Live on the West Side of Manhattan

No breaking news here. For years, real estate buyers in Manhattan have faced this age-old battle: East or West?

While the East Side remains a time capsule of the city’s traditional elegance and glamour, the West Side offers residents a cosmopolitan ambiance, a laid-back sophistication, and a stylish edge that embraces modernity in a variety of trendy neighborhoods coveted by many around the world.

Your own West Side Story

To live on the West Side of Manhattan is to remain forever young—and relevant—while welcoming the calmness, security, and stability that maturity brings. Singles, couples, new and well-seasoned families adore living in the chic neighborhoods between the Hudson River and Central Park—and for good reasons.

From uptown to downtown, the list of the most popular places to live on the West Side include the neighborhoods of the Upper West Side, Midtown West, Hell’s Kitchen, Chelsea, the West Village, Tribeca, and even Battery Park down below. While each offers its own distinct atmosphere and allure, they are unified by a culturally-rich history as home to artists and rebels, a high quality of life, and an assortment of high-end properties in refined residential buildings dotting the grid of Manhattan.

The luxury real estate market on the West Side of Manhattan offers a wide variety of real estate: renovated warehouses, old-red-brick low rises and brownstones to modern high-rises and exceptional new residential complexes overlooking the river and even further to New Jersey. You’ll find that almost all of these luxury residences offer premier amenities, such as gyms and home theaters in-house or just steps away.

For the artist or the executive, the true beauty of living on the West Side is that you can make it your own, with the big city at your whim.

Institution meets innovation

Old and new explode on the West Side of Manhattan. From any point, you have access to New York City’s most famous cultural attractions: Time Square, Carnegie Hall, the Lincoln Center, the Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of Natural History as well as the world-renowned art spaces like the David Zwirner Gallery, Matthew Marks Gallery, and Tyler Rollins Fine Art. Your artistic fix is just around the corner.

Residents of the West Side love having options to indulge greenery, between New York City’s largest and most impressive lung, Central Park, and other more intimate green spaces, such as the charming Shakespeare Garden; the waterfront Riverside Park; and The High Line, an incredible innovative 1.45-mile “elevated linear park” built on top of the old New York Central Railroad built in 1847, offering strollers and joggers a unique experience surrounded by a melange of public artworks and architecture, both contemporary and historical.

West Siders tend to catch with friends over a cocktail at trendy bars and restaurants in the neighborhood. For a fanciful outing, you have the swanky PHD Rooftop Lounge and the lively 1OAK club. But if you plan to bring the kids’ along, head to the savory Poseidon Greek Bakery or Chelsea Market, a gourmet food court.

Speaking of the little ones, rest assured they are in good hands on the West Side. Public, private and parochial schools—such as NYC Lab School, Guardian Angel, William T. Harris School, among others—offer full academic curriculums in the big city and beyond.

We’ll end with a shopping tip, and one of Manhattan’s newest innovations: The brand new Hudson Yard is a must-see to shop classic big-name brands and trendy fashion-forward boutiques; not to mention its striking architectural Vessel.

For all other inquiries about living on the West Side, contact a BARNES New York consultant.