While the pulse of the city quite literally pumps from Midtown, the area isn’t exactly known as a cozy place to live.
Dominated by office buildings, hotels and tourist attractions, it’s well-suited for daily commuters — many of whom take Metro-North to Grand Central Terminal — and tourists who descend on Times Square and the Theater District.
But the area isn’t only packed with visitors because of its train access: Its digs are so expensive, many can’t afford to stay as residents.
Midtown has experienced a boom in new developments, but most of the buildings are in the ultra-luxury market with units that typically sell for millions of dollars. A penthouse at 432 Park Ave. — the tallest residential building in the Western Hemisphere — for example, is on the market for a staggering $81 million.
The median recorded sales price in Midtown in August was $1,195,000, according to StreetEasy. The median asking rent that month was $4,378, according to the listing’s website.
Those in search of less expensive options head toward the East River or Hell’s Kitchen, outside the nabe’s boundaries.
“The people who target Midtown are generally those looking for a pied-à-terre, corporate relocations or international customers familiar with Midtown who want to be close to Central Park and the high-end shopping on Fifth Avenue,” explained Nathaniel Faust, an associate broker with Citi Habitats. “A lot of people use Midtown as a starting point and then move away after a few years.”
Part of what deters longtime residents, he said, is that the area is in the city Department of Education’s District 2, which only has four grade schools for the entire area, and some complain that its grocery stores are sparse.
And while Midtown includes Bryant Park and Paley Park within its borders and is just south of Central Park, it’s more known for being jammed with high-rise buildings than for its greenspace.
To make up for this, residential buildings in the area offer their own urban refuges, like landscaped gardens and roof decks, plus amenities including fitness centers and swimming pools.
Midtown also offers a plethora of entertainment options such as Broadway shows, performances at Radio City Music Hall and plenty of places to eat and drink.
“I moved to Midtown because I wanted a change of pace,” said Elia Wolberger, 34, a special education preschool teacher who relocated to the nabe from the Upper East Side two months ago. “I really like the hustle and bustle of the area and how it’s conveniently central to all areas of the city.”
FIND IT:
Midtown is bordered to the north by East and West 58th Street and to the south by 40th Street west of Sixth Avenue and 42nd Street east of it, according to StreetEasy. It falls between Eighth Avenue to the west and Lexington Avenue to the east.
THE BASICS
Transportation
Trains:
C, E to 50th St. and 42nd St./Port Authority
E to Seventh Ave./53rd St. and Fifth Ave./53rd St.
N, Q, R to 59th St./Lexington Ave., Fifth Ave./59th St., 57th St., 49th St. and 42nd St./Times Square
1 to 50th St.
1, 2, 3 to 42nd St./Times Square
7 to 42nd St./Times Square, Fifth Ave./Bryant Park and Grand Central/42nd St.
Shuttle to 42nd St./Times Square and 42nd St./Grand Central
4, 5, 6 to 42nd St./Grand Central
F to 57th Street
6 to 51st St. and 59th St.
B, D, F, M to 47th-50th St./Rockefeller Center and 42nd St./Bryant Park
Metro-North at Grand Central Terminal
Library
NYPL 58th Street, 127 E. 58th St.
NYPL Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street
NYPL Terence Cardinal Cooke-Cathedral Library, 560 Lexington Ave.
Post office
USPS Radio City, 322 W. 52nd St.
USPS Rockefeller Center, 610 Fifth Ave.
USPS Times Square, 340 W. 42nd St. #2
USPS Bryant Park, 23 W. 43rd St.
USPS Appraisers Stores, 580 Fifth Ave. #407
Crime:
Midtown is covered by Midtown North at 306 W. 54th St. In the week of Oct. 26-Nov. 1, the precint reported seven robberies and five burglaries. It reported 14 rapes and no murders so far this year as of Nov. 1.
TO EAT
Hunt & Fish Club, 124 W. 44th St.
Expect delicious steaks and fish, plus a celebrity sighting or two, at this hot spot.
Huntandfishnyc.com
Little Collins, 667 Lexington Ave.
