The Upper West Side, sometimes abbreviated UWS, is one of the greenest neighborhoods in Manhattan because it’s located between Central Park and Riverside. The Upper West Side is a favorite Manhattan neighborhood to feature in film and television; it serves as the setting for You’ve Got Mail, Seinfeld, Night at the Museum, and 30 Rock. It’s not hard to see why. Elegant brownstones, vibrant greenery, and beloved mom-and-pop shops fill the streets. The Lincoln Center, American Museum of Natural History, and New York Historical Society contribute to the area’s cultural and intellectual identity.
All who live and work in the area are just a short walk away from the beauty of the waterfront and the two nearby parks. This quiet, safe, green community also boasts excellent school systems and transportation, making it a favorite location for families to live.
What Our Brokers Say About Upper West Side Office Space
The Upper West Side is home to notable media companies including Time Warner, ABC, and Sesame Workshop (Sesame Street); two music licensing organizations, ASCAP and BMI; and the headquarters of The College Board. Smaller companies in the technology, advertising, media, and information sector that rent Upper West Side office space include RedSquare, Harmonia Holdings, Silicon Alley Media, Tough Guppy Productions, RLD Group, and Indigo Productions. Consulting firms in educational, financial, technology, and business fields are also common commercial tenants in the Upper West Side.
The Upper West Side experienced a .5 percent increase in the job market in the past year and can expect to see an increase in job growth of nearly 31 percent over the next decade. The industries that employ the most people in the Upper West Side are financial institutions, legal services, and elementary and secondary schools. The industries that pay workers the most in the UWS include beverage manufacturing, financial institutions, and software publishing. The neighborhood is home to several colleges and universities, including Columbia University, Barnard College, Fordham University at Lincoln Center, and the Juilliard School. Locals businesses trying to find interns or recent hires will have plenty of fine institutions from which to select candidates.
However, the Upper West Side isn’t all business. It’s a great place to live that features beautiful architecture, plenty of opportunities for recreation, and endless shopping, dining, and cultural opportunities.
The Upper West Side is an architecturally distinguished neighborhood, marked by several apartment buildings, such as the Eldorado, San Remo, Majestic, and Century apartments. The neoclassical Shearith Israel Synagogue, beaux-arts First Church of Christ, and the American Museum of Natural History are all known for their architectural beauty, not to mention the history and culture they contain.
Those who need to work amid the opportunities the big city has to offer but don’t want to miss out on the great outdoors will feel right at home in the Upper West Side. The neighborhood rests between Riverside Park and Central Park, two of NYC’s best-known parks. Riverside Park includes a long network of parks and paths along the Hudson River, while Central Park features a 55-acre law, the Shakespeare Garden, the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre, and the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir. Employees working in the UWS can easily slip out of the office and take a stroll through one of the parks for a break and some fresh air.
The assortment of cultural activities makes the Upper West Side an ideal location for hosting clients and business guests. There’s always something to do in the Upper West Side, whether it’s shopping at Columbus Circle or the GreenFlea Market, exploring the parks, visiting one of the many museums in the area, or seeing a show at one of the 11 performing arts organizations within the Lincoln Center. For example, the New York City Ballet and The New York Philharmonic Orchestra perform at the Lincoln Center.
The neighborhood is also full of relaxed bars and restaurants. Impress guests by taking them to a business lunch at renowned restaurants like RedFarm, Jean-Georges, Ouest, or Dovetail, or treat them to a local favorite like Zabar’s, PeaceFood Café, Épicerie Boulud, or Pier I Cafe. The Upper West Side is also home to a significant Jewish community, including the oldest Jewish congregation in the U.S. and some of New York’s oldest synagogues, which means many of NYC’s finest Jewish delis and kosher dining are in the neighborhood. Yeshiva University, the nation’s oldest university, is also located in the Upper West Side.
Upper West Side Commercial Space For Lease | By the numbers
| Office Space for Rent | Price per square foot |
| Class A | $75 |
| Class B | $62 |
Upper West Side Office Space | Lease Data & Trends
Similar to the Upper East Side, the Upper West Side is an affluent and primarily residential neighborhood. However, office rental prices are slightly lower in the Upper West Side—an average of just under $71 per square foot. That’s pretty good for Midtown, where office space rents for an average of just over $76.50 per square foot. With low prices and an intimate community atmosphere, it’s no surprise that young companies are seeking out Upper West Side office space to make their mark on NYC.
Companies seeking New York City office space that is removed from the hustle of Midtown or Downtown Manhattan but still within a concentrated hub of NYC culture should consider office space in the Upper West Side. The Upper West Side houses 30.9 million square feet of office space in total. As of Q2 of 2019, 13.6 million square feet of office space were under construction in the neighborhood.
