Upper West Side

The Upper West Side runs roughly from 59th Street to 110th, framed by Central Park on the east and the Hudson River on the west — a span that gives the neighborhood its enduring "between the parks" identity. The subway's arrival in 1904 spurred a building boom that still shapes the streetscape: grand prewar apartment houses line Central Park West and Riverside Drive, while tree-shaded brownstones fill the side streets. Co-ops dominate the housing stock, many of them spacious prewar layouts with hardwood floors and separate dining rooms, complemented by condominiums and converted townhouses for buyers who prefer that ownership structure.

Transit centers on the 1/2/3 under Broadway — the 1 local plus 2/3 express — and the B/C along Central Park West, with the 81st Street station feeding directly into the American Museum of Natural History. Crosstown buses (M66, M72, M79, M86, M96) link the neighborhood to the East Side through the park.

The two parks define daily life: Central Park to the east and Riverside Park's Hudson-side promenade, playgrounds, and Greenway to the west. Cultural anchors are exceptional — Lincoln Center, the American Museum of Natural History, and the New-York Historical Society all sit here — alongside Zabar's, the 79th Street Greenmarket, and Broadway's long run of restaurants and cafes. The Upper West Side falls within Community School District 3.