BPC’s residents enjoy comfortably-sized apartments housed in buildings that often feature doormen, elevators, outdoor space and parking, among other enticing amenities. Each path within BPC leads to something special, whether it be a recreational area, an adjacent building, a place of commerce [including a large mall and a multiplex cinema], or its namesake park where you can enjoy a scenic stroll along the Hudson River.

History

Battery Park City is one of the newest and sought-after neighborhoods of New York. Originally conceived in the 1960s as an urban revitalization plan, it was not until 1979 that architects and city planners brought to life what became the current vision for the area. BPC began simply as a landfill for the original World Trade Center; however the area received a great deal of support from the Battery Park Conservancy and Battery Park City Authority after the events of 9/11. At the time, nearly two thirds of its residents vacated, but BPC has since experienced tremendous growth in new developments as well as in residents flocking to the area.

Many prewar townhouses, lofts and tenement-style buildings can be found amidst newer high-rises. Much of west Chelsea is also home to New York's visual arts community which houses over 370 art galleries and innumerable artist studios. The revitalization of the Highline railway, now a designated green space, has also spurred major commercial and residential growth in the area. The neighborhood can be accessed by the N and R trains, as well as the 1, C and E subway lines. West Chelsea is mainly accessible by buses, primarily the M23 which runs all the way to the waterfront and Chelsea Piers.

The look and feel of Chelsea is not at all unlike that of its southern neighbor, the West Village. Chelsea too boasts beautiful brownstones and cozy tree-lined streets full of quaint shops, flavorful cafes and colorful nightlife.

While many neighborhoods are defined by its streets, Chelsea's avenues define much of its flair, and Seventh through Ninth Avenues are the most active commercial thoroughfares in the area. Newer developments, both commercial and residential, are cropping up further west as the Chelsea area continues to sprout up as the last remaining developmental frontier of Manhattan. Chelsea has been dotted with several modern high-rise buildings, though none overshadow its most storied building, 23rd Street's own famous Hotel Chelsea.

History
Chelsea’s namesake was coined by a British Major who made his home here and titled it after his manor in Chelsea, London. It was around the early 1800s that the neighborhood first began to blossom. Once an area filled with gardens, Chelsea saw row houses starting to erect between Ninth and Tenth Avenues, and eventually further east, many of which still exist today. Chelsea did stay rather lush with greenery until the mid 1800s, when the freight railroad came in and caused Tenth Avenue to be a dividing line between the waterfront and the rest of the neighborhood.

One of the area's more famous landmarks, the Hotel Chelsea, was built in 1883. Over the years, it has housed the likes of well-known artists, playwrights, authors and musicians, and the building continues this tradition today.

Much like the West Village during the late 1800s and early 1900s, Chelsea, particularly to the west, became home to many longshoremen. The waterfront was eventually revitalized, and now houses a large sports and recreation facility known as Chelsea Piers. By the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, many small theaters appeared in the area, as did numerous lofts and warehouse spaces housing furs, clothing and food including the former NABISCO building, now the Chelsea Market.

the East Village sits just above the trendy Lower East Side and features many famous thoroughfares, like St. Marks Place, Loisaida (Avenue C) in Alphabet City and the Bowery. You can find an authentic restaurant sitting on every block of the East Village - from Polish diners to Japanese Izakaya, to an entire street of brightly-lit Indian eateries. Nightlife is also a major draw of the area, from rustic bars with local flavor to late-night clubs that attract people from all over the city. Coffeehouses and chic boutiques mingle with poetry clubs and community gardens. The birthplace of punk, , the East Village was once home to famed beat poet Allen Ginsberg, artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, pop star Madonna and rocker Iggy Pop. Today its creative urban charm draws a harmonious mix of people.

History
Once known as "Little Germany," the East Village has since the 17th Century been the go-to destination for successive waves of immigrants. Notable sites include several landmarks: St. Marks Church, where East Village ancestor Peter Stuyvesant is buried, the Old Merchant's House, the Marble Cemetery and McSorley's Old Ale House, the oldest continuously-run "saloon" known for such famous guests as Abe Lincoln, John Lennon and Woody Guthry.

Broadway, the only street in all of Manhattan that runs completely north to south, also has its beginning here. Every major subway line converges in the Financial District, many at Fulton Street. Further south you can still catch the 2, 3, 4, 5 and R trains before departing to Brooklyn. The 1 subway line also begins at the terminus of the Staten Island Ferry, right at the base of Manhattan.

