used to. Do the side streets get really windy in the winter? Compared to, say, the skyscraper canyons of midtown.

I live on the 14th floor of a large prewar coop in the low West 90s Some of the lower floors complain about street noise coming from the nearby NYHA buildings but I am fortunate not to have this issue. I never feel unsafe. I haven't noticed any wind tunnels in winter. We are about 500 feet from the subway entrance at 93rd/Bway and this is a very valuable thing to us.

S50412 I moved to the East Side a few years ago. A relative I have , still living on the West Side in the high '80s, tells me the area from E. 86th St. to E. 100 St. is safe. She doesn't travel much above E. 100 St. except on Broadway and CPW.

S50412 I moved to the East Side a few years back because it is like the old West Side and the cost of housing is considerably cheaper. If you are considering raising a family and going the independent school route, most of the schools are on the East Side. The only thing I miss is that there are 2 subway lines between the 6 major avenues on the West Side. There is currently only 1 subway line between the 8 major avenues on the East Side. Hopefully the Second Ave. Subway will open this year.

As for the housing projects between E. 86th St and E. 99th St, they were not a problem. What was a problem was the HPD housing in small apartment houses and brownstones. We had to put in CitiProof windows throughout our apartment when the city converted some small buildings a block away from us. They partied on weeknights from 11 PM to 4 AM and put their speakers near the windows. The Board of the building was not able to get anywhere with complaints to HPD and the community board. (It is easier to have something done about the projects, but they were rarely a problem.) You can spot these buildings since most of them have gold plaques on the side of the building.

" But is there anything to be aware of?"

If you have to ask, it's probably not for you. Stick with the 70's & low 80's or the Eastside.

Good luck.

RENY, If they are asking it is probably because they need better value than what they are finding in the 70s and low 80s. Has there ever been a person who didn't have to ask about a neighborhood they were thinking about living in?

rc1000, I generally found spending a couple of hours walking a Manhattan neighborhood on weekdays and weekends, both day and night told me everything I needed to know and whether I'd enjoy living there.

Thanks for all these responses. We prefer the connectivity, 2 parks, and general vibe of UWS to UES, so are focusing the search there. Though maybe as the price gap between west and east continues to widen, over time there will be a shift in age demographic back towards the east side.
RENY - you're right, we just need to spend a bit more time walking those neighborhoods. We did it mostly on weekends, but a rush hour and night-time visit will definitely be worth it. The area seems great. Sometimes the troubling stuff is not immediately visible, so that's why I asked. For example, in my neighborhood in midtown west, there's now a rooftop bar blasting loud music until 4am 5 nights a week. I'm in a high floor so the sound comes right into my window, but from the street the music is inaudible. Simply walking around the neighborhood wouldn't have made me aware of this.
And RC - you're right. Mid 70s-Low 80s seems a bit more ideal but the value isn't there. PPSF, bidding wars etc just seem more fierce in that area. Express at 93/96 is a big plus too (downtown commuter).

The express subway at 93/94 and 95/96th street and Broadway is a fantastic benefit: it basically means you can get to a huge number of places (even into Brooklyn) within about 30 minutes.

My favorite things about the area between 86th to 96th:
-- many great and reasonably priced restaurants
-- easy access to M86, M96 and M106 crosstown buses
-- M7 and M11 buses are also very convenient (better than just the M104 on Broadway or the super-infrequent M5 on Riverside)
-- downhill from WholeFoods at 97th/Col and West Side Market at 98th/Bdwy so easier to bring shopping home. In fact, supermarkets are much better quality up here than in the 72nd-86th street area (Fairway is crowded, and if you really want to get to TJ on 72/Bdwy it's only one express stop away).
-- convenient amenities -- several hardware stores etc.

That said, I'd also focus on the specific building and specific block as much as wonder about the entire surrounding area:
-- What is the building like?
-- Is it well kept and clean?
-- Does the street have noise or trash?
-- How close you are to amenities like restaurants you like?

This is excellent info. We did the walk to Whole Foods and it was short enough, but I didn't realize the return is downhill. Nice benefit. We also looked at the menus on B'way and Amsterdam restaurants around there, and as you note I realized they were definitely reasonably priced. As far as the building and block - we already vetted those (we have a particular property in mind) and are quite happy with all those aspects.
We're spoiled by the convenience of our current hood. We can be at dozens of restaurants and bars, and every single west side subway line within a 5 min walk. But it comes at the cost of living in probably the most crowded neighborhood in this country. It's great to know that in getting a much more beautiful and family friendly neighborhood in UWS, we won't be sacrificing too much in terms of convenience.

Hi there, This is of course a very subjective question, and plenty of people love the area. As someone who did not I feel compelled to share my input, but please take it all with a grain of salt. First, the positives. That area of CP is stunning and much less packed with tourists. The reservoir is lovely. If you like tennis, you have premium access. The Whole Foods is easy, quick lines and plenty of space, which is a great perk. For me that's where it ended as compared to other parts of the UWS. No one can tell me there is no difference between the 90s and low 80's. It's a totally different feel. I can tell you I felt much less safe once the sun went down, even at 8 pm. The projects are an issue. It's large swaths of the area with no pride of ownership or concern with real estate value (so trash left on the sidewalk regularly), and there are known disputes between gangs. We witnessed some of this from our window. Of course this represents a small minority of residents I'm sure, but it was noticeable. The restaurants are great, but you have to walk home at night through the 90's. There are other issues. If you have kids who may start waking on their own in the next decade, you should really go for a walk alone around 9:30 pm as suggested above. Walk between Broadway and CPW and just walk up Amsterdam and Columbus. I sense this is not what you wanted to hear, but I tend to agree that if you're asking it is probably not for you. That said, plenty of people love it. The people I know who don't mind it have been there a very long time. I moved from West 70th (after midtown west, both of which I liked) and after two years was back to the low 80's. Huge relief.

Another comment to add here about the neighborhood: rumor has it that a Trader Joes will be opening on Columbus Avenue between 92nd and 93rd Streets in the first floor and basement of 100 West 93rd St. More details here:

http://therealdeal.com/2016/03/14/trader-joes-close-to-finalizing-deal-for-new-uws-store/

Take a walk around that neighborhood on a Saturday night at 11:00pm , you'll have all the answers that you need