The Hunt
On the Upper West Side, a Good Kitchen and Room to Grow: Which Home Did They Choose?
Looking to explore a new neighborhood in Manhattan and create a better work setup, a couple embarked on a search for a prewar two-bedroom.
After seven years in their big one-bedroom in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan, Alliana Semjen and Matthew Schwartz were eager to move farther downtown.
The rental, in the Audubon Park Historic District, cost around $2,300 a month. It was in a great location for their bicycling trips to New Jersey, conveniently near the George Washington Bridge. But they were unhappy with the kitchen, which always looked dirty and lacked a hood vent. “We smoked out our apartment so many times,” Mr. Schwartz said.
Out front, they faced nonstop construction. The neighborhood had few restaurants, and when they walked Beacon the dog, they worried he would step on something sharp. “It felt like we were not living in the city, but not living in the suburbs,” Ms. Semjen said, lacking the benefits of both.
So the couple, who met as students at Binghamton University, decided to move to the Upper West Side, which was still convenient to their cycling routes and close to Ms. Semjen’s parents. For up to $1.5 million, they hoped to find a co-op with a good kitchen and three bedrooms (allowing space for a future family), or at least two bedrooms and an office.
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The Upper West Side location would cut their subway commutes to Midtown in half.
Ms. Semjen, 32, does graphic design for a media company. Mr. Schwartz, 34, is a lawyer. And when the two work from home, their styles clash: She sits on the sofa with the TV on in the background; he needs a desk and a room with a door, where he can be free from distractions.
“The setup wasn’t great for our productivity,” Ms. Semjen said. So a suitable work space was essential.
They also preferred a prewar building. “They were willing to do work,” said their real estate agent, Tami Shaoul, of the Corcoran Group. Even so, there was little inventory.
Among their options:
No. 1
Riverside Drive
This two-bedroom apartment was in a 1926 building overlooking Riverside Park. It was around 1,300 square feet, with a large, rectangular living-and-dining room with high ceilings, a small windowed kitchen, built-in shelves, a decorative fireplace and a walk-in closet. Each bedroom had an en suite bathroom. The asking price was $1.05 million, with monthly maintenance of around $3,500.
No. 2
West End Avenue
This two-bedroom fixer-upper was in a 1910 building about a block from Riverside Park. It was a little over 1,000 square feet, with a formal dining room, a decorative fireplace in the living room, a walk-in pantry and a maid’s room with a half bathroom. The price was $1.1 million, with maintenance in the $2,500s. The listing noted that the apartment could be converted into a three-bedroom, and that contractor quotes for a full renovation were around $300,000.
No. 3
Morningside Drive
This two-bedroom was in a 1925 building overlooking Morningside Park at treetop level. It was around 1,100 square feet, with a long hallway, a spacious but drab kitchen, built-in shelves, an extra half bathroom, a windowed office space connected to the living room through French doors, and a primary bedroom separated from the common spaces. The price was $1.199 million, with maintenance in the $1,500s.
Find out what happened next by answering these two questions:
Which Would You Choose?
Riverside Drive
West End Avenue
Morningside Drive
Which Did They Buy?
Riverside Drive
West End Avenue
Morningside Drive