Walking Around New York: Upper West Side

Photo: Tatiana Borodina

Walking through one of the most special areas of New York, part of which was previously a criminal district, turning into the most prestigious part of the city over time.

A text tour held in her blog for Elegant new york Tatyana Borodina.

Parisian style with American flair

Strolling along Central Park West and gazing at the adjoining streets, where you can easily find interesting specimens of the cozy architecture of the New York Browns, we will head westwards towards Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue. There, where there are, without doubt, unique examples of New York architecture of high-rise residential buildings. And, as often happens in this city, their biography is decorated with a kaleidoscope of entertaining stories that allow you to understand the life of the city better than any sociological research.

Before setting off on Broadway in search of homes of interest to us, take a look at a small French bistro called Café Luxembourg. Excellent coffee with an original dessert will give our way “European taste”, which would be appropriate, since the neighborhoods that we will pass today resemble Paris boulevards or the elegant Eixample district in Barcelona.

Knights of Pythia

Leaving the cafe, we will cross Amsterdam Avenue, then Broadway - and walk along 70th Street in an easterly direction. It is impossible to miss the house we are interested in - it will attract attention with its Art Deco facade, decorated with Egyptian columns and an elegant entrance. This house is called The Pythian Temple and is the historical home of the secret order of the Knights of Pythias.

Photo: Tatiana Borodina

Profitable house with chic

Just one block north, on the corner of 71 Street and Amsterdam Avenue, where the street intersects with Broadway, there is a big beautiful house decorated with sculptures, terracotta, cast iron gates, high arch, openwork balconies, loggias and other architectural pleasures more familiar to European capitals than to New York. This is The Dorilton, a profitable house built in 1902 in the style of beaux-art, which the famous architectural historian Francis Morone called the best and most beautiful house in New York.

Stopping next to The Dorilton, pay attention to the triangular square of Verdi, named after the great composer Giuseppe Verdi. In the park there is a monument to the composer.

Now this is a respectable area, but in the 1960-1970s, Verdi Square was a center for drug sales and was called “Igla Park,” and the neighborhoods around could not be called calm and prosperous, especially since the 72nd Street metro station was nearby, which allowed It's easy to get here from both Harlem and the Bronx - areas that were populated by notorious "criminal elements" during the years of rampant crime.

Now everything is different, the metro station "72 Street" is notable now with its entrance, restored in its original architectural form, and well-to-do people live in The Dorilton, and this address is considered one of the most prestigious in the city, and apartment prices are in the millions.

Rooftop farm

Further along the way of our walk is another handsome house, worthy of Parisian boulevards. He stands on the corner of 73 Street and Broadway and is called Ansonia.

And in his biography, as in a mirror, reflected the changeable fate of the entire Upper West Side.

Literally next to Ansonia is another interesting house, built in a completely different style and having a completely different story.

The Level Club was built in 1927 year as a men's club and has been used in this capacity for all 3 years.

Photo: Tatiana Borodina

Monumental and majestic

And the last famous Upper West Side home we wanted to talk about is Apthorp. Unusual for a New York apartment building with a courtyard, built in the style of the Italian Neo-Renaissance by William Waldorf Astor in 1908 year. The house was called Monumental and Magnificent (Monumental and Stately), which, as well as possible, describes its appearance and internal content. This house for many years was the largest and most prestigious apartment building in New York. The design of each apartment is unique - all of them were designed and finished according to an individual plan using the original handwork of a high artistic level.

During the existence of the house, many world celebrities lived in it, and nowadays Nora Efron, Al Pacino, Conan O'Brien, Cindy Lopez live here.

This concludes our walk, but we note that literally on the border of the Upper West Side is Columbia University and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. If you, walking in our route, are close by, be sure to walk around the university and go inside the largest New York cathedral.

And pay attention to the fact that there are a lot of restaurants on Amsterdam Avenue and Kalambus Avenue, and all of them are of very good quality, so we advise you to choose one of your choice while walking around the area.

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