Central Park West comprises the city's grandest streetscape. Up and down this idyllic thoroughfare, great architectural masterworks of the last century create striking vistas that are unmatched anywhere else in the city.
From the imposing twin-towered buildings at The Century, The San Remo and The Majestic, to the regal opulence of The Dakota, buildings along Central Park West are at once singular yet complementary.
For more than a century, Central Park West's iconic buildings have occupied the province of elite circles. From celebrated actors, musicians and writers to business and media tycoons, the rich and famous have flocked to these well-known addresses.
Even more unusual, Central Park West's newer addresses share the same rarified stratosphere as the avenue's pre-war masterpieces. Most notably, Robert A.M. Stern's 15 Central Park West, a 43-story, two-building limestone development completed in 2007, is unquestionably the most prestigious address in all of New York City, commanding record-setting prices and attracting a who's who of elite residents, including Sting and Denzel Washington.
A quintessential family neighborhood, Central Park West's best known landmark is the American Museum of Natural History, one of the world's preeminent scientific and cultural institutions. Located directly across from Central Park at 79th Street, the museum complex consists of 27 interconnected buildings housing 45 permanent exhibition halls, as well as the Rose Center for Earth and Space, which includes the Hayden Planetarium.
Given its enormous pedigree, Central Park West is home to esteemed houses of worship such as Shearith Israel, the oldest Jewish congregation in the United States, and the First Church of Christ Scientist, housed at the former Second Church of Christ Scientist's historic Beaux-Arts building at 10 West 68th Street.
The larger Upper West Side community is famed for its elite private and top-rated public schools. For dining, area residents can choose from among the many popular restaurants lining Amsterdam, Columbus and Broadway. In addition, the Time Warner Center at 59th Street and Columbus Circle, with luxury condominiums beginning on the upper floors, is now one of New York's hottest culinary destinations, with acclaimed fine-dining restaurants such as Masa, Per Se and Landmarc.
Residents living along Central Park West have easy access to multiple subway lines, including the B and C trains, running directly along Central Park West, and the 1, 2, 3 trains at Broadway. Crosstown buses also offer a quick trip cross Central Park to Manhattan's east side.