Hey, it's James at Yoreevo, and today we're taking a look at the Upper West Side, a neighborhood many would consider the most New York-y and for good reason. It has tons of New York City landmarks, staples, and must-sees. Unlike some neighborhoods, the Upper West Side's boundaries are pretty clear. They're Central Park to the east and Riverside Park or the Hudson River to the west. The southern and northern boundaries are typically considered 59th Street and 110th Street. As the name suggests, the Upper West Side is uptown. New York City grew northward from today's Financial District, but the neighborhood is still pretty old. While Europeans first settled here in the mid-1600s, development really took off in the late 1800s, after Central Park was first planned in 1858, and then built over the next 15 years. Architecturally, you have a lot of classic brownstones. Some of these have been chopped up into rental units, but there are still tons of massive single-family homes. I remember a few years ago, a client and I toured an 8,800 square foot home. Every time I thought we were at the top, there was another floor. I grew up in New Jersey and I don't think it I ever came across a home that large. Of course, this is New York so there's also plenty of new development with a bit more of a range than you see in other parts of the city. You have your typical modern, massive, ground up new builds like 200 Amsterdam, which was completed a few years ago. And 50 West 66th, which is about two years away from being delivered. But there's also 15 Central Park West built in 2007, and one of the city's most successful buildings, while it was indeed a ground up new development you'd never know it. It blends in perfectly with the historical buildings that line the park. You also have conversions. Meaning the shell of a building is preserved but the interior are gutted. That client who visited the 8,800 square foot townhouse actually just closed at The Astor at 75th and Broadway, the building has been converted from rentals to condos, along with new penthouse units that top key to the building's three towers. My client is combining one of those penthouse units with a unit directly below, and the end result is going to be something truly spectacular. Culturally, you really have everything you want on the Upper West Side. But probably most well known is the American Museum of Natural History, with its famous dinosaurs dioramas, and big floating whale. It's always a fun and educational place to visit. On the southern border, there's Lincoln Center, one of the country's premier performing arts centers. And then there are tons of smaller spots like the New York Historical Society, The Bard Graduate Center, or just gawking at The Dakota, a famous co-op which counts John Lennon, among its many famous residents over the years. Food wise, you have plenty of options. A few of my favorites are Fred's, a quirky American spot named after a black Labrador Retriever who didn't make the cut as a seeing eye dog but found a home on the Upper West Side. There's barely a square into the restaurant that isn't covered with dog pictures. Jacob's Pickle has its oversized portions of comfort food, and Good Enough to Eat, where everything is made from scratch. And of course, there's Barney Greengrass, Jewish deli institution since 1908, but they don't take cards so make sure to bring cash. My sister lives on the upper west side and I ask her for the most underappreciated thing about the neighborhood, and she had a pretty good answer: wide sidewalks. There's often plenty of space for two strollers, dogs, shopping carts, whatever to pass without issue. While anecdotally, that seems right, New York City actually has a sidewalk width map, and I checked it, and sure enough a disproportionate amount of the city's 15 plus foot wide sidewalks are up here. So if the Upper West Side sounds up your alley and you're thinking of buying, let me know at james@yoreevo.com. All of my buyers receive a commission rebate for up to 2%. And if you're already up here and if you're thinking of selling, my sellers also save up to 4% compared to traditional brokers. Thanks for watching.