New York Living Solutions

Gramercy Park is one of New York's most historic, high-end real estate, and exclusive luxury neighborhoods. Centrally located on the East Side of Manhattan, residents have the convenience of living downtown (SoHo, NoHo, and the Village are just blocks away), coupled with a sophistication generally reserved for the wealthiest uptown neighborhoods. As the city's oldest residential neighborhood, it has been home to some of the world's most influential people, including Edith Wharton, Theodore Roosevelt and Eugene O'Neill. The neighborhood is a rich urban mixture of townhouses, apartments and commercial buildings that live happily alongside a very famous private garden. Now a popular place for young professionals, designers and artists, it offers 19th century townhouses, luxury high-rise living and renovated warehouse loft apartments for the more adventurous.

Gramercy Park is a small, fenced-in private park in the Gramercy neighborhood in Manhattan― accessible only to residents of certain townhouses in the area, who have keys to the park. Gramercy Park is the only remaining private park in the city. The area was part of Gramercy Farm until 1831, when its owner, Samuel B. Ruggles, donated the property to the city with the condition that no commercial enterprise be permitted on the facing streets, or within park grounds. To this day, the park contains no amusements, swing sets, snack shops or any other intrusions on its rusticity.

The many pre and post-war buildings, including beautiful 19th century townhouses and Victorian brownstones that surround the park, designed by such famous architects such as Emery Roth and Calvert Vaux, reveal the true elegance of the neighborhood.

Recognized for its quiet and comfortable ambiance, adorned with luxury high-rises and plenty of high-end property, Murray Hill has come a long way since its days as farmland. The neighborhood derives its name from the Murray family―18th-century Quaker merchants dedicated shipping and overseas trade.

The diverse residential options accentuate the area’s elegance. Buyers/renters are both surprised and enchanted by the luxury residential high-rises, beautiful turn-of-the-century townhouses, exquisite pre-war buildings, brownstones, and well-maintained co-ops and condos found in the area.

Due to its prime Midtown location, Murray Hill real estate has flourished in recent years; it is a quick walk to midtown's business district, and a short ride to downtown's diverse draws. However, the many ethnic restaurants, cafés, boutiques, bookstores, lounges, and a very popular bar scene illuminate this neighborhood’s own slice of downtown flair.

Once a predominantly Jewish neighborhood, Crown Heights is now among the most well-known West Indian Caribbean immigrant enclaves in New York City. Due to its affordability and proximity to Manhattan, the neighborhood’s popularity has steadily climbed. Crown Heights is now home to eclectic mix West Indian immigrants, college students, artists, professionals, and Orthodox Jews. Proximity to Prospect Heights’ cultural, educational and recreational attractions, such as Prospect Park, the Brooklyn Museum, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Jewish Children’s Museum, the Brooklyn Public Library and the Brooklyn Botanical Garden have also drawn residents to area’s renovated apartments and townhouses.

Red Hook is a neighborhood in transition. With the recent move of the furniture manufacturing giant, Ikea, and the opening of the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in 2006, like many areas throughout Brooklyn, Red Hook is undoubtedly destined for commercial and artistic renewal. With the success of both projects, and the abundance of underdeveloped land, developers are overjoyed by Red Hook’s commercial potential. Proposed projects include fish-markets, condos, parks, shops and boutiques─ all the markings of contemporary urban renovation.

Although technically part of the Lower East Side, the East Village carved its own “happening” scene during the 1960s, when the traditionally immigrant neighborhood became a mecca for artists, musicians, students and writers.

Young intellectuals and the artistically inclined historically populate the area. This area has become synonymous with such artistic notables as Bob Dylan, Madonna, the Ramones, the Talking Heads, Henry James, Edgar Allen Poe and Jackson Pollack. The many educational institutions who have created their home base here also add to the cultural vibrancy of the East Village, including NYU, Cooper Union, Yeshiva University’s School of Law, and the New School.

Having eliminated many of the negative associations of decades past, the area is now just as desirable as the West Village, and home to reputable venues such as the Village Vanguard and The Public Theatre. Despite rising rental costs and the influx of young families, the East undisputedly continues to thrive as part of New York City’s “young and happening” scene.