New York Habitat
New York Habitat
 +1 (212) 255-8018
Home > Blog > New York > New York Travel Guide > New York Neighborhoods > Midtown East

Midtown East

April 6th, 2015

Photo of Midtown East Midtown East from across the East River

There’s no denying that New York City’s skyline is the most recognized skyline in the world. That skyline would not be the same without the towering icons of Midtown East, including Grand Central Station, the Chrysler Building, the United Nations Headquarters and more. This article continues our Live Like A Local series, in which we discuss how to experience New York like a New Yorker. For more from this series, consider checking out our neighborhood tips on nearby Chelsea and vibrant Hell’s Kitchen.

Welcome to Midtown East:

Located east of 5th Avenue and west of the East River between 42nd and 59th Streets, Midtown East is historically one of the most commercial districts in New York. Every day the population fluctuates from 200,000 during the day to just over 40,000 at night. Due to its proximity to Grand Central and its reputation for being the flagship of business it is also hugely convenient. Combined with Midtown West, Midtown East is the largest commercial, entertainment, and media center in the world. Famous residents include fashion icon Ivanka Trump, New York Yankees star Derek Jeter, and international supermodel Angie Everhart.

Midtown east is easily accessible via public transit, including multiple bus lines, the Metro-North Railroad, the 4, 5, 6, 7, S, E and M trains, as well as by car via the FDR drive. Don’t worry about timing your visit – there’s something going on all year ‘round! Read the entire story here…»

Posted in Midtown East Contact Blog Team (0) Comments

 

February 16th, 2012

Welcome to the first video tour of our two part series dedicated to the Flatiron District, located in Manhattan, New York.

Here in the Flatiron District, you’ll find that this historic neighborhood is a thriving retail district; but  why is it called the Flatiron District?

New York City Video Tour: Flatiron District – Part 1 (4:45)

Flatiron Building – 175 Fifth Avenue

Head to 175 Fifth Ave where you’ll find a beautiful and curious structure known as the Flatiron building, which give the neighborhood its name. This ground breaking skyscraper was one of the tallest buildings in the city when it was completed in 1902.  Once it was finished, New Yorkers began referring to it as the “Flatiron” due to the triangular block it sits on, looking very much like an old fashioned flat iron.

The Flatiron District is roughly bounded by 20th Street to the south, Sixth Avenue to the west, 26th Street to the north, and Lexington Avenue to the east. Read the entire story here…»

Posted in Gramercy - Union Square, Midtown East, New York Travel Videos Contact Blog Team (0) Comments

 

December 27th, 2010

MOMA MOMA

With the holiday season over, the tourists have gone home and New York is a lot less crowded—which means there’s no better time to come visit and take in a blockbuster museum exhibition. No exhibit currently on view is more rooted in the city than the Museum of Modern Art’s Abstract Expressionist New York, a sweeping survey that showcases the generation of artists who made New York City the center of the international art world in the 1950s. Several of the biggest names in twentieth-century art appear in the show, such as Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Willem de Kooning, Barnett Newman, and Lee Krasner, among others.

These artists’ vast, color-saturated canvases can be an ideal antidote to a gray winter day, so you really owe it to yourself to come see them in person, and not reproduced in the pages of a book or online.

Most art lovers associate the Abstract Expressionist movement almost exclusively with painting. But what’s revelatory about the MoMA show is that it includes sculptures, prints, drawings, photographs, and archival materials that demonstrate how the movement encompassed several diverse media, while also giving viewers a historical context for what this group of artists accomplished. Taken entire, Abstract Expressionist New York spreads out over several floors of MoMA—so you may just want to plan not one but two or maybe even three visits to appreciate the whole thing. Read the entire story here…»

Posted in Midtown East, Midtown West, New York Events Contact Blog Team (0) Comments

 

September 24th, 2010

Photo of Grand Central Photo of Grand Central

Recommending a visit to Grand Central Station will not enlighten any tourists.  Most visitors to New York have already drawn up plans for a visit to one of New York’s famed landmarks before doing their apartment research.

And just about every travel guide makes mention of the landmark in their opening pages. It is located in Midtown East, a highly popular neighborhood offering plenty of convenient accommodations for travelers. Nonetheless, there is much more to Grand Central than commuters and architecture. The station is so big and so old (built way back in 1913) that it has dozens of quirks and a sometimes surprising history. One of the secrets that has actually made its way into many guidebooks is the curious Whispering Gallery. Read the entire story here…»

Posted in Midtown East, New York Attractions Contact Blog Team (3) Comments

 

August 5th, 2010

Photo of Bryant Park Photo of Bryant Park

Over the past dozen years or so, Bryant Park has increasingly diversified its programming to the point where today’s green oasis in the middle of Manhattan has become a major cultural destination. It is located right in between the neighborhoods of Midtown West and Midtown East.

