NYC Neighborhoods Forum
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Re: NYC Neighborhoods
Revitalizing this thread. I'm starting at one of the Hudson Yards firms this Fall, trying to decided between the West Village and Upper West Side. Hoping to get a 1-bedroom for between $2500 and $3500 a month. What's the commute like from either of this neighborhoods?
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Re: NYC Neighborhoods
Caveat: I haven’t made that commute on the regular, but have done UWS-to-Javits (very close to HY) twice recently for the vax.mwells_56 wrote: ↑Tue May 04, 2021 12:42 pmRevitalizing this thread. I'm starting at one of the Hudson Yards firms this Fall, trying to decided between the West Village and Upper West Side. Hoping to get a 1-bedroom for between $2500 and $3500 a month. What's the commute like from either of this neighborhoods?
IMO it’s a fairly easy trip: a single transfer at Times Square, the 7 train is one of the most reliable (received big signal improvements in last few years), etc. Even better if you live near an express stop on the 1/2/3 (that would be 72nd St or 96th St on the UWS, or 14th St for WV), as you’ll then be just 1-2 stops away from your transfer at Times Square. I’m guessing something like 25 minutes door to door, maybe up to 30 occasionally when the subway is delayed.
With that budget, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a 1BR, at least on the UWS. Still seeing lots of 2-3 month free deals around here, although those may have dried up by the time you arrive in the fall.
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Re: NYC Neighborhoods
The commute should be roughly the same - if you take the subway you are either transferring at times square for the 7 or walking from 7th Ave (if you take the 1/2/3) or 8th Ave (if you take the A/C/E) (the bigger factor may well be the walk from the apartment to the subway in the first place). You can also bike or walk from either location via the Hudson River Greenway. The West Village also lets you walk straight up the High Line (depending on where in the West Village it is a 30-45 minute walk to HY via the High Line).
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Re: NYC Neighborhoods
If you're younger or enjoy night life, WV. If you want to be near "culture" or love Central Park, UWS. Commute is similar, as others have mentioned.
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Re: NYC Neighborhoods
lol wtf "culture" is on the UWS? Staples? Starbucks? Jacob's Pickles?wldecisions wrote: ↑Tue May 04, 2021 1:58 pmIf you're younger or enjoy night life, WV. If you want to be near "culture" or love Central Park, UWS. Commute is similar, as others have mentioned.
Assuming you're under 40 and/or don't have kids, the vast majority of your socializing will likely take place south of 34th street (probably even 14th street) or in Brooklyn. You can also get a decent 1BR in the West Village in your price range right now for the first time in a decade. WV, without a doubt.
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Re: NYC Neighborhoods
Off the top of my head, museum of natural history, planetarium, and New York historical society. Also jacobs pickles is good.thisismytlsuername wrote: ↑Tue May 04, 2021 2:19 pmlol wtf "culture" is on the UWS? Staples? Starbucks? Jacob's Pickles?wldecisions wrote: ↑Tue May 04, 2021 1:58 pmIf you're younger or enjoy night life, WV. If you want to be near "culture" or love Central Park, UWS. Commute is similar, as others have mentioned.
Assuming you're under 40 and/or don't have kids, the vast majority of your socializing will likely take place south of 34th street (probably even 14th street) or in Brooklyn. You can also get a decent 1BR in the West Village in your price range right now for the first time in a decade. WV, without a doubt.
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Re: NYC Neighborhoods
Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and a lot of museums (Met, Guggenheim, Frick, etc). I meant proximity, not necessarily UWS itself as the center of culture, though FedFan is also correct.
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Re: NYC Neighborhoods
My fiance and I live on the UWS and love it, but imo this pretty much comes down to how much nightlife you want in your immediate vicinity. There are a bunch of restaurants (and a handful of bars) between about 75-90 on Amsterdam and Columbus, but they tend to be neighborhood spots as opposed to the more hip/trendy/instagram-y places in WV. The neighborhood is pretty quiet at night, and there are a ton of families.
