Running a neighborhood

Learning a neighborhood can be done several ways - by car (least effective), by walking (most effective) and by running (which I often do).

New York, Where To Live

Photo credit: Battery Park City's waterfront set to make the nabe real estate hotbed this summer. (Mario Tama)

Which Neighborhood is Best For You - AM New York

BY LUCY COHEN BLATTER

New Yorkers can usually be divided into two types -- the die-hards who would never leave the city for all the backyard space in the world, and suburban-dreamers who long for a calmer, more serene life among the concrete.

Here are five neighborhoods for each type of New Yorker.

Manhattan's parks and waterview oasis

Battery Park is Manhattan's top neighborhood for parks, water views and recreation.  It is also Manhattan's newest neighborhood with about 10 new residential buildings, a brand new library, a new Goldman Sachs headquarters which attracts new restaurants and of course, new parks.

People are attracted to Battery Park because of the lifestyle.  For example, the running path along the water, access to the marina and of course, parks.  As such, Battery Park is an oasis in Manhattan.

The downside is that to buy, the carrying cost of common charges and taxes are double compared to other parts of Manhattan.  This is because Battery Park is on leased land.  People who live in Battery Park feel that the lifestyle it affords outweighs the higher carrying costs.  This is also why Battery Park has one of the highest household incomes in Manhattan.


Wei Min Tan is Founder of Castle Avenue Partners in Manhattan, New York.  He serves both local and foreign clients interested in buying condominium apartments in Manhattan.  He was most recently featured in New York 1 News on Hiring a Buyer's Broker.