The norm for many New Yorkers used to be to leave the city when settling down and getting ready to marry and/or have children. We see this trend as the norm less and less, however. Instead, many couples are deciding stay and start families in the city. Now although NYC has become a great place to raise kids (more so in recent years), some areas of the city are more family-friendly than others. Brick Underground did their own investigation looking at NYC’s most family-friendly neighborhoods. Their methodology is based on the assumption that a three-bedroom, two bath apartment is ideal for a New York City family. Additionally, the asked real estate data and analytics company Perchwell to identify Manhattan neighborhoods with the greatest number of that type of apartment for sale and for rent, the median cost and rent, as well as how many are currently available in each category. Other factors were school quality, green space, ease of transportation and other families which could be analyzed by information from the real estate search platform Localize.city.  Here’s what they have to say about some of the neighborhoods in which Sovereign helps clients find homes.

Upper West Side 

While not as tony as the Upper East Side (which could be a good, or a bad thing, depending on yourperspective), the Upper West is similar to its crosstown counterpart in many ways. It has, of course, Central Park, home to the Diana Ross Playground at 81st Street, and Heckscher Playground at the south end. To the west is scenic Riverside Park, which runs the length of the neighborhood, and has the popular family spot Hippo Playground.

While the popular Riverside Skate Park at West 109th Street is currently off-limits for reconstruction, Localize.city reports that it’s expected to reopen by 2020 with a new design deemed “world class” by local skaters and will accommodate skaters of all ages and abilities. Localize.city also notes the debut this fall of accessible features at St. Gregory’s Playground and Bloomingdale Playground. Bloomingdale, for instance, will have ramps to play structures, handicapped swings, quiet sensory spaces, adjustable height basketball hoops, and gender-neutral bathrooms.

The American Museum of Natural History is an Upper West Side gem, and you’ll also find The Children’s Museum of Manhattan, the New-York Historical Society (home to a separate museum dedicated to a young audience, and frequent host of kid-friendly exhibits) and performing arts complex Lincoln Center, which in addition to favorites like The Nutcracker, stages an entire series of top-notch children’s productions for all ages. The Marlene Meyerson JCC is another popular community resource, providing fitness facilities, classes, and events. Apparently, the Upper West Side likes family-friendly festivities: Localize.city reveals that of all the neighborhoods in the city, this area holds the most block parties on Halloween, as indicated by the number of permits filed.

The Upper West Side has its fair share of elite private schools, such as The Calhoun School, Collegiate School, Trinity School, and Ethical Culture School. Popular public schools include P.S. 199, P.S. 87, and P.S. 9, as well as The Anderson School, which is a citywide highly-selective gifted and talented school to which 50 kindergartners are admitted each year (out of approximately 15,000 students who take the G&T test). District 3 underwent rezoning in 2017 to reduce overcrowding and improve diversity, so it’s unlikely another rezoning will happen any time soon.

Harlem

Harlem is a big area, and you’ll find different features and character (and in some cases, school districts) in the neighborhoods of West, Central, and East Harlem. But overall, the neighborhood is home to numerous large apartments, going for fewer dollars (in some cases, significantly). As our recurring townhouse picks show, it’s also an area where, if you have your heart set on living in a brownstone, this type of housing stock is more affordable than other parts of the city.

To the west, there is Riverbank State Park, a 28-acre, multi-level complex with an Olympic-size pool, carousel, playgrounds, skating rinks, and more. More central is St. Nicholas Park, where a playground was recently renovated. The northern part of Central Park includes the man-made lake, Harlem Meer, a wildlife habitat and popular spot for catch-and-release fishing; the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, which holds programming and events, and Lasker Rink and pool. Central Harlem also has Marcus Garvey Park, where the rec center is slated for renovation. And to the East, Thomas Jefferson Park is an active community hub, with a new skate park, playgrounds, a pool, track, and rec center. Finally, on the far north end, there is Jackie Robinson Park, slated to see major improvements by 2020.

Cultural institutions include the Apollo Theater, and to the south, El Museo del Barrio and the Museum of the City of New York. Both museums run family-friendly exhibits and programming. The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, part of the New York Public Library system, was recently upgraded and holds a wide range of events, while the northern Macomb’s Bridge Library  is moving to a larger, improved facility. Of course, the New York Yankees play just across the river in the Bronx.

Three school districts cover Harlem: Northern part of District 3, District 4 (East Harlem) and District 5 (West Harlem). High performing schools in the area include public unzoned schools Central Park East 1 and Central Park East 2, with priority given first to families in District 4, and then District 5. Aranow cites District Five’s P.S. 125 as an up-and-comer, and many families opt for charter schools in the area, including Success Academy, KIPP Infinity, and Harlem Village Academy. For private school, there is Harlem Academy, which has a sliding scale tuition, and the usual suspects on the Upper West and East Sides and to the north in Riverdale.

Washington Heights 

Washington Heights doesn’t have a lot of inventory (just eight apartments for sale, and 18 for rent) but this neighborhood in the northern reaches of Manhattan does offer affordability—the median asking price is $1,350,000, while median rent is $3,800. And breathing room—located on the upper ridge of the island of Manhattan, Washington Heights provides stunning views of New Jersey’s Palisades and the Hudson River. You’re never too far from green space here: Fort Washington Park is to the west, while Fort Tryon Park (home to The Cloisters and the four-season, three-acre, Heather Garden) is to the north and features year-round programming and events. Highbridge Park, which in 2015 re-opened its namesake structure spanning the Harlem River, The High Bridge, recently saw the addition of a skate park and the renovation of the park’s rec center. According to Localize.city,  a $30 million overhaul of the park, expected to be complete by January 2021, includes a new adventure playground, basketball courts and synthetic turf practice field. Additionally, a $7.7 million renovation of Audubon Playground is expected to bring new play structures, swings, courts and water features by spring of 2020.

The local library is a major resource in the neighborhood; its 3,300-square-foot children’s room is one of the largest in the New York Public Library system, and the branch also has a 3,750-square-foot teen area and tech center. The area’s Armory Track hosts athletic events and youth programs, and New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center is also located here.

P.S. 187 is a popular public K-8 school here, however over-crowding is an issue. The Muscota New School, or P.S. 314, is an un-zoned progressive school in the area, while P.S. 513 Castle Bridge School is an in-demand bi-lingual, progressive school participating in a city pilot program to improve diversity by reserving a certain percentage of seats for children from low-income families or who have families impacted by incarceration.

For more information and the entire Brick Underground article, follow this link: https://www.brickunderground.com/live/best-manhattan-neighborhoods-for-familes

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