Getting Around the Upper West Side
Like most areas of New York City, public transportation is the best way to get around, while traveling by car often results in encountering a lot of traffic. The average commute time in UWS is 28.9 minutes. Many office workers in the Upper West Side enjoy a convenient commute to work due to the two subway lines that run along Broadway (the IRT Broadway—Seventh Avenue Line—and Central Park West (the IND Eighth Avenue Line). The 1, 2, and 3 trains have regular and express stops along Broadway, and the A, B, C, and D trains reach various stops along Central Park West. Five bus lines—M5, M7, M10, M11, and M104—run north and south through the Upper West Side. Six bus lines—M66, M72, M79 SBS, M86 SBS, M96, and M106 run east to west. In addition, the M20 bus line terminating at Lincoln Center.
The neighborhood is located within 30 minutes of many popular destinations in NYC. For example, by train, UWS is 18 minutes from Columbus Circle, 26 minutes from Grand Central, and 30 minutes from Union Square. Each destination can be reached about 10 minutes faster by car, depending on traffic.
The Upper West Side has a high Walk Score of 98, and the neighborhood is also very bike-friendly. Citi Bike has numerous stations in the area, and bicycle lanes are present on Amsterdam Avenue and Columbus Avenue.
LaGuardia Airport is only 10 minutes away from the Upper West Side for those who need to travel by air. The Newark Airport and JFK area are also close by, 18 miles and 21 miles away, respectively.
The Upper West Side is bordered by the Hudson River and Riverside Park to the west and Central Park to the east. Broadway, Amsterdam Avenue, and Columbus Avenue are the main thoroughfares of the Upper West Side, running north to south between West 59th Street and West 110th Street. Nearby neighborhoods include: Midtown, Columbus Circle, Morningside Heights, and Harlem.
Top Commercial Properties For Lease In Upper West Side
To learn more about available office space listings in the Upper West Side, contact one of our experienced brokers. Or, look up these three SquareFoot recommended properties in the neighborhood:
252 West 79th Street: 252 West 79th Street is an office building between Broadway and West End in the Upper West Side. Currently, the building has one 550 square foot unit available for rent. Contact us for pricing, details, or a tour. The building has a Walk Score of 98 and is in close proximity to two parking garages and the 79th Street train station. Grab coffee at FIKA Apthorp, Starbucks, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, or Bagel Talk. Nearby lunch spots include Hummus Kitchen, Nice matin, and Planet Sushi.
2565 Broadway: 2565 is an office building located at the corner of Broadway and West 96th Street. Right now the property has one vacant space, a 1,104 square foot unit. Contact us for pricing or for a tour. The building is located within easy walking distance of stations 103rd Street and 96th Street. Lots of parks and playgrounds are nearby. Employees working at 2565 Broadway can take a lunchtime stroll through Saint Gregory’s Park, Joan of Arc Park, or Riverside-West End Historic District. Plenty of lunch options await just steps from the office, such as Green Cafe, Malecon Restaurant, Opai Thai, Texas Rotisserie Grill, or La Nueva Victoria Restaurant.
26 West 74 Street: 26 West 74 Street is an office building located between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue. Built in 1910, this five-story building currently has two units available for rent. Both are 1,620 square feet in size. The building has two nearby parking garages and two nearby subway stations—72nd Street and 81st Street—Museum of Natural History. Trains 1, 2, 3, B, and C delivery passengers to the area. Employees working at 26 West 74 Street have access to many coffee shops and lunch restaurants just down the street from the office. For coffee, visit Le Pain Quotidien, Juice Generation, or Arte Around the Corner. For lunch, check out Arte Cafe, Cafe Ronda, Caffe Storico, or Tenzan.
Upper West Side Neighborhood History
The Lenape Indians are the first known inhabitants of the NYC district now called the Upper West Side. Colonial settlers built suburban villas in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. As the area started to develop in the late 19th century, it was primarily used for shipping, transportation, and manufacturing. In the 1850s and ‘60s, developers added Central Park, which was originally a haven for squatters.
During this time, people began referring to the street formerly called “Bloomingdale Road” as “The Boulevard” instead. Eventually, it came to be called “Broadway,” which is, of course, what we call it today. A few years after the turn of the century, in 1904, the city’s first subway line opened, spurring an increase in the construction and development of the area. The first line included stations 59th, 72nd, 79th, 86th, 91st, 103rd, 110th, 116th, and 125th. Additional transportation options and an increase in immigration boosted the neighborhood’s economy.
Today, the Upper West Side is home to a variety of cultural institutions, including the Lincoln Center, the Juilliard School for Music, the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, the School of American Ballet, and Symphony Space.