Whether just across from Battery Park City, down the narrow streets of Wall, William and John or over in the burgeoning and historic Fulton Market area, a full selection of new and revitalized residential housing has emerged. Wedged in between, there are restaurants, storefronts, even fitness facilities and nightlife. Financial District, home to the largest financial institutions in the world and reasonably-priced, full-served high-rise apartments. Towering office complexes meld with old world conversions and new luxurious residential constructions in the Financial District (FiDi). Tourists, vendors and corporate workers mesh in a daily dance amongst everyday conveniences ranging from coffee shops and quick lunch spots to fine dining and shopping. All roads and transport paths in New York seem to begin or end here.

History
This is where it all began; when Wall Street was actually a “wall” to keep out invading troops (British, Spanish, French, depending on who the early settlers had the biggest argument with at the time), and many of its thoroughfares (now paved over) were narrow waterways connecting river to river. When the Dutch first came to what was then New Amsterdam (ultimately New York) in 1625, their plan was to set up a major trading/shipping post, which many countries flocked to in a short period of time - originally called the Dutch West India Company. Back then, when anyone referred to "the city," it was where the Financial District currently sits.

Every other area of the island of Manhattan was considered "the country," and by all accounts at the time, it was. Wall Street became synonymous with the entire region. Historical records show that traders and speculators would gather under a buttonwood tree on Wall Street to conduct their deals. It wasn't until the late 1700s after the Revolutionary War and the area became far more settled, and in 1792 with the signing of The Buttonwood Agreement, that the New York Stock Exchange was established. Several fires also occurred over the years that nearly leveled the entire neighborhood, driving out many residents; but it endured, and over time more financial institutions built their headquarters here. New York also always had an active waterfront, with this the hub of activity. The well-known Fulton Market was first born in 1822.

Much like the neighborhood, it too survived major fires, particularly in 1835, 1845, 1918 and 1995. Though the major fish market that once stood has since changed locations, FiDi is still a vibrant tourist and commerce destination.

The oldest remaining resident in the area, and one of America's oldest churches today, is Trinity Church, built in 1697. Another well-known historical haunt is Faunces Tavern at the foot of where the original building at Pearl and Broad Streets was. This was originally the 1671 home of then-mayor Stephanus Van Cortland, and later changed hands in 1762 via a family sale to Samuel Faunces. He converted the home into a tavern, originally the Queen's Head. Though the tavern is currently not operating, there is a museum at the site that's still open to the public.

The namesake building has its northern tip at East 23rd Street, where Broadway and Fifth Avenue cross.

Flatiron occupies the territory from Broadway north of Union Square into the mid-20s, and is bounded by Park Avenue South to the east and Broadway to the west. This intimate area just below the heart of Manhattan (though some may argue that it is) is mainly populated by spacious lofts and tenement buildings, many of which were built in the early part of the 20th Century. Plenty of modern edges can be found as well, as many of the former industrial and warehouse spaces have been converted and renovated to accommodate the most discerning tastes.

History
The building for which the area is named – The Flatiron Building - came to life in 1902, and is considered one of the oldest original skyscrapers in New York City. Not unlike the eastern half of Chelsea, this area did not see much in the way of development until around the time of the Industrial Revolution in the late 1800s to early 1900s. Hardly considered a residential area, Flatiron was home to what was known as Ladies Mile, a part of Flatiron that spanned from Park Avenue South to Sixth Avenue between 18th and 24th Streets. This was home to some of New York's most famous department stores, including Lord & Taylor, W & J Sloane, Best & Co., and Bergdorf Goodman.

Also in Gramercy is picturesque Stuyvesant Square that's encircled by iron-like Gramercy Park but designed with more of a welcoming vision like nearby Union Square. Once the site of a "crooked little swamp," Gramercy is the ultimate urban oasis, with stately residences, charming tree-lined streets that seem to linger on from one place to the next, and wonderful secret corners that almost seem magical. Gramercy's boundaries include 14th Street, First Avenue, 23rd Street and Park Avenue South, with two-acre Gramercy Park sandwiched between 20th and 21st Streets and Gramercy Park West and East. Stuyvesant Square goes from 15th to 17th Streets and Rutherford to Nathan D. Perlman Place. Must-see mid-19th Century sites include a 42-room mansion on Gramercy Park South, St. George's Church at East 16th Street, and all of East 19th Street between 3rd Avenue and Irving Place known as "block beautiful" for its lush ambiance and exquisitely-decorated townhouses.

