We are a married couple in our early 30s, expecting our first child. Currently living in the East Harlem/UES border area. I initially considered moving to Yorkville, as I'm quite familiar with the neighborhood. However, we found a wonderfully spacious apartment at W 105th between Central Park West & Manhattan Avenue. What's it like to live around there? What are your perceived pros and cons compared to the UES?
The best pediatrician office on uws is right there
Nice, please share!
Manhattan Valley Pediatrics
I love that neighborhood. I lived there a while ago but it’s only gotten better. It has a neighborhood vibe, good restaurants nearby and Central Park is right there. It’s this quiet little pocket neighborhood easily accessible to the best of Columbia University and the UWS.
In the area between 96th and 106th and Central Park West and Riverside there are a ton of parents with kids and dogs. Some good schools around as well.
So if you’re a parent there you won’t feel out of place, I can tell you that much.
I feel like it generally gets quieter the closer you get to Riverside Park, but there are a bunch of stores like Whole Foods and target closer to Central Park, so there’s a mix.
We have two kids a couple blocks away. They're not babies, but we love this area. You'd have bus lines on both sides of you, easy subway access (although that station is kinda weird the handful of times we've needed to get off one stop early - we're a little closer to 110 stop), you have 3 major parks all around you, playgrounds everywhere, and easy access to the new meer. The playground just inside the park at 110 is great for little kids. Idk what else you'd be looking for as we moved to nyc when our kids were 5 and 7, so I'm kinda guessing at what info you'd be interested in. But I'd be happy to answer any questions
I have lived on the block in question for almost a decade. The 103 C station is almost never weird.
I'm sure it's nothing more than a familiarity thing, like pure subjective preference on my end is all, because we hardly use that station and it's close enough to home while still being foreign. Like honestly I don't even entirely remember how it is, but I vaguely feel it's something about the stairs coming down to a kinda weird/awkward area before the gates if that makes sense and I'm even remembering the correct station. Anyway I don't mean weird like people shooting up or harvesting organs from innocent passers by or anything like that, sorry for any confusion!
I wasn't trying to say that it hadn't been weird when you were there, just adding context, as someone who uses it regularly, that I didn't think OP needed to see the stop as a negative of the location and that you might have had bad luck the few times you used it. There is a mini-landing halfway down the stairs and very occasionally someone is there, which can be awkward because it is small and unavoidable, and then right before the gates is a bigger area with a booth. That space is big enough to be easier to avoid someone and has a booth, so I can't think of awkward moments I've had there, but I am sure it happens.
I'm glad to hear you haven't lost any organs at 103! It's funny, the 110 station is only a couple blocks further for me, and I pass it on my way home from work, but it's completely foreign territory for me.
Haha yup! That's how 103 feels to me just from the other direction! It's funny how 'homey' your own stop feels compared to the others lol
I’ve been here for years - my kid is in his teens now, born and raised in Manhattan Valley. Met my closest friends here. It’s a great area of the park, MVP pediatrician’s is here, close to discovery programs, Elliott’s gymnastics and more.
We live here and have a 3 year old. We moved from LIC before he was 1. I originally wanted to live closer to Columbus Circle, but we got a good deal on a large classic six with great light and I’ve grown to like it and think it’s a great spot for raising a family.
There’s a lot to love about the area, but let me start with the bad. There are some sketchy areas, mostly the NYCHA building on Amsterdam between 102nd & 103rd and the Frederick Douglass Projects on Columbus between 104th and 100th, but that’s pretty much it. And neither are too terrible, our son has often played in the playgrounds in and around these projects without me ever being concerned (or even being at an elevated level of alert).
Like most places in the city, you’ll occasionally encounter a homeless or drug addicted person begging for money, but I’ve never had any significant negative encounter with any of them and they all have been respectful when I’m out with ny kid. In fact, the only negative encounter I’ve had with anyone on the streets in this neighborhood was an antisemitic college student from Columbia who yelled at me and spit at the ground near my feet for just walking home while wearing a kippah.
And the only other real negative is the subway stations don’t have elevators, with the exception of the 1, 2, 3 at 96th and Broadway. Thankfully the stairs aren’t super far down at any station around here, but it carrying a kid on a stroller always sucks.
But the buses are convenient are frequent. I never really rode them before having a kid, but they really help us get around this area and even to get to other spots in other places on the UWS, UES, or Harlem.
I’m also a little less impressed with the restaurants/food scene. There’s a few options that are good (Saiguette, Mama’s Too, Super Nice, Silver Moon Bakery, Cloud Touch Cafe, maybe Homemade Taqueria if you’re really craving Mexican or Amity Hall if you want a sports bar), but none of them are places to sit down and have a nice meal or the place to impress out of town guests. With a toddler, this is less of a concern than it used to be. But suffice it to say that there aren’t any places fighting for a spot on the Michelin Guide.