If you live next to the 2/3 train, then it's a quick 15 minute commute down to WV, and we've found that we like living in the quieter neighborhood and commuting down to the village for socializing. But we're also a little older than most 1st years (pushing our 30s), and I have no idea how we'll feel when the bar scene returns and our social life consists of more than just sit-down dinners and everything closing at 11. Your money also probably goes farther on the UWS, and the proximity to the park and riverside park is great. All of that said, if I were 25 and single then I'd probably have chosen to live in the WV (or East Village, which has a lot of similar draws but is significantly cheaper).
If you live next to the 2/3 train, then it's a quick 15 minute commute down to WV, and we've found that we like living in the quieter neighborhood and commuting down to the village for socializing. But we're also a little older than most 1st years (pushing our 30s), and I have no idea how we'll feel when the bar scene returns and our social life consists of more than just sit-down dinners and everything closing at 11. Your money also probably goes farther on the UWS, and the proximity to the park and riverside park is great. All of that said, if I were 25 and single then I'd probably have chosen to live in the WV (or East Village, which has a lot of similar draws but is significantly cheaper).
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Re: NYC Neighborhoods
The Museum of Natural History is amazing, but how often are you going to go? Once a year? Lincoln Center is probably the best "culture" near the UWS, but again, you're going what, maybe once every three months? And any of the ACBD123 will get you there in 20 minutes from the WV.
Carnegie Hall is in midtown, the Met, Guggenheim, and Frick are on the UES. I guess they're technically closer to the UWS than to the WV (though I'm not sure they're meaningfully closer), but again, how often are you going to these places?
I'd argue that Comedy Cellar (and all the other comedy clubs)/Cherry Lane Theater (and all the other small theaters downtown with cheap tickets)/Chelsea galleries (plus the smaller museums)/all the music venues downtown are more accessible culture than Lincoln Center or the big museums you're going to go to once in a blue moon.
Carnegie Hall is in midtown, the Met, Guggenheim, and Frick are on the UES. I guess they're technically closer to the UWS than to the WV (though I'm not sure they're meaningfully closer), but again, how often are you going to these places?
I'd argue that Comedy Cellar (and all the other comedy clubs)/Cherry Lane Theater (and all the other small theaters downtown with cheap tickets)/Chelsea galleries (plus the smaller museums)/all the music venues downtown are more accessible culture than Lincoln Center or the big museums you're going to go to once in a blue moon.
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Re: NYC Neighborhoods
Thanks everybody, sounds like both of them are totally doable. I'm K-JD so I'm young but not really into nightlife. Turns out my brother and cousin are both moving to the village soon though, so I'm leaning towards being closer to them.
My brother who has lived in the city for a few years and who's SO is a partner at a just-outside-the-V100 type firm seems convinced that I need to live in Chelsea because anywhere else worth living, the commute will be tough. What do you guys think? Heading to a V25 in the corporate group.
My brother who has lived in the city for a few years and who's SO is a partner at a just-outside-the-V100 type firm seems convinced that I need to live in Chelsea because anywhere else worth living, the commute will be tough. What do you guys think? Heading to a V25 in the corporate group.
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Re: NYC Neighborhoods
Personally I would live in Chelsea, so that I could have a 15-20 minute walk to work and still have the option of the subway or Uber easily when the weather isn’t great. Plenty of nightlife in Chelsea too.
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Re: NYC Neighborhoods
Deciding between WV and Chelsea... any more insight on the pros/cons between the two?
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Re: NYC Neighborhoods
The housing stock in WV is old. Apartments there are cramped and small, but still hella expensive. By contrast, Chelsea seems to have newer buildings and prices are generally easier to swallow.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 2:16 pmDeciding between WV and Chelsea... any more insight on the pros/cons between the two?
