New York, ‘the city that never sleeps,’ is famous for its fast-paced living. Still, it is home to some 18 million people – a colossal amount of residents, which makes you wonder, where are the best spots to live in Downtown NY?
West Village, Manhattan
Any Sex and the City fans will be familiar with this area of Manhattan. Home to Carrie Bradshaw’s brownstone, West Village is quintessentially New York, with beautiful tree-lined streets teeming with glorious architecture.
Conveniently situated between Midtown and Lower Manhattan, West Village has the best of both worlds, while offering up its own variety of restaurants, bars, shops, and more. Bleeker St shopping and Palazzo Chupi on W 11th St are notable favorites.
Housing options are limited in West Manhattan, mostly consisting of 19th-century row homes and mid-rise apartments, and living here will cost you a pretty penny – but it’s the West Village; if you can afford it, it’s worth every cent.
Park Slope, Brooklyn
Home of the famous Park Slope Food Coop and beautiful brownstones that go on for miles, Park Slope is a stand-out spot for Brooklyn and New York at large and attracts homebuyers, renters and tourists alike.
Adjacent to Prospect Park and its wonderful zoo and trails, Park Slope is full of stunning architecture and home to historic spots such as the Old Stone House of Brooklyn.
Park Slopes is one of Brooklyn’s more pricey neighborhoods, but still relatively affordable when compared to some other residential hotspots on this list.
Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn
More elegant brownstones and tree-lined streets await you in Brooklyn Heights. The neighborhood offers up unparalleled views of the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan.
Coined as ‘America’s original suburb,’ Brooklyn Heights is well renowned for being a particularly lovely part of Brooklyn. The neighborhood offers a delightful mix of beautiful, historic architecture, plenty of peaceful pockets, and vibrancy such as can be found down Montague St and Boerum Pl.
Brooklyn Heights is one of the more expensive neighborhoods in Brooklyn, but again, an idyllic residential New York pocket with this much history deserves the price tag.
Fieldston, Bronx
Surprisingly few people have heard of Fieldston, yet it homes 22,577 residents and is a significant, historic NY district and a beautiful neighborhood to live in. That said, it is known for its large, mansion-esque single-family homes of varying 1920s architectural influences (Colonial, Medieval, Mediterranean-Revival and more).
Fieldston is also a subsection of Riverdale, and considered a particularly exclusive place to live in NY. The Historic District of Fieldston is governed under a private HOA (HomeOwners Association) and residents contribute to the maintenance of the beautiful streets and trees.
Fieldston is an affluent, privately owned neighborhood that, despite being in the city, is somehow not of it. A far more suburban feel than other NY neighborhoods, living in Fieldston is the ultimate in having it all.
Carnegie Hill, Manhattan
The name Carnegie tends to conjure up thoughts of ‘old money,’ and when it comes to Carnegie Hill, that sentiment is right on. The neighborhood is named after Andrew Carnegie, who built a mansion for himself on 5th Avenue in 1901.
Carnegie Hill’s streets are lined with striking architecture, mansions, townhouses, and important art venues like the Guggenheim Museum.
The neighborhood is also alive with a range of cafes, trendy wine bars, boutique shopping and refined restaurants. The area also boasts elite schooling options, adding to the reasons why it can be hard to find available property. Bordering Central Park, Carnegie Hill is a luxurious place of residence in so many ways.
SoHo, Manhattan
Designer boutiques, high-end art galleries and trendy bar and dining options make SoHo one of Manhattan’s most popular neighborhoods.
SoHo (short for South of Houston) features stunning pre-war homes, cobblestone streets and beautiful cast-iron facades.
During the day, the streets can be teeming with street vendors selling everything from artwork to jewelry; by night, SoHo residents hit the nightlife, with many restaurants and bars to choose from – there’s never a dull moment in SoHo, so if peace and tranquility is your preference, it might not be the best fit. The volume of tourists is also particularly high here.
Packed with creative energy and situated in lower Manhattan, SoHo offers up an exciting way of life that doesn’t come cheap.
Silver Lake, Staten Island
Silver Lake on Staten Island can feel like a world away from the hustle and bustle of New York. Yet, just a short ferry-ride away, this tucked away, peaceful, lush green neighborhood truly offers possibly the very best of both worlds when it comes to NY living.
Beautiful rolling hills, a lovely park, a golf course, and of course, the lake itself allow Silver Lake residents to enjoy all that NY has to offer, with the distinct advantage of being able to duck back to the calm and beauty of Staten Island.
Properties seldom become available in Silver Lake, so if you’re keen to make it your home, you’ll have to keep your eyes permanently peeled and act quickly.
Spoilt for choice
The city of New York, known for its fast-paced energy, features a surprising number of tranquil living options amongst its more vibrant, exciting neighborhoods. So long as you’ve got the dollars, there is something for everyone.