MANHATTAN

Upper East Side Neighborhood Guide

Home to some of the country’s wealthiest people, New York’s Upper East Side is best known for upscale real estate on Fifth, Madison, and Park Avenues. On the Upper East Side, you can find classic mansions that date back to the 19th century, Renaissance-style townhouses, luxury condos, and an array of apartments that meet every price point. In addition to the large affluent residential population, the Upper East Side is also home to some of the most famous museums in the world including the MET, Guggenheim, and more.

The Upper East Side (UES), is one of the most upscale areas in New York City and includes several smaller neighborhoods, including Lenox Hill, Carnegie Hill, and Yorkville. On the UES, you will feel a slower and more relaxed vibe compared to the bustling streets of midtown Manhattan. Even though you may feel farther away from the hub of the city, you can find everything you need including world class restaurants, playgrounds, community centers, libraries, and schools.

Upper East Side Real Estate Stats

MEDIAN SALE PRICE

$1,695,000

MEDIAN RENTAL PRICE

$4,150

An Abbreviated History of The Upper East Side

Before the Europeans arrived in the Upper East Side, the East River was the site of the Lenape fishing camps and was initially a farmland and market district in the 19th century. Residents began to move into the area in the mid-1800’s, after the completion of a station that connected the UES to the city center in lower Manhattan. Andrew Carnegie, the famous industrialist and philanthropist, transformed the Upper East Side when he built a mansion on 91st street, enticing other wealthy people to want to live there, and turning the Upper East Side into the upscale neighborhood that it is today. Some notable families of the Upper East Side include the Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, Roosevelts, and Kennedys.

NEIGHBORHOOD BOUNDARIES

  • 5th Avenue to the West
  • 96th Street to the North
  • FDR Drive to the East
  • 59th Street to the South

 

Lexington Ave 4 5 6
Second Ave Q

Residents Love This Neighborhood Because

  • Access to parks & playgrounds
  • Convenient transportation
  • One of the most residential areas in NYC
  • World class museums

What to expect

Cafés

+50

Colleges / Universities

9

Community Gardens

2

Hospitals

16

Libraries

20

Parks

15

Playgrounds

17

Restaurants

+80

Yoga Studios

18

Upper East Side Landmarks and Cultural Institutions

A NEIGHBORHOOD TOUR

Get to know the neighborhood by visiting its most notable landmarks and sites. From museums and sculptures, to parks, markets, and hidden neighborhood gems, you’ll find everything you need to know about the neighborhood’s most unique and historical attractions.

Bethesda Terrace And Fountain

The Bethesda Terrace and Fountain is both an architectural landmark and a gorgeous sight to see. The bi-level terrace is located in New York City’s Central Park and surrounded by two grand staircases. In the middle is a large fountain with a statue of an angel emerging from the center.

Central Park

Central Park is a classic New York destination with entrances on the Upper East Side all along Fifth Avenue. The park is the heart of the city and runs from 59th to 110th street between Central Park West and Fifth Avenue. Central Park’s cultural position and size make it an inspiration and model for the world’s urban parks.

Gracie Mansion

The Archibald Gracie Mansion is a landmark building and also the official residence of the Mayor of New York City. It was built in 1799 and is now a historic treasure in the heart of the Upper East Side in Carl Schurz Park. George Washington originally commandeered a mansion on the same site to strategically look over Hell Gate during the American Revolutionary War but it was destroyed by the British and empty until Archibald Gracie built the current building used as a country home.

Henderson Place

Henderson Place, on the corner of East 87th Street, is a quaint and charming hidden gem. It is a historic street and full of picturesque, low-rise apartments and townhouses, perfect for a stroll to make you feel like you’re walking through history. Henderson Place is only one block long, but this historical road makes a mark on the neighborhood with its original, authentic feel.

Iris And B Gerald Cantor Roof Garden At The Metropolitan Museum Of Art

Not only is the Metropolitan Museum of Art home to a magnificent, one of a kind, art collection, it also houses the Iris and B Gerald Cantor Roof Garden, known as one of the best rooftop bars in Manhattan with one of the best views of the city. Located on the southwest corner of the roof, the garden offers views of the Manhattan skyline and Central Park. The garden opened in the summer of 1987 as a gift from Iris and B. Gerald Cantor, and has hosted a single art exhibition every summer since then. Some artists that have been featured in the past include Frank Stella, Alicja Kwade, Coosje van Bruggen, and Roy Lichtenstein.

