Tudor City

Seclusion in the middle of it all

By Patrick Verel | Special to amNewYork

September 14, 2006

With its clattering traffic, six- and seven-deep crush of pedestrians and more asphalt per square inch than anywhere on the continent, midtown Manhattan would seem to be just the kind of neighborhood you wouldn't want to call home.

Unless, of course, you're talking about Tudor City. Perched on a pedestal above 42nd Street across from the United Nations, it's one of the smallest and most self-contained neighborhoods in Manhattan.

"It's really a small town in the middle of a big town," said Steve Corcoran, principal broker of Steven Corcoran Real Estate, who has lived in the 5,000-resident enclave since 1987.

The complex, which is accessible from 41st Street and 43rd Street, is linked by bridge above 42nd Street. When it was built between 1925 and 1928 as a middle-class neighborhood, its neighbor to the east was a stockyard, so very few windows face the East River. And although each of the 11 residential buildings is distinct, they are unified by a general resemblance to Tudor revival castles.

Bill Baltz, a resident of Tudor City since 1958 and the president of Tudor City Greens Inc., noted that 1988 marked a turning point for the neighborhood, when it was designated a historic district. That same year, residents successfully prevented developer Harry Helmsley from building two residential towers on the parks and playgrounds in the middle of the complex. The parks now host Easter egg hunts, summer concerts, Christmas tree and menorah lightings.

"It's the center of the community, really," he said.

Find it

Tudor City sits atop an elevated platform between 41st and 43rd streets and First and Second avenues.

Real estate

Rena Glickis, associate broker of Tudor Realty, said studios generally sell for $320,000; one-bedrooms go for $450,000 to $520,000, and two-bedrooms: $600,000 to $700,000. The average price for a rental is $1,500 a month for a studio; $2,300 a month for a one bedroom and $3,000 for two bedrooms. There are a scant few three-bedrooms and penthouses that fetch millions, but in general she said the area has retained its affordable roots.

"There are a lot of little things that people love about it," she said.

What's selling
-A 300-square-foot studio with a lower view of the park, 25 Tudor: $262,500
-A one-bedroom apartment, 25 Tudor: $505,000

What's renting
-A 300-square-foot studio: $1,600 a month
-A 600-square-foot one bedroom: $2,250 a month

To see

Tudor City Greens
When denizens of corporate headquarters in midtown want to depressurize from the stress of cubicle life, these English-style gardens on either side of East 42nd Street beckon. They're privately owned and tended to by the nonprofit group Tudor City Greens, Inc., but these well-tended paths, fountains and benches are open to all.

The United Nations
The U.N. allows the public into the General Assembly lobby and outdoor grounds. Daily tours are also offered from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
First Avenue from 42nd to 48th streets.
212-963-8687

The Ford Foundation
The foundation's glass building acts as a greenhouse for the lobby garden. It reaches up 12 stories, and is a great place to escape foul weather and the noise of 42nd Street.
321 E. 42nd St.

Church of the Covenant
In a neighborhood that's seen more than its fair share of architectural upheaval (think Grand Central's near destruction), this church is a welcome exception. Built in 1871, it still has all the original work except for the stone floor.
310 E. 42nd St.
212-697-3185

To play

The Black Sheep
Ten big screen TVs ensure you'll never miss a goal at this Midtown Irish pub, and 35 types of beer make it easier to cheer on your team.
583 Third Ave.
212-599-3476

Calico Jack's Cantina
Just down the hill from the entrance to Tudor City, this is closest place to get your margarita fix.
802 Second Ave.
212-557-4300

Harry's Bar at the Helmsley Hotel
Drop in on Leona Helmsley's luxury guest house, and you'll likely clink martini glasses with visiting businessman, honeymooners and well-healed tourists.
212 E. 42nd St.
212-490-8900

McFadden's Bar & Restaurant
Private booths, high ceilings and a polished dark wood interior make this pub a favorite of midtown workers and residents of Tudor City, which is just a block uphill on 41st Street.
800 Second Ave.
212-986-1515

Mica 587
A mezzanine bar and lounge offer a trendy place to sample wine, "Mica-tinis" and Asian- and Latin-inspired tapas. Like its cousin on 51st Street, this place also features guest DJs.
587 Third Ave.
212-661-3181

To eat

L'Impero
Tudor City's lone sit-down restaurant features an Italianate courtyard, a small bar and a split-level dining room, where chef and co-owner Scott Conant serves up dishes such as seared softshell crab with puree of English peas, summer vegetables and smoked bacon and moist roasted Vermont Capretto with spring peas, speck and potato groestle.
45 Tudor City Place
212-599-5045

