# NYC dopers - Upper West Side apartment living? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 21, 2013, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-upper-west-side-apartment-living/661562 "2013-06-21T15:53:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![xanthous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/53a042/32.png) [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-upper-west-side-apartment-living/661562/1 "2013-06-21T15:53:02Z")
I’m going to be living/working in NYC from Aug thru Oct, my office is in Meatpacking, and the basically furnished apartment my company has found for me is at 103 St/Central Park W. They’ve sent pics of the model apt and I have a fair idea of what to expect, furnishing-wise. They’re paying rent and utilities. Subway seems to be a straight shot between home and work, the apt is a 4th floor walk up, I’ll have to use a nearby laundromat as there’s not on-site laundry, and I’ll have to ship at least a few things to myself there as I’ll be flying there to move in. The only question for them that I can imagine at this point is whether there is a locked entrance and how to receive shipped items. Not sure what to expect safety-wise. The question I have for you, NYC dopers, is what your experience of this area is, safety-wise, during the day and at night, what kind of markets/stores are in the area (obviously my grocery shopping/cooking habits will be different- the kitchen is like a doll house!), and what advice/cautions you may have or questions I might need to ask my employer that I’m not thinking of right now. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-upper-west-side-apartment-living/661562/2 "2013-06-21T16:08:12Z")
I heard there’s a beat cop in the area named Krupke that likes to hassle street kids. ---
**Author:** ![LurkerInNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@LurkerInNJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkerInNJ)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-upper-west-side-apartment-living/661562/3 "2013-06-21T16:38:54Z")
Central Park Inn? Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![xanthous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/53a042/32.png) [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-upper-west-side-apartment-living/661562/4 "2013-06-21T16:53:16Z")
> [@LurkerInNJ](#): > > Central Park Inn? Good luck. Please don’t drop by and say stuff like that without some illumination. Spill the beans! ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-upper-west-side-apartment-living/661562/5 "2013-06-21T17:49:15Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I heard there’s a beat cop in the area named Krupke that likes to hassle street kids. He works in the area near Lincoln Center. Upper Upper West is a great place to live. Is it a doorman building? Then the doorman will sign and hold the packages till you get home. I don’t live in a doorman building. What happens with me is that the UPS guy will buzz many apartments and then leave the package inside the locked (second door) Typically the first door is open all the time, there is a small “vestibule” where the mail boxes are, then a locked door to get in the building lobby. Probably most anything you need is going to be on Columbus Ave and of course you have the park right there. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-upper-west-side-apartment-living/661562/6 "2013-06-21T18:00:20Z")
Only visited NYC, not lived there, but my experience is that the Upper West Side is hands down the most awesome place in the universe. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-upper-west-side-apartment-living/661562/7 "2013-06-21T18:03:47Z")
I’ve never lived there, but from what I’ve seen it’s a nice, clean and safe area that’s considered very desirable. I’m sure it won’t be very hard to find a laundry place. A lot of buildings don’t have in-building laundry, so there are plenty of laundromats around town. I was going to recommend shopping at Fairway but it’s probably too far from you to be convenient. ---
**Author:** ![fjs1fs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9e8a1a/32.png) [@fjs1fs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fjs1fs)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-upper-west-side-apartment-living/661562/8 "2013-06-21T19:42:53Z")
> [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > Only visited NYC, not lived there, but my experience is that the Upper West Side is hands down the most awesome place in the universe. Lived there for a year in 2000 and my experience was the same! Greatest neighborhood I’ve ever lived in. I was down on 72nd, but close enough. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-upper-west-side-apartment-living/661562/9 "2013-06-21T19:50:56Z")
It’s a bit chi-chi (is that how that’s spelled? You know, fancy and upscale). Your biggest concern will probably be double-wide strollers that cost as much as a car. NYC is the safest large city in America, and UWS is a neighborhood that’s been consistently desirable even when NYC as a whole was a bit of a shit show in the 70s & 80s. Nowadays, You have to go waaaay out of your way to find an even semi-questionable neighborhood. Sheeee-it, even Bushwick’s respectable now, and Bed-Stuy is downright trendy. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-upper-west-side-apartment-living/661562/10 "2013-06-21T19:56:31Z")
> [@xanthous](#): > > Subway seems to be a straight shot between home and work… This is New York, for goodness’ sake. Surely you can find better sandwiches than that. ---