Head to this Aussie-style coffee shop for a flat white and some of the best avocado toast in town. Littlecollinsnyc.com
The Halal Guys, 53rd Street and Sixth Avenue
A Midtown staple, the Halal Guys are known for their addictive gyros and secret white sauce, served from a street cart. Thehalalguys.com
TO SHOP
Fifth Avenue, between 57th and 48th streets
Upscale stores such as Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue cater to the well-heeled, while those looking for basics can check out H&M, Forever 21 and Uniqlo.
Lee’s Art Shop, 220 W. 57th St.
This Midtown institution — in the same 57th Street location since 1975 — carries everything from art supplies to furniture to funky gifts. Leesartshop.com
Grand Central Terminal market, 89 E. 42nd St.
Locals and commuters can grab goodies from vendors including Murray’s Cheese, Li-Lac chocolates and Wild Edibles.
TO PARTY
The Rickey, 210 W. 55th St.
A brand new hangout in the Dream Hotel, it serves creative cocktails in a swanky setting. Therickey.com
The Campbell Apartment, 15 Vanderbilt Ave.
Tucked away in Grand Central Terminal, this lounge is one of the neighborhood’s hidden gems. 212-953-0409
Faces & Names, 159 W. 54th St
A popular after work hangout, this pub serves great pub fare and strong drinks. Facesandnames.com
TO DO
The Theater District, Sixth to Eighth avenues between 41st and 54th streets
It’s not just for tourists! Head to the Theater District to see a star-studded musical.
Museum of Modern Art, 11 W. 53rd St.
Take a break from hectic city life and take in some of the world’s best art collections. Bonus: Fridays are free from 4-8 p.m. Moma.org
Top of the Rock, 30 Rockefeller Plaza
The Empire State Building gets all of the attention, but the views from the observatory atop Rockefeller Center will wow even the most seasoned New Yorker. Topoftherocknyc.com
THE BUZZ:
While Midtown remains unaffordable for many apartment hunters, things are looking up – way up – for those in the high-end market. With projects including 225 W. 57th St. — which will be the tallest residential building in the United States when completed — 432 Park Ave. – currently the tallest — the newly opened Baccarat Hotel & Residences and countless other luxe developments moving into Midtown, the neighborhood continues to establish itself as the place to spend big bucks.
Q&A with Rupert Jee: Owner of Hello Deli
You may recognize Rupert Jee from David Letterman’s “Late Show” (he first appeared on the “Meet the Neighbors” segment in 1993). But before Jee started hanging out with the stars, he opened the Hello Deli at 213 W. 53rd St. Twenty-five years later, the born-and-bred New Yorker reminisces about the neighborhood that made him — and his delicious sandwiches — famous.
What has Midtown been like over the years?
It was extremely [seedy] when we opened. [David Letterman] came in two years later and started a renaissance in the area. Unfortunately, a lot of the mom-and-pop stores closed because it got too expensive. Overall, I think it changed for the better, but it’s a double-edged sword: Any storefront on Broadway is now renting for a minimum of $30,000. I think I’m one of the last remaining of the original tenants.
Why did you open here?
I was working in the garment trade, designing clothes, but I always wanted to open a sandwich shop. So my partner and I picked up the New York Times one day and saw this listing. It’s the first place we saw. We took over the lease and have been here ever since. There are a few more years left, but when the lease expires, who knows.
What are your favorite memories from the deli?
The first day Dave [Letterman] moved [into the Ed Sullivan Theater]. Before that, the building was mismanaged but CBS took over and everything improved. Mia Farrow came in once to say hi, and she was very complimentary. Engelbert Humperdinck performed inside the deli once and that was great because I was always a big fan. Oh, and Willie Nelson liked the liverwurst. But despite the free ads from being on the show, we are not a tourist trap.
REAL ESTATE
To rent
145 W. 58th St. #3M, One bed, one bath; $3,725 per month
852 Eighth Ave. #4A, Studio, one bath; $1,850 per month
135 E. 54th St. #10B, Two beds, two baths; $5,400 per month
To buy
205 W. 54th St. #11F, One bed, one bath; $497,500
125 W. 56th St. #3B, Two beds, one bath; $620,000
100 W. 57th St. #15P, Studio, one bath; $389,000
2015 Midtown market data as of Nov. 11:
Median sales price: $1,480,000
Number of units on market: 771
Median rental price: $3,900
Number of rentals on market: 1,850
