Battery Park City

Go all the way to the southernmost tip of Manhattan and you can find a true New York curiosity, Battery Park City. A planned community of 92 acres running along the southeast shore of Manhattan, the lush greenery, scenic views provide a very different feeling than the rest of hurried lower Manhattan.

Because Battery Park City is less than 40 years old--prior to 1980 it was unusable marshland-- there is no longtime established community, and so residents are a relatively homogenous group of upscale downtown Manhattanites.

Battery Park City offers 36 acres of public park space, incredible river views of Manhattan, Brooklyn and New Jersey and a sense of calmness and serenity that is unique and distinct from the rest of lower Manhattan. Proximity to the Financial District makes it an ideal locale for anyone working on Wall Street. The sunset views here are among the best New York has to offer.

The area bustles during workweek hours but quiets down to a low hum at night and on the weekends. There are also limited nightlife and entertainment options. Because nearly all properties are upscale condos, pricing is uniformly high, even compared to other parts of lower Manhattan.

One third of Battery Park City is public park and as a result, there is more greenery than is most of lower Manhattan and you can see a constant flow of runners, bikers and people outside enjoying the sights and sounds. Because the neighborhood was only created in 1980, the architecture is entirely modern and new, most of which are condos.

With 32 acres of greenspace split into five parks, Battery Park City is unique in lower Manhattan. Robert F Wagner park is the largest but the BPC Esplanade is heavily used by joggers, cyclists and stroller-pushers alike.

There are only two hotels within Battery Park City and both of them are among New York’s most upscale and famous: The Conrad and the Ritz Carlton Battery Park. More options can be found further east in the Financial District, such as the W, Marriott and Holiday Inn.

No subway trains actually run through Battery Park City but the 1/2/3 is closest and found nearby a few blocks to the east. Buses are also available.

Transportation options: 1 2 3
Bus service

There is no non-commercial street parking in Battery Park City during the week, so car owners must garage their vehicles or find somewhere else to park them.

Yellow cabs for passenger pickup are also readily available just about anywhere.

Distance from main airports by car:
LaGuardia: 40-50 minutes
JFK: 45-60 minutes
Newark: 25-40 minutes