To me, Chelsea definitely lacks that WV charm (tree-lined cobblestone streets, European/bohemian vibes). Haven’t spent a ton of time in Chelsea, but it always feels a little bit dead and soulless; Chelsea’s nightlife has 22-year-old-finance-bro energy. Whether it’s worth paying the WV premium…I dunno.
For those factoring in the commute to HY, keep in mind that there’s only small windows of the year where you’d really want to make a 15-25 minute walk. Like September-October and April-June (so ~5 months). I say this as somebody who likes the outdoors, but NYC winters and summers are no joke.
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Re: NYC Neighborhoods
For each their own, of course, hence why I put "culture" in quotes in my original comment. But I have friends who go to (well, went to pre-covid) Lincoln Center every month. Some people really like their museums.thisismytlsuername wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 8:35 amI'd argue that Comedy Cellar (and all the other comedy clubs)/Cherry Lane Theater (and all the other small theaters downtown with cheap tickets)/Chelsea galleries (plus the smaller museums)/all the music venues downtown are more accessible culture than Lincoln Center or the big museums you're going to go to once in a blue moon.
In any event, OP can decide what they prefer based on this discussion/debate.
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Re: NYC Neighborhoods
What're you looking for? Living in one of the newer buildings around 25th and 6th is totally different than living in a walkup on 20th between 9th and 10th even though both are in Chelsea. Similarly, living on Bleecker and Cornelia is totally different than living on Bank and Washington even though they're both in the West Village.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 2:16 pmDeciding between WV and Chelsea... any more insight on the pros/cons between the two?
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Re: NYC Neighborhoods
Don’t disagree about the charm of the WV versus Chelsea (WV is my favorite area of the City) but Chelsea, especially closer to the water, has some charm too. WV nightlife/restaurants also tend to skew younger than Chelsea.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 2:47 pm
The housing stock in WV is old. Apartments there are cramped and small, but still hella expensive. By contrast, Chelsea seems to have newer buildings and prices are generally easier to swallow.
To me, Chelsea definitely lacks that WV charm (tree-lined cobblestone streets, European/bohemian vibes). Haven’t spent a ton of time in Chelsea, but it always feels a little bit dead and soulless; Chelsea’s nightlife has 22-year-old-finance-bro energy. Whether it’s worth paying the WV premium…I dunno.
For those factoring in the commute to HY, keep in mind that there’s only small windows of the year where you’d really want to make a 15-25 minute walk. Like September-October and April-June (so ~5 months). I say this as somebody who likes the outdoors, but NYC winters and summers are no joke.
I do disagree about walking to work, though this is truly subjective. When I lived in walking distance to work I did it every season, and walked far more than I took the subway. Really depends on OP. And I would walk through a hailstorm if I could avoid a transfer to the 7 at Times Square or walking from Times Square to HY. But BigLaw hours and hybrid wfh should be factored into this too.
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Re: NYC Neighborhoods
As someone who grew up on Long Island and has lived in Michigan during the winter and Hong Kong during the summer, walking in NYC weather will not be an issue lolAnonymous User wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 2:47 pmThe housing stock in WV is old. Apartments there are cramped and small, but still hella expensive. By contrast, Chelsea seems to have newer buildings and prices are generally easier to swallow.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 2:16 pmDeciding between WV and Chelsea... any more insight on the pros/cons between the two?
To me, Chelsea definitely lacks that WV charm (tree-lined cobblestone streets, European/bohemian vibes). Haven’t spent a ton of time in Chelsea, but it always feels a little bit dead and soulless; Chelsea’s nightlife has 22-year-old-finance-bro energy. Whether it’s worth paying the WV premium…I dunno.
For those factoring in the commute to HY, keep in mind that there’s only small windows of the year where you’d really want to make a 15-25 minute walk. Like September-October and April-June (so ~5 months). I say this as somebody who likes the outdoors, but NYC winters and summers are no joke.
