Moving to NY - budget of $5000 for rent - where to live?

[SeventhFloor]

Originally Posted by DAS

Moving to NY - budget of $5000 for rent - where to live?

almost anywhere you please. seriously though on the west side probably above 86th st, and on the east side you may have to start at 90th st, if you want to be closer to the park, in a high rise, and stay under 5k.

co-sign i would choose upper west side as well.

[TurtleCreek80]

If I had $5k for rent, I'd want West Village. But that isn't going to offer you a big variety of modern (post-war) buildings. I'd recommend Chelsea (14th-26th St or so, between 6th and 8th Aves) for great subways to midtown, close proximity to the vibrant and exciting downtown neighborhoods, and tons of post-war high rises. If you'd rather be uptown, Upper East Side along Lexington & 3rd Avenues should work, in the mid 60's and 70's. Close 3-4 block walk to Central Park, tons of shopping, 6 train (along Lex). Less nighlife than downtown, but tons of great restaurants and a more mixed age group (young professionals to Upper East Side matriarchs, light on the hipsters). Very clean & pristine neighborhood.

[UpsonDowns]

If you don't want to be around old people, the Upper East Side is not for you. It sounds like the Upper West Side would be a better fit. The walk across the park to your office is quite pleasant in good weather. Unfortunately, the areas around the southern end of the park aren't that attractive.

With 5k for a large one-bedroom, you can live just about anywhere. I would check out the area around the Museum of Natural History. The museum causes a break in the architecture which allows a great amount of light and what realtors call "air" into the surrounding apartments. It is close to the park, restaurants, transportation, and isn't filled with any one type of person.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by UpsonDowns

If you don't want to be around old people, the Upper East Side is not for you. It sounds like the Upper West Side would be a better fit. The walk across the park to your office is quite pleasant in good weather. Unfortunately, the areas around the southern end of the park aren't that attractive.

With 5k for a large one-bedroom, you can live just about anywhere. I would check out the area around the Museum of Natural History. The museum causes a break in the architecture which allows a great amount of light and what realtors call "air" into the surrounding apartments. It is close to the park, restaurants, transportation, and isn't filled with any one type of person.

The UES is hardly all old people! Yes, they're there, but also tons of 20 and 30 something young professionals, 30 and 40 something young families who live there because of excellent PS 6 and proximity to the elite private schools, and a lot of very successful non-hipster attorneys, private equity/hedge fund, CEO/CFO types who like the prestige of Park Avenue and Fifth Avenue addresses. There are folks who were born on the UES (lots of German, Russian, and Polish immigrants) and those who have moved there from all over the country and world due to it's safety, beauty, and access to Central Park.

I lived there from 02-06 and in my small apartmet building (48 units), only a half dozen or so neighbors qualified as "old.". And some of them were pretty darn cool!

Also a lot of celebrities who like to fly under the radar live up there. When I was there, Carson Daly (who was a kind of cool MTV v-jay back the ) lived in my friend's building on 79th Street, Chelsea Clinton lived there at the time (saw her on the M57 bus more than once), used to see Woody Harralson taking his kids to school, and saw Chris Noth & his girlfriend (wife now?) out to brunch several times. Not the Page 6 kind of people (well except today being Chelsea's wedding....), but they're there.

Agreed that the UWS had more architectural beauty, but he specifically asked for modern building (I took that as Post-War) and there are a lot more of those on the UES than UWS.

[allygory]

Where does an 800 lb gorilla sit? Anyplace he wants..

Seriously though, for that money for me definitely the west village, for you
I'd choose chelsea, the upper west side, or most likely,I would move near the flatiron building.
Y
ou'd have fairly easy access to numerous train lines, proximity to chelsea, union square, madison square park and most of midtown, and could get to work with relative ease.

[SHEPNYC]

If you want to walk to work (I don't blame you) check out Midtown East. Second Ave is a great alternative between Sutton Place (older population) and the commercial district. Specifically, check out the Bristol on the corner of 56th Street and 2nd Avenue also lots of newer condo's in the East 50's that have a lot of apartments for rent. Needles to say all have doormen and you can probably get a smaller 2 bedroom for 5K

Good Luck.