Bryant Park is now home to an endless program of author readings, film screenings, concerts and performances. And let’s not forget about the hundreds of office workers, tourists and passers-by that stop to eat lunch, read a book or just chill out on the park’s manicured green grass. For such a small space, the amount of programming is staggering.  We’ve gushed about the park before, but the park’s transformation into a free cultural venue has made it an absolute must-see for any out-of-towners in the city. Read the entire story here…»

Posted in Midtown East, New York Events Contact Blog Team (7) Comments

 

July 23rd, 2010

Hello, I’m David Hill from New York Habitat.  In today’s video tour, we will continue our stroll along Broadway. After the 2010 New York Dance Parade, topic of the last episode of our “All Along Broadway” Video Tour, our next stop will be in Midtown Manhattan at Madison & Herald Squares!

Broadway is one of the most famous roads in the world. It runs the length of Manhattan, from its southern tip to the northern tip of the island and continues in the Bronx, crossing many of Manhattan’s neighborhoods.

Broadway runs diagonally northwest and intersects with most of New York City’s Avenues, creating several “squares”, many in a triangular shape.  Its diagonal layout has also created some triangular shaped buildings, like the Flatiron building.

There are many interesting things to see along this famous stretch of road, so we’re going to split Broadway into a few sections in order to take a closer look.

Video Tour of Madison & Herald Squares in Midtown Manhattan (6:51)

History

The oldest “street” in New York City, Broadway was originally used as a trail by the Native Americans who lived here; later Broadway was used by the Dutch settlers to travel to the northern forests to hunt. Read the entire story here…»

Posted in Midtown East, Midtown West, New York Travel Videos Contact Blog Team (4) Comments

 

May 20th, 2010

Photo St. Partick's Cathedral in New York Photo St. Partick's Cathedral in New York

Now that we have discovered the St. Paul’s Chapel, #2 of our Top 5 New York City Churches, it’s time to discover the #1: the St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Located in Midtown East it’s perhaps the most well-known church in all of New York, or North America for that matter. The Neo Gothic cathedral rivals the likes of Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral in its gothic grandeur and standing within the city’s architectural lexicon. St. Patrick’s is the head of the New York Catholic church, acting as the seat of the archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, and the structure plays a vital role as both a symbol of Catholic New York (particularly Irish Catholic) and as an active place of worship. Today’s church has become a bona-fide tourist attraction for both its location across from Rockefeller Center and its remarkable architecture.

Much like Notre Dame, St. Patrick’s Cathedral takes its fame from a central location, ornate structure and remarkable history. Completed in 1878, the cathedral is undoubtedly one of the most influential and historically significant existing churches in all of North America. The structure itself is massive, even in Manhattan’s standards, and the cross-shaped footprint of the church consists of a whole city block. The spires rise some 330 feet, which would have been visible for hundreds of yards before Midtown Manhattan real estate was gobbled up by skyscrapers. Read the entire story here…»

Posted in Midtown East, New York Attractions Contact Blog Team (3) Comments

 

January 25th, 2010

Bryant Park Bryant Park

Our previous New York Literary Haunt was The Stand Bookstore. Now moving on to the poetic Bryant Park, which  green space plays a role as a verdant oasis in the middle of Midtown and suggests visitors spend some time in the park enjoying open-air films during their annual summer film festival.

Bryant Park is truly many things; lunch spot for thousands of workers on any given weekday, host of one of the world’s greatest fashion shows and an office for the students and professionals sitting at the green tables typing away at their laptops. But perhaps more than anything, Bryant Park is one of New York’s great literary haunts, with a history both glorious and checkered and a world-class library as its next-door neighbor. New York Habitat has been placing visitors in Midtown Manhattan accommodations for years, and 2010 will be no different. Read the entire story here…»

Posted in Midtown East Contact Blog Team (5) Comments

 

November 28th, 2007

Named for the illustrious shipping and trade magnate, Richard Murray, the neighborhood of Murray Hill in New York is a peaceful and quiet enclave of Midtown East. The neighborhood is mostly known for its extensive residential housing made of historical 19th Century townhouses and the high-rise apartment complexes.  Once occupied by a notable older demographic, Murray Hill is becoming a prime location for young professionals for its picturesque city streets, relaxed atmosphere and restaurant selection.

About Murray Hill

Starting in the north at 42nd Street, Murray Hill stretches to 27th Street and encompasses everything in between Fifth and Second Avenues. For most of the 20th Century, Murray Hill has been dominated by wealthy residents who have created a tight-knit community. The strong sense of community is unmistakable and a rare find in New York City. Getting to know the neighbors is easy as there are only a few supermarkets, dry cleaners and grocery stores in the area. Favorite bars and restaurants among residents are typically found along Park Avenue and draw the after-work crowd with the best happy hour deals in the city. Read the entire story here…»

Posted in Midtown East Contact Blog Team (2) Comments