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Re: NYC Neighborhoods
Were you walking around Hong Kong summer in business formal?
Did your part of Michigan have wind-tunnel effect from all the tall buildings around, and large mounds of dirty slush piled up on each street corner?
I jest. It sounds like you know what you’re signing up for.
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Re: NYC Neighborhoods
I know you're kidding but yes and yes, lolAnonymous User wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 9:27 pmWere you walking around Hong Kong summer in business formal?
Did your part of Michigan have wind-tunnel effect from all the tall buildings around, and large mounds of dirty slush piled up on each street corner?
I jest. It sounds like you know what you’re signing up for.
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Re: NYC Neighborhoods
I know you were joking, I used to bike from the UWS to FiDi when I lived in New York every day of the year unless it was raining hard. Other than the 4-5 100 degree days, it was quite tolerable. You aren't out in the middle of the day when it's all that hot. NYC doesn't get that cold. Only problem in the winter is rain.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 9:27 pmWere you walking around Hong Kong summer in business formal?
Did your part of Michigan have wind-tunnel effect from all the tall buildings around, and large mounds of dirty slush piled up on each street corner?
I jest. It sounds like you know what you’re signing up for.
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Re: NYC Neighborhoods
My condolencesmwells_56 wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 9:36 amI know you're kidding but yes and yes, lolAnonymous User wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 9:27 pmWere you walking around Hong Kong summer in business formal?
Did your part of Michigan have wind-tunnel effect from all the tall buildings around, and large mounds of dirty slush piled up on each street corner?
I jest. It sounds like you know what you’re signing up for.
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Re: NYC Neighborhoods
How did you deal with: (i) sweatiness, and (ii) bike storage on the FiDi end?nealric wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 9:37 amI know you were joking, I used to bike from the UWS to FiDi when I lived in New York every day of the year unless it was raining hard. Other than the 4-5 100 degree days, it was quite tolerable. You aren't out in the middle of the day when it's all that hot. NYC doesn't get that cold. Only problem in the winter is rain.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 9:27 pmWere you walking around Hong Kong summer in business formal?
Did your part of Michigan have wind-tunnel effect from all the tall buildings around, and large mounds of dirty slush piled up on each street corner?
I jest. It sounds like you know what you’re signing up for.
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Re: NYC Neighborhoods
You can get a Chelsea or UWS sort of vibe in any major city on earth.
There's only one where it feels like the west village.
There's only one where it feels like the west village.
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Re: NYC Neighborhoods
Thoughts on the best Brooklyn neighborhoods for ease of commute to bryant park-ish area while also getting more bang for your buck in terms of rent price/space? Not saying I need a luxury building or more than a one bedroom or anything but in unit laundry sounds nice.
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Re: NYC Neighborhoods
(i) Sweatiness wasn't usually too bad except for a few of the hottest weeks in summer. It's usually relatively cool in the mornings. I also tend not to sweat much. For the few weeks it was an issue, I'd go to the gym a block away from the office first and shower (work clothes in backpack). (ii) I rode a Brompton folding bike and stored it under my desk. The folding bike is also key because you can put it in the trunk of a cab or carry it easily on the subway if weather or late work causes you to get home another way.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 3:54 pmHow did you deal with: (i) sweatiness, and (ii) bike storage on the FiDi end?nealric wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 9:37 amI know you were joking, I used to bike from the UWS to FiDi when I lived in New York every day of the year unless it was raining hard. Other than the 4-5 100 degree days, it was quite tolerable. You aren't out in the middle of the day when it's all that hot. NYC doesn't get that cold. Only problem in the winter is rain.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 9:27 pmWere you walking around Hong Kong summer in business formal?
Did your part of Michigan have wind-tunnel effect from all the tall buildings around, and large mounds of dirty slush piled up on each street corner?
I jest. It sounds like you know what you’re signing up for.
Seriously? What are you waiting for?
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