City Living: Morningside Heights

By Kiera Butler | Special to amNewYork

Morningside Heights is a neighborhood very much defined by the educational and religious institutions in its borders.

Columbia University and its elegant campus sites at the neighborhood's center. The incomplete towers of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine rise at Amsterdam Avenue and 112th Street, and the bell tower of Riverside Church looms at 122nd Street.

But it is also very much a neighborhood for living, with families and young professionals mixing in with the academics and students. For residents, a stroll along Broadway often includes encounters with neighbors and friends, giving the area the feel of a small town in the midst of a big city.

The neighborhood has a rich stock of residential buildings, many with large, sought-after apartments. Especially noteworthy are the stately buildings that line Riverside Drive.

Morningside Heights was once upon a time the place where people moved after they were priced out of the West 70s and 80s. This is no longer the case. The neighborhood, with its easy access to Riverside Park, is a destination in its own right. As a result, prices have gone up and bargains are more difficult to find.

FIND IT:

Morningside Heights runs from 110th Street to 123rd Street between Morningside Park and Riverside Drive. The section of Broadway reaching down to 106th Street is also included in this article.

TO LIVE:

Morningside Heights offers classic New York living in pre-war (and often doorman) buildings. Upper floor apartments along Riverside Drive can include spectacular views of the Hudson and, in some cases, the George Washington Bridge.

There is one new building going up at one of the neighborhood's main crossroads, Broadway and 110th Street. According to Prudential Douglas Elliman Realty, condominiums in this 11-story building at 543 W. 110th St. have been on the market for eight weeks. Eighty percent of the building's 56 units already have been sold at prices that range from $780,000 to $3.2 million, the agency said.

TO RENT:

Rents vary widely depending on the building and location. Expect to pay:

** About $1,500-$2,000 a month for a studio;

**Between $1,800 and $2,800 for a one-bedroom;

** Between $2,000 and $3,000 for a two-bedroom.

What's renting:

-Studio at 107th and West End: $1,900

-One-bedroom at 107th and West End with a garden: $2,950

-Three-bedroom in the low 100s: $3,600

(Sources: Peggy Fox, Ardor NY Realty and Craigslist)

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