Museum Mile

The Upper East Side is home to New York’s famous Museum Mile. Iconic museums that can be found along Museum Mile on Fifth Avenue include: 

  1. The MET – The Metropolitan Museum of Art is the largest art museum in the United States and contains over two million pieces of art.
  2. Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum – The Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum consists of a collection filled with decorative and design objects.
  3. El Museo del Barrio – The collection of El Museo del Barrio focuses on more than 800 years of Puerto Rican, Caribbean, Latino, and Latin American art.
  4. Museum of the City of New York – The Museum of the City of New York is both a history and an art museum about the history of New York and its people. 
  5. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum – The Guggenheim museum is an art museum on the Upper East Side with a wide ranging collection of impressionist, post-impressionist, modern, and contemporary art work.
  6. Neue Galerie – The Neue Galerie is a museum of German and Australian Art in New York.

Park Avenue Armory

The Park Avenue Armory is a historic National Guard armory located on the Upper East Side. The building resembles Gothic Revival style with its brick and stone structure and dates back to 1880, built by Charles Clinton. It is a historic National Guard armory building that was formerly used for the historic live broadcast of radio because of its amazing acoustics. The Armory now offers guided tours as well as a unique space for unconventional curated art work to be showcased and publicized.

The Frick Collection

The Frick Collection is an art museum in the Upper East Side whose permanent collection features old master paintings and European fine and decorative arts, including magnificent works by many artists such as Bellini, Fragonard, Goya, Rembrandt, Turner, Velázquez, and Vermeer.

The East River Greenway

Also known as the East River Esplanade, The East River Greenway is the perfect route for a run or stroll while enjoying views of the East River, Queens, and Randall’s Island. The path is approximately 10 miles long, beginning at Battery Park and stretching through the Upper East Side to East Harlem.

The Pierre Hotel

The Pierre is a historic landmark hotel located at East 61st Street. Charles Pierre left his fathers restaurant to study in Paris and eventually made his way to New York to work at the Ritz-Carlton on 46th Street and Madison Avenue, leading him to establish the Pierre Hotel. Not only does it have a beautiful exterior, but the indoor experience is just as grand. Across from Central Park and only a mile from the MET, The Pierre is in a prime location and a stunning architectural addition to the area.

Architecture in The Upper East Side

Beaux-Arts

Renaissance/Baroque Revival

Neo-Georgian

Art Deco

Neo-Federal

Notable New Yorkers

Who Have Lived in The Upper East Side

ANDREW CARNEGIE

Industrialist

CORNELIUS VANDERBILT

Businessman

ESTEE LAUDER

Businesswoman

JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER

Businessman

MARIAH CAREY

Singer

MICHAEL JACKSON

Singer

THEODORE ROOSEVELT

President

TORY BURCH

Designer

Popular Food & Drink

UVA

1486 2nd Ave

SUSHI NOZ

181 East 78th St

DANIEL

60 East 65th St

SERENDIPITY

225 East 60th St

CAFE D'ALSACE

1695 2nd Ave

SASABUNE

401 East 73rd St

SUSHI OF GARI

402 East 78th St

ANITA'S GELATO

1561 2nd Ave

All Notable New Yorker photos courtesy of Wikipedia via Wikimedia Commons. Photo of Andrew Carnegie by Theodore C. Marceau; photo of Cornelius Vanderbilt produced by Mathew Brady’s studio, restored by Michel Vuijlsteke; photo of Estee Lauder by New York World-Telegram and the Sun staff photographer Bill Sauro; photo of John D Rockefeller by Oscar White; photo of Mariah Carey by WBLS, CC BY 3.0; photo of Michael Jackson by Zoran Veselinovic; photo of Theodore Roosevelt by Pach Brothers; photo of Tory Burch by Alms1119, CC BY 3.0

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