**Author:** ![xanthous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/53a042/32.png) [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-upper-west-side-apartment-living/661562/11 "2013-06-21T20:06:54Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > This is New York, for goodness’ sake. Surely you can find better sandwiches than that. If I ever have to resort to Subway while I’m there, please put a bullet in my head because life is over. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-upper-west-side-apartment-living/661562/12 "2013-06-21T20:13:21Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > It’s a bit chi-chi (is that how that’s spelled? You know, fancy and upscale). Your biggest concern will probably be double-wide strollers that cost as much as a car. NYC is the safest large city in America, and UWS is a neighborhood that’s been consistently desirable even when NYC as a whole was a bit of a shit show in the 70s & 80s. All true. And while stepping out of the way of the huge strollers, try not to step on any tiny dogs. > [@xanthous](#): > > If I ever have to resort to Subway while I’m there, please put a bullet in my head because life is over. There are something like 400 Subways in town- more than Starbucks, even. Somebody’s eating there. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-upper-west-side-apartment-living/661562/13 "2013-06-21T20:30:45Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I’ve never lived there, but from what I’ve seen it’s a nice, clean and safe area that’s considered very desirable. But what happens if you go across 110th street? I’ve heard it’s dangerous for weak women, for instance. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-upper-west-side-apartment-living/661562/14 "2013-06-21T22:52:54Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > But what happens if you go across 110th street? I’ve heard it’s dangerous for weak women, for instance. I actually walked across 110th street a couple of weeks ago and I didn’t see any women trying to catch a trick or anything. But that was good. ---
**Author:** ![xanthous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/53a042/32.png) [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-upper-west-side-apartment-living/661562/15 "2013-06-22T10:29:11Z")
One thing I did learn about this apartment is that from the reviews that were posted about it, it sounds like there’s a daily or at least weekly maid like cleaning service. I wonder if I’ll have to be concerned about personal items/jewelry like one often does in a hotel situation. I guess the quick answer to that is probably yes, which is kind of a bummer. I’d like to be able to set that space up the way I want it and not have to do it hotel style. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-upper-west-side-apartment-living/661562/16 "2013-06-22T10:35:34Z")
> [@xanthous](#): > > One thing I did learn about this apartment is that from the reviews that were posted about it, it sounds like there’s a daily or at least weekly maid like cleaning service. I wonder if I’ll have to be concerned about personal items/jewelry like one often does in a hotel situation. I guess the quick answer to that is probably yes, which is kind of a bummer. I’d like to be able to set that space up the way I want it and not have to do it hotel style. Dude, you have an apartment on the Upper West Side, with a _maid_, and all you do is _complain?_ 😛 ---
**Author:** ![xanthous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/53a042/32.png) [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-upper-west-side-apartment-living/661562/17 "2013-06-22T11:44:24Z")
> [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > Dude, you have an apartment on the Upper West Side, with a _maid_, and all you do is _complain?_ 😛 Man, you’re right. I’m acting like my life shouldn’t be different when I’m there, but it will be utterly different in every way. I guess I’ll let 'em clean up after me too. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-upper-west-side-apartment-living/661562/18 "2013-06-22T11:56:38Z")
> [@xanthous](#): > > Man, you’re right. I’m acting like my life shouldn’t be different when I’m there, but it will be utterly different in every way. I guess I’ll let 'em clean up after me too. 🙂 Enjoy yourself, is all I’m saying. I’d swap with you in a heartbeat. (Of course, I don’t know what your job is, so maybe I wouldn’t want that, I don’t know, but I’ll sure take the apartment.) ---
**Author:** ![xanthous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/53a042/32.png) [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-upper-west-side-apartment-living/661562/19 "2013-06-22T12:23:12Z")
I could make the job sound sexy, but in reality it’s not going to be. I’ll basically be doing creative brand stewardship for our parent company, whose branding is so awful and rife with so many problems that it will make the job very stressful. The end goal is to try to bring some of that work back to our home office where we have a robust creative and production team that can hopefully improve and expand the rather limited guidelines that exist now. I’m sure the apartment will be the least of my worries, but then again, I don’t need any worries outside of this crazy job. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-upper-west-side-apartment-living/661562/20 "2013-06-22T12:39:51Z")
I lived in that area (109th & Riverside), but it was so long ago, I’m sure I wouldn’t recognize it. But it was a great place to live then; it’s gotta be even better now. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-upper-west-side-apartment-living/661562.md?page=2)