Cibo
New American cuisine with a Tuscan influence in the landmark Daily News building. Look for Lobster Newburg baked in polenta, Tuscan tuna tartare and New Zealand baby lamb rack.
767 Second Ave.
212-681-1616

Comfort Diner
The name says it all: traditional American "comfort food" like meatloaf, chicken noodle soup, red, white and blue waffles and breakfast burritos.
214 E. 45th St.
212-867-4555

Energy Kitchen
Like its four other Manhattan locations, this brightly lit cafe offers low-fat, high-protein diet food. The menu features the salads and smoothies you'd expect, but also burgers and desserts.
300 E. 41st St.
212-687-1200

Smith & Wollensky
Consistently ranked in the top five of New York steak restaurants, this well-worn, rarely quiet temple to carnivorous noshing has an excellent selection of filet mignon, sirloin, and prime rib. Wollensky's Grill, which is next door, serves a reduced menu but is open later.
797 Third Ave.
212-753-1530

Sushi Yasuda
The decor here is sparse, but flavor in the fish is not. Chef Naomichi Yasuda serves 30 or so varieties of fish every day, including cooked items like the monkfish liver and fried eel backbone.
204 E. 43rd St.
212-972-1001

Q&A with John Tsang
John Tsang has worked at Conrad's Bike Shop in the heart of Tudor City for 23 years.

Why did you move here?
We do mostly customized building. It's been our niche here. For my type of business, it was the atmosphere in this little cul-de-sac that has worked. It's nice to be able to test ride bikes, and clients can drive here can actually park and unload, so that makes it very convenient.

What do you like best about it?
It's very quiet, and it's like a city within the city. Or more like a suburb within a city.

What has changed since you first got there?
I think the only thing that has changed has been a generation of younger people have been moving in, but otherwise everything else is the same.

What would you do to make it a better place?
We're pretty well-stocked on merchants; we have our own florist and our own dry cleaners, so we're pretty happy with the way things are. Honestly, I wouldn't change a thing.

What are some pros and cons?
Pros: It's really quiet. It's convenient to mass transit and the Midtown Tunnel. Cons: I've heard the apartments can be a little small.

If the U.N. is holding a big bash, traffic can get really congested, and street closures are really annoying. But that's usually just once a year, and as New Yorkers, we can deal with that.

What's one neighborhood gem?
I think it's the post office. Its's very convenient, and especially in tax season, I can mail my stuff out with no problem. I think it may be the smallest post office in New York City.

The Buzz

Windsor Tower, at the southeast corner of Tudor City, is the only building with unimpeded views of the East River. But that will soon change, as the nine-acre site south of the United Nations is transformed from a hulking Con Ed power plant into what developers hope will be four massive towers (three residential, one mixed commercial and residential), a park and a skating rink. Construction has yet to begin on the site, which stretches from 41st Street to 38th Street, but demolition has begun on the old power plant, and architects Richard Meir and David Childs completed a master plan for developer Sheldon Solow last year. The fact that all four of the planned towers would dwarf the 505-foot-high U.N. Secretariat building has some residents concerned, but regardless of what is built, residents of Tudor City will have front row seats for this transformation on the East River.

The basics

Transportation:
Subway: 4, 5, 6, 7, S at Grand Central
Bus: M15, M27, M42, M50

Crime:
All but one of the buildings in Tudor City have 24-hour doormen, so crime is exceedingly rare. The 17th Precinct, which encompasses eastern midtown, has had two murders, seven rapes and 56 robberies, compared to zero murders, seven rapes and 80 robberies this time last year.

Schools: P.S. 59, 228 E. 57th St., P.S. 116, 210 E. 33rd St; P.S. 225, 317 E. 67th St; H.S. 630, 1075 Second Ave.

Post Office: 5 Tudor City Place, 884 Second Ave.

Banks: Bank of America, 675 Third Ave., Chase, 405 Lexington Ave., 633 Third Ave., Citibank, 734 Third Ave., 800 Third Ave., North Fork, 750 Third Ave., Wachovia, 666 Third Ave., 757 Third Ave.

To shop

Conrad's Bike Shop
Custom-made off-road and racing bikes for the discerning rider. Be sure to ask about the bikes they built for Jerry Seinfeld and Dustin Hoffman.
25 Tudor City Place
212-697-6966

Michael George's Flowers
Like all the stores in Tudor City, this flower shop is well-hidden. Simple, elegant arrangements make it worth finding.
5 Tudor City Place
212-883-0304

Sussex Wine & Spirits
One of the oldest and biggest wine shops in New York.
300 E. 42nd St.
212-490-0860

Ann Taylor Loft
The smaller, more affordable cousin to Ann Taylor boutiques is just down the road for all your business, casual and relaxed women's clothing needs.
150 E 42nd St.
212-883-8766