History
Once farmland owned by the Dutch, Gramercy is best known for Gramercy Park, the only private park in Manhattan to which residents hold highly-coveted keys. Established in 1831 by developer Samuel B. Ruggles, this neighborhood has hosted many famous writers, artists and actors as residents, including Teddy Roosevelt who was born at 28 East 20th Street in 1858. Honored with landmark status in 1966, two of NYC's first apartment buildings on Gramercy Park East remain prominent symbols of history in the area.

Greenwich Village (aka "The Village") has deep roots in New York's diverse history that are still very evident today. Taking a stroll down any of its seemingly unchanged streets gives tourists and long-time residents a taste of a neighborhood brimming with an eclectic array of offbeat culture, vibrant commerce, academic history and old-day aristocracy.

A 10-minute walk on Bleecker Street between Laguardia Place (named for former NYC mayor, Fiorello Laguardia) and Seventh Avenue South paints a full picture of what you need to know about life in Greenwich Village. You'll encounter boisterous bars and restaurants, cozy cafes, venues featuring a mix of musical flavors, NYU establishments, even family-owned businesses like century-old Italian meat markets Faicco's and O.Ottomanelli & Son's. At the heart of the neighborhood is Washington Square Park, which still audibly beats to the sound of area residents, poets, street performers and musicians alike. The Village is not all bohemian chic; it also has a well-established upper-crust charm that dates back to the late 19th Century, particularly the area north of The Park on Lower Fifth Avenue up to 14th Street, often termed The Gold Coast, where pre- and post-war luxury high rises mingle with old-world townhouses.

Running as far east as Broadway and west to Seventh Avenue, the Village and its countless personalities can be experienced between West 14th Street and Houston Street, with a small pocket north of Houston between Broadway and Laguardia Place now donned NoHo. The area's main arteries include Bleecker Street, West 4th Street, Christopher Street, West 8th Street and Sixth Avenue. The section north of Washington Square Park and below 14th Street between 5th and 6th is far different in appearance and architecture than south and west of the park.

History
Originally known as Grin'wich, The Village is deep rooted in New York's psyche. Its earliest residents came in the late 1600s. Unlike neighborhoods to the south, specifically what is now the Financial District, Greenwich Village was unscathed by the Revolutionary War. In the late 18th Century, fresh produce markets appeared; so did the potter's field purchased in the late 1780s that later became Washington Square Park - named for the first president of the U.S., Gen. George Washington, who resided in the city of New York, once the capital of the country. The Village also has a rarely-seen side of its personality between Fifth and Sixth Avenues north of Washington Square graced by rows of townhouses and where occasional high-rise buildings reside on quiet, tree-lined streets. New York University grew on the east side of Washington Square as of 1836, and the neighborhood soon became the mecca of art clubs, photo galleries, fine hotels, shopping of all types and theaters. During the 20th Century, Greenwich Village became a central character for artistic and social change, as the Beat movement and homosexual revolution came to fruition from its streets. To this day, many of its representative and still popular establishments stand, namely The Blue Note, The Back Fence, Café Wha?, and The Stonewall Pub.

Today, many TV studios are found in this part of Midtown West, and its close proximity to the Theater District has long made it a popular spot for aspiring actors. Ninth Avenue, home to the international food festival, is a paradise for diverse food tastes.

Though the exact origin of the name "Hell's Kitchen" is widely disputed, everyone is in agreement that this was once a rougher part of town.

History
In the mid-18th Century, this area was home to small streams and farmhouses, which were replaced by the city's first community garden, DeWitt Clinton Park, in the early 1900s. Some of the early struggles in Hell's Kitchen have been captured in West Side Story.

Charming and lively, the Lower East Side lures you in with its ultra-hip image and distinct connection to the island's vibrant past. It's where the old world meets the new, with Katz's Deli, Yonah Schimmel's Knish Bakery and historic places of worship mingled with avant-garde bistros, swanky boutique hotels and the city's hottest nightlife. Explore the scene on Ludlow Street, where the Velvet Underground once lived, and you'll find today all in one place incredible designer clothes, dance clubs, galleries, bars, bodegas and international cafes. Or discover Orchard Street just steps away with its great discount shopping district.

