by Uppereast.com Staff
The old 3rd Avenue El was the centerpiece of Lenox Hill, which runs from 59th to 79th streets; from Second Avenue to York Avenues. Only after the El was torn down in the mid-50s, did Lenox Hill really undergo development. It houses large, post-war block apartment buildings and pre-war row houses and walk-ups while its side streets have mansions and town houses owned by consulates, diplomatic missions and art galleries.
Here, one can find surprisingly affordable rentals (one-bedrooms and studios) and co-ops (due probably to the distance from the subway) which were once populated by just-out-of-college kids. Now, due to the economic surge in the past 10 years, the lowered Central Park crime rate and the increasing popularity of the Upper East Side as a status residence, they are filled with young professionals and families. In order to somewhat mimic the grander apartments to the west, landlords have started to convert the former tiny studios and one-bedrooms to larger spaces where families can live. This is raising rents and costs, but on average, they are still lower than the rest of borough. The eastern section of the Lenox Hill is ideal for renters with some good deals still to be had, especially if you are post-college sharing with one or more roommates.
Named after Robert Lenox’s farm, today’s Lenox Hill is actually east of the original farmstead which ran from what is now 5th Avenue to Park Avenue, 68th-74th Sts. The area’s best-known landmark is Lenox Hill Hospital, also east of the actual neighborhood at 77th Street and Lex. Begun as the German Dispensary in 1857, Lenox Hill Hospital pioneered medical procedures from the first American tuberculosis pavilion to the first coronary angioplasty.
Lenox Hill has been dubbed "The Other East Side" by the New York Times, but is a livelier alternative for those who want Upper East Side status without the old-money pricetag. Residents are a mix of ages, ethnicities and backgrounds from recent grads to the deeply-rooted older inhabitants, remnants of the UES immigrant population. Many people moving in are in their 20s & 30s and want all the 24-hour benefits of city life like grocery shopping at midnight and easy access to the variety of hopping bars and restaurants lining the avenues. With the advent of new brand name retailers along 3rd Avenue and Bridgemarket—a renovated area under the 59th St. Bridge that houses a Food Emporium, Conran’s and a Starbucks, residents don’t need to leave the neighborhood to do their shopping.
New luxury condo towers at 76 & 77th & 3rd that are “destination buildings” with all the amenities have made the whole area more attractive. Overall, real estate availability is tight as the district has become very desirable.
Within Lenox Hill is the Treadwell Farm Historic district with 3-4 story row houses built between 1868 and 1876 on 61st & 62nd Sts between 2nd & 3rd Avenues.
Even though the Lenox Hill is more affordable than its counterpart to the west, neighborhood services still cater to customers with an Upper East Side attitude, so they’re often better than in other parts of the city.
Amenities also extend to parks and schools. John Jay Park at 77th Street near the East River has one of the city’s large swimming pools, Cherokee Pool. St. Catherine’s park, remodeled to mimic a Roman cathedral, on 1st & 67th is great for kids with working swings, sandboxes, slides, restrooms and a sundial.
The city’s finest public schools are part of Lenox Hill with Eleanor Roosevelt HS occupying the old Sotheby’s at 411 E. 76th Street; P.S. 183 on E. 66th Street; P.S. 158 on York Avenue, and P.S. 167 on E. 76th Street.
Public transportation is the one drawback. The area is poorly served by the beleaguered Lexington Avenue line, and crosstown bus service is slow. If one lives very far east, taking the subway doesn’t even make sense. Even though ground was officially broken for the 2nd Avenue Subway in 2007, with a first-phase completion date of 2014, transit relief won’t be coming anytime soon.
Even though post 3rd-Ave El development continues, there have been concerns about overbuilding the neighborhood. Neighborhood group advocacy has caused some tall buildings to be reduced and works to preserve the low scale of the older buildings and individually-owned stores that give the neighborhood its character. Nevertheless, development here will continue to thrive, keeping Lenox Hill the heart of the Upper East Side.