But the grocery options are good. You’ve got your mainstays like Whole Foods at 97th and Columbus and Trader Joe’s at 93rd and Columbus. The Westside Markets are also pretty good for neighborhood grocery stores. Plus you’ve got H-Mart, the newly opened Hashi Market, and even a mini TESO for most of your Asian grocery needs. The Health Nuts on Broadway and 99th is good if you’re looking for healthy food or have other food restrictions (gluten, dairy, etc). Millport Dairy on Broadway and 97th has excellent produce, dairy, and eggs. Schatzie Prime Meats is a good and friendly butcher shop. Milano Market on Broadway an 113th if you’re looking for something Italian. And there’s Lidl on 118th and Frederick Douglass that isn’t too far. And there’s farmer’s markets every weekend.
There’s also a good amount of pharmacies including local spots and national chains. The Target is underwhelming, but I suppose having a T.J. Maxx and a HomeGoods in the area may be a plus for some peopl.
The Columbus Amsterdam BID Organization does a great job hosting events frequently, including open street block parties that are great to take kids to. And many streets have parties and events for Halloween.
You’ve got Central Park, Riverside Park, and even Morningside Park all nearby. Plus a couple of good playgrounds beyond those in the parks; the Bloomingdale Playground at Amsterdam and 104th, Happy Warrior on Amsterdam and 99th, and the Anibal Aviles Playground (108th and Columbus) is undergoing a $5 million reconstruction that is slated for completion this coming February.
There’s the Play Street Museum on Columbus and 100th, FunFit Kids on West End Ave and 97th, Discovery Gymnastics on 100th and West End Ave, and Elliot’s Gymnastics Classes on 110th near Broadway for your indoor play needs. There’s also some music class options in the area.
Manhattan Valley Pediatrics has great reviews, but we’ve stuck with Weill Cornell since giving birth at the Alexandra Cohen Hospital at York and 69th. Sunshine Smiles (Dr. Marcelle) is an excellent pediatric dentist (and lives in the neighborhood).
The Bloomingdale Library on 100th near Amsterdam has one floor dedicated to children, with spots for reading and imaginary play zones. It can be a pretty popular spot for nannies to go with the little ones they’re watching.
The Whole Foods also has a free weekly musical performance by the award-winning children’s performer, Hopalong Andrew.
There’s a couple of good school and daycare options. And I can personally attest to the close-knit nanny network in the area. Before we put our kid in pre-school, we hired a nanny from a friend who was moving out of the area. She would take him out to the library, playground, and even museums with other Nannie’s from the area. Now we’ll occasionally bump into these Nannie’s and other children and they always say hi and catch up.
And I can’t speak about other toddlers and their pre-schools, but at ours, all of the kids and parents have developed great friendships. We routinely have dinners, parties, and adventures together. Sometimes planned, sometimes impromptu after bumping into each other around town. In fact, my son and his classmates, will sometimes invite themselves over to each others apartments after school. Pretty great socialization levels for three year olds!
Excellent write up. Only wanted to add that they are putting in an elevator at CPW & 96th (B/C) as well which will be done this year (summer 2026 I think)
Yeah, good point. Really wish they had them at the 110th St stops as well. It is a great neighborhood for children, but the lack of accommodation for people with strollers is pretty absurd. I’ve had some bad experiences on the buses as well.
Amazing to know the 108 playground is set to be done in Feb! The signage just said “winter 2026” which technically can cover a lot of ground lol.
https://www.nycgovparks.org/planning-and-building/capital-project-tracker/project/10223
It’s what they have officially listed online. I suppose determining if they’re on track is a different question, but February is the scheduled timeline.
You also have access to 106th-112th and Broadway, Columbus and Amsterdam, lots of variety in restaurants, and it is lively especially when Columbia is in session, and open streets in summer. Between Manhattan Valley and Amsterdam 100-104th street though is kind of a dead zone. So if you plan on going to the Whole Foods at 97th, I would suggest going straight down and then over on 100th, or down CPW and then over on 97th.
I’m not too far from the location in the UWS in a similar situation. I think it’s a great place. CP is so close, access to 2 different subways, Whole Foods, H Mart, mangetsu sushi, Saiguette, koko wings… not sure what more you can ask for hehe.
That would be a dream spot to raise a family.
We live a block away with a toddler and baby and love it. The most beautiful part of Central Park is right there. It’s an amazing neighborhood for families.
Exact same trajectory, we moved from East Harlem to MV when our kid was 8 months. Best decision. We moved there mostly for walkability to daycare (found an awesome in-home place) and were so pleasantly surprised by the area. Amazing families and community, incredible access to parks, decent public schools when the time comes, it’s just great. A hidden gem honestly.
I’m there and I love it. So many little kids and parks nearby!
That’s where I grew up and it’s the best!!! Proximity to Central Park is like having the biggest backyard, and that part of the park is so lovely. The Harlem Meer is a great spot to walk to. You’re also walking distance to The Museum of the City of New York and El Museo del Barrio. Great local public schools. Lots of families and many are intergenerational. Absolutely do it. (Also Yorkville sucks. No easy public transportation, a schlep to get anywhere, not close to the park, and everything is more expensive).