Romanesque and Gothic revival buildings stand alongside tenement-style walk-ups and the occasional glass-and-steel modern high-rise on the LES. The Lower East Side is bordered by Houston Street (pronounced HOW-ston) to the north and roughly runs west to Eldridge, south to Canal Street and East to the East River Park. Though mostly populated by narrow streets, the Lower East Side's main thoroughfare is Delancey Street. There are also three parks that hint at what was once the Delancey farmland, with a cherry grove after which Orchard Street was named. This southeastern neighborhood is reached by the J, M, B, D and F subway and several bus lines, and is the gateway to the Williamsburg Bridge.

History
Recently designated a state and national historic district, the Lower East Side (or "LES") is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city. Over 200 years ago, Orchard Street was among the world's busiest commercial centers, and home to a flourishing garment industry. The first settlement house in America was built in 1898 on Eldridge Street. In response to the pushcarts that once filled the neighborhood's narrow streets, Mayor La Guardia established the Essex Street Market in the 1930s. New York's oldest surviving synagogue can be found in the LES.

Now home to the Angel Orensanz Center, an art and performance space, this landmarked building was also the site of Sarah Jessica Parker's and Matthew Broderick's famous wedding. In the 1980s, the LES became a bastion of radical contemporary art, where intimate galleries like ABC No Rio resisted the status quo of the mainstream art scene. Exemplary of the Lower East Side's rich, diverse past, a Dutch church from the 1840s was once a boxing venue and vaudeville theater before becoming Sunshine Cinema. The Lower East Side Tenement Museum on Orchard Street is an excellent venue for the early Lower East Side experience.

Times Square is a dizzying array of jumbotron ads, skyscrapers, performers, Broadway theatres and thrilling attractions. In its early history, Times Square was known as "Longacre," marked by manor houses and farmland. In 1904, the area was renamed Times Square when The New York Times moved its headquarters there. In the 1910s and 20s, Times Square - also called the Tenderloin -became a cultural hub for theater, music venues and upscale hotels, not to mention one of the city's most desirable places to live. Today, it's the most exciting spot to ring in the New Year.

Other neighborhoods in Midtown West include the Diamond District, the Theater District, the Garment District, Herald Square (home to the Manhattan Mall and Macy's), Koreatown and Restaurant Row between Eighth and Ninth Avenue on West 46th Street.

Midtown West has a wealth of landmarks and architectural icons, including the Empire State Building, a historic Art Deco masterpiece reaching 102 stories high. Completed in 1931, the Empire State Building is ranked as one of the seven wonders of the modern world. At the heart of Midtown, Rockefeller Center is one of the world's largest building complexes, home to Radio City Music Hall and the beloved ice-skating rink.

There are a multitude of ways in and out of Midtown West, including Penn Station to the south (where you can also find Madison Square Garden), the Lincoln Tunnel, the Port Authority Bus Terminal, the New York Waterway ferry and the Eighth Avenue subway line.

History
Built in 1891, Carnegie Hall is among the most prestigious performance spaces in existence. A designated public park since the late 17th Century, Bryant Park is known for its Great Lawn and public cultural events. Other notable sites include the stately Post Office, the Plaza, the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum, the Museum of Modern Art and the infamous Studio 54. World-class shopping includes Bergdorfs, Barneys and Tiffany's New York flagship.

Its signature four-faced clock, clubby Old World lounge, and vast retail and dining options embody this phenomenal space. Midtown East is also home to the historic landmark St. Patrick's Cathedral, a Gothic Revival masterpiece built on Fifth Avenue in 1878, as well as the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, Trump Tower, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdale's. Subways include the 4, 5, 6, 7, E and M, plus there's a variety of local buses, and a water taxi and heliport at East 34th Street. From East 23rd to 34th Streets, and extending from the East River to Third Avenue, is the neighborhood of Kips Bay, named after Jacobus Hendrickson Kip, who owned farmland in the area. One of the city's few remaining wooden houses still stands at East 29th Street, and the only dirt alley – Broadway Alley – is found near East 26th Street and Lexington Avenue. Modern conveniences abound in Kips Bay Plaza. To the west is the historic district Rose Hill, first recognized in the 1740s, and the area often referred to as Curry Hill, or Little India, for its abundance of Indian restaurants.

Murray Hill, which runs from East 34th to 42nd Streets and from the East River to Madison Avenue, was named after the Quaker merchant Robert Murray. The hill that once held his farmhouse, built in 1762, has since been leveled. J.P. Morgan's brownstone mansion on Madison, now a library and museum, lends stately elegance to the area.

From East 41st to 43rd Streets between First and Second Avenues is Tudor City, the first residential skyscraper in the world. Completed in 1932 in the neo-Gothic style with an iconic rooftop sign, Tudor City sits atop a granite cliff and features picturesque gardens, playgrounds, and a range of retail stores and services.

History
To the north of Kips Bay is Turtle Bay, a 1639 Dutch farmland settlement that once overlooked a small cove (where Edgar Allen Poe often rowed a boat). This neighborhood was home to James Beekman's famous Mount Pleasant Mansion (1763), in what is now known as Beekman Place, as well as the Turtle Bay Gardens Historic District which attracted literati and actors in the 1920s.

In 1950, the headquarters of the United Nations was erected on the edge of the East River, where a slaughterhouse once operated. Considered international territory, the UN's Secretariat building, domed General Assembly building and row of member flags are recognized around the world. At the edge of Turtle Bay is one of most brilliant studies in art deco skyscrapers, the Chrysler Building. Sutton Place, above Turtle Bay, epitomized fashion in the 1920s, with two public parks and townhouses belonging to the Morgans and the Vanderbilts.

This stands to reason, as every square inch of its half mile of paved and cobblestone streets is filled with these representative fixtures.

SoHo is one of the few neighborhoods that is inimitably a definition of a specific personality and style. Life on many of its snug streets filled with loft and tenement-style buildings is also seasoned with bustling tourism and old world charm.

Lofts old and new and pre-war tenements abound in this chic part of town; but that doesn't mean you won't run into modern construction. Of significant note about SoHo is that it hosts the largest collection (approximately 250 according to historical records) of cast iron buildings in the entire world.

Cast iron was first used as a facade in the mid-late 1800s, then later entire buildings were constructed of the material. Among the area's more famous concrete and steel edifices is the Puck Building at the foot of SoHo and NoLita (area north of Little Italy). Built between 1885 and 1895 in two sections, it was once home to the printing facility of J. Ottmann Lithographing Company and Puck Magazine, which ceased publication in 1918. Most of the area boasts cozy streets, often bustling with tourists and commerce, and most buildings rarely exceed 12 stories.

Soho's boundaries of course start below Houston Street, the western section stretching just below the West Village to the Hudson River, down to Canal Street and east to Lafayette Street where it abuts the other small neighborhoods of Little Italy and Chinatown. The area is accessible via several major subway lines, including the C, E, 1, R, and 6 trains.

History

The first known settlement of this area came in the 1660s when a Dutchman purchased a large portion of the land, later passing it on to his brother-in-law Nicholas Bayard, who at the time was the largest land owner in the city. In the early 1700s, the area was full of trees, streams, a swamp and a few other notable areas including a collect pond, Lispenard Meadow and a hilly area called Bayard's Mount, which at the time was the highest point in Manhattan. Since the pond and meadow formed a natural boundary, major settlement in the area was restricted until sometime in the late 1770s when Broadway was extended north. As industrialization occurred in the 1800s, the pond became polluted and the mount was leveled to fill in the pond and meadow, literally paving the way for major development. This included residential and industrial growth, primarily from the textile industries as well as hotels, theaters, even casinos and brothels along Broadway.

Over time, many residents and businesses left, and the industrial loft spaces were abandoned. The artists that became synonymous with the area began to appear in the 1950s, occupying the low-rent and empty spaces. The neighborhood's name was officially coined in 1968 by the artists and activists who lived there, originally calling themselves the SoHo Artists Association, named in part by their physical location south of Houston Street (thus shortened to SoHo).

TriBeCa is the quiet calm nestled between the bustle of Chinatown and the Financial District. The acronym in full is the Triangle Below Canal Street, a relatively small area with a big flavor for top restaurants (including NoBu, TriBeCa Grill, Megu, and Wolfgang's), shops and often large living spaces. Many of its streets have formal names like Warren, Murray and Leonard, and greet you like an old friend as they take on somewhat of a secluded yet familiar charm often seen in movies. This makes perfect sense, as TriBeCa streets are often the backdrops of many films, and in recent years became home to a major film festival.

True to its namesake, the neighborhood's boundaries form a triangle, with the top point at Canal Street and Broadway extending over to the Hudson River/West Street and down to Vesey Street at the edge of the Financial District. A mix of modern high rises and old-style lofts and tenement buildings fill the area. Its main transportation points are accessible by most of the major train lines including the A, C, E, N, R, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 trains. TriBeCa's largest park is Washington Market Park, which borders Greenwich, Chambers and West Streets, and offers a community garden that hosts several events throughout the year.

History
Despite its proximity to the oldest part of Manhattan, TriBeCa did not see its first residents until the late 1700s. However the mid-19th Century ushered in a long-lasting commercial period for the neighborhood, as large numbers of stores and loft buildings emerged along Broadway in the 1850s and 1860s. Then, like many areas of the city, further development came with the IRT (1 train) subway line in 1918 and elevated train along Greenwich Street in the 1940s. Some years later, many of the commercial spaces had emptied out and, like SoHo to the north, artists began to flock here. Many of the lofts became occupied, and new developments and conversions emerged.

with a handful of subway stops all converging in one place. A popular "town square" of sorts, Union Square is one of the city's most exciting spots, where upscale restaurants and well-trafficked destination shops meet a group of bohemian lofts and luxury high rises.

Just west of Gramercy and centered around the historic park, Union Square has a wealth of sites to experience, from gourmet food, cutting-edge fashion and luxury spas to popular retail chains and centrally-located office spaces. A major subway hub, Union Square is home to the first Greenmarket in New York City, and the joyful Union Square Holiday Market. Inside the park, which runs from 14th Street to 17th Streets and Union Square East to West, are a handful of auspicious statues including Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi and the equestrian George Washington. At the south end of the park is a view of the controversial public art piece Metronome, which includes a clock made of LED digits and a massive metallic structure that playfully puffs smoke at noon and midnight.

History
Known as the crossroads of New York City, Union Square Park - once a potter's field - was opened in 1839 and named for its location at the "union" of Broadway (then Bloomingdale Road) and a street that no longer exists. The site of many ground-breaking events, from the first Labor Day Parade in 1882 to the first Earth Day celebration in 1970, this national landmark has, perhaps coincidentally, been the stage for countless labor rallies. midnight.

Unrivaled in its wealth of elegant dining, glamorous shopping, world-class museums and highly sought-after addresses, the UES is impressive in its convenience and astonishingly affordable thanks to its sheer number of living spaces. The UES both captures our uptown imagination with such Old New York names as Carnegie, Astor and Rockefeller, and satisfies our desire for urban beauty with opulent Beaux Arts mansions just steps from "the Park."

The Upper East Side travels from 59th to 96th Streets, from the East River to Central Park, and is accessible by the Lexington and Broadway subway lines, local buses and the future T subway on Second Avenue. Beaux Arts and Queen Anne-style row houses from the 1870s live amongst early 20th Century neoclassical and neo-Federal homes, and post-war luxury high-rises.

Museum Mile - once Millionaire's Row - features the Frick, formerly a private limestone mansion, in addition to the world-renowned Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim Museum, a modernist spiraling masterpiece designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. From high-end designer stores like Barneys and Bloomingdale's to four-star restaurants and historic private clubs, to the oasis of Carl Schurz Park and the iconic Central Park, the Upper East Side is the center those who love the finer things.

History
Much like the rest of Manhattan at the time of European arrival, the Upper East Side was once wetlands, forest and fishing camps occupied by the Lenape. In 1799, merchant Archibald Gracie built Gracie Mansion on the East River. A few estates followed the Boston Post Road, and more appeared after 1837 when the New York and Harlem Railroad was established. The late 1800s saw widespread development, including President Ulysses S. Grant's house on East 66th Street.

Mansions lined Fifth Avenue, while country estates for such wealthy families as the Rhinelanders, Schermerhorns and Astors populated the small hamlet now known as Yorkville. In 1880, the regal Park Avenue Armory was established, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art moved to its permanent home in Central Park. Andrew Carnegie built his mansion on Fifth Avenue and 91st Street in 1901, lending his name to the area now known as Carnegie Hill. In the early 1900s, the New York and Harlem Railroad was buried under Park Avenue, creating what would become one of America's most prestigious boulevards.

and no fewer words give a greater introduction to a neighborhood quite like they do for the Upper West Side. The area's architecture is legendary, with storied names like Dakota, Ansonia, Apthorp, Manhasset and Astor Court. A host of early 20th Century behemoths line Riverside Boulevard and Drive, caressing Riverside Park; plus the area's also home to the renowned Museum of Natural History.

At its entry at the southwestern foot of Central Park, the area starts far more modern and polished than further north, as it's greeted by both a statue of Columbus and Trump Tower. Further in along Broadway and on Columbus, Amsterdam and eventually West End Avenues and Riverside Drive, you'll encounter a myriad of pre- and some post-war buildings of varying sizes. These get larger particularly along parts of Broadway, West End Avenue and Riverside Boulevard and Drive. The niche is primarily a grid, with Broadway's traffic running in both directions down the center. Its southern edge begins at 59th Street and Central Park, stretching towards the river then up to 110th Street where it becomes Morningside Heights that extends to 125th Street, with St. Nicholas at the eastern end and Riverside Drive to the west. The 2 and 3 express trains will take you through the Upper West Side before heading to Harlem and The Bronx. The B and C trains also have stops along Central Park West, while the 1 train runs the entire area along Broadway.

History
The entire area north of 59th Street well up to Harlem was, as most of the city, pure country with rolling hills, fields, farms and streams. It was around the 18th Century that many country residences were established, particularly by well-to-do New Yorkers who lived on and near what was then Anthrop Farm and Bloomingdale Road (now Broadway).

By the 19th Century, smaller residences appeared, and much of the waterfront area was energized by shipping, transport and manufacturing. A major boom came with the addition of the Hudson River Railroad in the 1830s. Central Park was also created during this time, approximately 1850-60s, which oddly enough brought in many squatter shacks, boarding houses and taverns. In 1869 the American Museum of Natural History was completed, then another major change took place in the area in the later 1800s with the arrival of the elevated train line along Ninth Avenue (which was renamed Columbus), as well as Columbia University's move to Morningside Heights. One of the most famous area residences was completed around this time as well. The Dakota building stood alone alongside Central Park, with the area around it not yet developed. The building took on its name because many likened its location to that of The Dakota's of America. Over time, a small group of the building's well-healed owners would form the very first co-op in the city, each owning a share of the corporation that governed the building.

Major development still would not begin on the Upper West Side or in Morningside Heights until the turn of the 20th Century and the opening of the city's first subway line, then known as the IRT Broadway-Seventh Avenue Line.

Don't be surprised to find yourself at the corner of Waverly Place and Waverly Place, or to cross West 4th at West 12th Street: many of its tree-lined streets were established well before the more common grid system that exists above 14th Street, and follow the old cattle and horse trails created by early West Village settlers. Some streets are still paved with cobblestones, like of West 11th and Bank Streets.

Long associated with quaint shops, artists' studios, cafes and eateries of all flavors, the West Village is home to such local fixtures as the Waverly Inn, Corner Bistro, White Horse Tavern and Magnolia Bakery. With buildings dating back to the early 1700s and just the right degree of modern edges, the West Village remains one of the most desirable locales in the entire city.

bordered by West 14th Street, West Houston Street, Seventh Avenue South and the Hudson River. Several small parks dot the area, including Abingdon Square, James J. Walker Park on Hudson and Leroy Street, Bleecker Park, Jackson Square, and the refurbished Highline Elevated Park, which begins at Gansevoort Street and stretches north into Chelsea. Despite some modern trimmings, neighborhood associations and landmark agencies aid in maintaining much of the historic aesthetic. As such, the area has a relatively low skyline, with buildings rarely exceeding 12 stories. Friendly stoops and large ornamented doorways are also common among the vast array of prewar and brownstone buildings.

History
The first area residents began to appear in the late 1600s and early 1700s, particularly after the Revolutionary War, with a larger housing boom in the 1800s when the area west of Hudson Street (formerly the banks of the Hudson River) was created from landfill. Constructed in 1820, the first house in the neighborhood survives to this day at 132 Charles Street. The High Line elevated rail line was built in 1934 to accommodate the needs of the waterfront industry of the Far West Village. Several generations of writers and artists have lived and worked in the West Village: Henry James, Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain, Walt Whitman, Norman Rockwell, Eugene O'Neill and Dylan Thomas, whose residence gave literary fame to the White Horse Tavern.

Built in 1880 as a longshoreman's bar, the White Horse remains one of the neighborhood's most popular destinations.

Beginning in the early 20th Century, the West Village was a stomping ground for artists seeking a more bohemian lifestyle.