What’s a fair price per square foot on the Upper West Side? If you’ve toured homes on Central Park West, Broadway, and Riverside Drive, you’ve probably seen big gaps in the numbers. It’s frustrating when two similar homes are thousands apart per foot. In this guide, you’ll see why PPSF varies by street, what a park or river view is worth, and how to price or bid confidently. Let’s dive in.
Your quick UWS baseline
- The Upper West Side’s median price per square foot sits in the low-to-mid four figures. PropertyShark’s August 2025 snapshot shows a UWS median around $1,505 per square foot. See the neighborhood trend.
- Different sources report different PPSF because of sample choices and time windows. Always check the provider and date when you quote a number.
CPW vs Broadway vs Riverside at a glance
Central Park West: highest on average
Central Park West typically leads PPSF thanks to direct park frontage, protected views, and a roster of iconic buildings. Market commentary suggests a clear Central Park view can add roughly 15 to 30 percent for many units, with much larger premiums at trophy addresses. You can read more about how view premiums work in this Brick Underground explainer on the value of views.
For context on how elite buildings outperform neighborhood medians, see this overview of New York’s highest price-per-foot addresses from The Real Deal. It shows how scarcity, prestige, and protected views combine to push PPSF far above typical UWS levels.
Riverside Drive: premium with variability
Riverside Drive benefits from river and park adjacency on Manhattan’s western edge. PPSF is usually higher than many interior blocks, but it often sits below CPW’s top lines and varies by block, building, and exposure. A recent Riverside Drive closing illustrates the point: Unit 2C at 270 Riverside Drive recorded about $1,083 per square foot in 2025, highlighting a solid but more moderate PPSF relative to CPW trophy lines. Review the closing details.
Broadway corridor: wide range by building
Broadway and the interior avenues (Amsterdam, Columbus) show a broad distribution. You’ll find well-priced prewar co-ops and also high-amenity condos that jump well above the UWS median. New development towers near Broadway/Amsterdam can record several-thousand-per-foot sales, as seen in reported closings at 200 Amsterdam. Here’s a discussion thread noting select sales around $4,200-plus per foot for large condos at that address: recent 200 Amsterdam chatter. For context on how new development inventory shapes PPSF, see this CityRealty overview of sponsor availability and new construction trends.
What actually drives PPSF differences
- View and exposure. Clear Central Park views carry distinct premiums because nothing will ever be built across the Park. Many analyses place the uplift around 15 to 30 percent for typical cases, with bigger jumps for trophy lines. This view premium explainer breaks down why.
- Product type. Condos and new development usually price higher per foot than co-ops and walk-ups thanks to amenities, service, and flexibility. CityRealty’s coverage of new construction highlights how sponsor product lifts averages in select corridors.
- Building identity and scarcity. Addresses with celebrated architecture, landmark status, or limited supply can trade at multiples of the neighborhood median. The Real Deal’s PPSF roundup shows how extreme this can get.
- Unit size, floor, and layout. Smaller luxury units often show higher PPSF than very large apartments. Higher floors with protected park or river views add value.
- Micro-location. Nearness to cultural hubs, transit, or renovated lobbies can move the needle building by building.
How to price or bid by street
- If you’re selling on CPW. Start with closed sales in your building and direct park-facing lines. If your exposure is open to the Park, model a 15 to 30 percent lift versus similar interior-line comps, then adjust for floor and condition.
- If you’re selling on Riverside Drive. Emphasize river or park adjacency, line exposure, and any recent building upgrades. Position your PPSF above interior blocks but below CPW park-front trophies unless you have a unique, high-floor view.
- If you’re selling on Broadway or the interior avenues. Lean on building identity, amenities, and any protected views. Newer full-service condos can rival park-adjacent PPSF when the package is strong.
- If you’re buying on CPW. Expect to pay up for direct park frontage. If you value light and quiet more than a postcard view, you may find better value one avenue west.
- If you’re buying on Riverside or Broadway. Look closely at exposure and floor. A river-facing or high-floor interior-avenue home can deliver standout value versus park-front prices.
Case snapshots
- CPW trophy pattern. Park-facing CPW condominiums and iconic co-ops can achieve several-thousand-per-foot prices, far above the UWS median. See examples of top-tier per-foot pricing in this Real Deal survey.
- Riverside example. 270 Riverside Drive, Unit 2C, closed around $1,083 per square foot in 2025, underscoring the corridor’s premium yet more moderate pricing relative to CPW. View the closing.
- Broadway/Amsterdam tower example. Reported closings at 200 Amsterdam show select large condos around $4,200-plus per foot, reflecting how new development and amenity packages can match or exceed park-adjacent numbers. See the discussion and this new development context from CityRealty.
How we measured this
Here’s a simple framework you can use or ask your agent to replicate:
- Use a 12-month window of closed sales to smooth seasonal swings.
- Compare apples to apples. Segment co-ops and condos, or explain if you mix product types.
- Aggregate by street segment, not just the avenue name, to avoid outliers.
- Flag trophy trades that are 2 to 3 times the median so they do not skew expectations.
- Rely on closed-sale PPSF from data providers like PropertyShark and note the date and method. Check the UWS snapshot here.
What this means for you
If you own on CPW, your street name and exposure do a lot of heavy lifting. If you own on Riverside or Broadway, your building identity, amenities, and exact line determine whether you price near the UWS median or much higher. If you are buying, decide how much you value a protected view, then use closed comps by line and floor to put each listing’s PPSF in context.
Ready to benchmark your home or hunt strategically by street and line? Reach out to Darya Goldstein for an Upper West Side pricing read, a tailored list of closed comps, and a plan to prep, stage, and launch with Compass resources when the timing is right.
FAQs
Is CPW always the most expensive on the Upper West Side?
- CPW typically leads PPSF because of direct park frontage and scarce trophy inventory, but select off-CPW towers and penthouses can match or exceed CPW when views and amenities align. See view premiums in Brick Underground’s explainer and trophy pricing context in The Real Deal’s survey.
How much is a direct Central Park view worth in PPSF?
- Many analyses place the premium around 15 to 30 percent for typical cases, with higher jumps for trophy lines. Here’s a plain-English breakdown of the view premium from Brick Underground.
Why can Riverside Drive be less expensive than CPW even with views?
- Riverside’s river and park adjacency are valuable, but building identity, line, floor, and amenities drive outcomes. A recent example around $1,083 per foot at 270 Riverside Drive shows Riverside’s solid yet more moderate PPSF relative to CPW. See the closing.
How can a Broadway seller justify a higher PPSF?
- Document closed comps in your building by line and floor, highlight any protected views, and showcase renovations and amenities. Newer full-service condos near Broadway can rival park-adjacent pricing when the package is strong.
What’s the current UWS median PPSF and why does it vary by source?
- PropertyShark’s August 2025 snapshot shows about $1,505 per square foot for the UWS. Provider methods differ on time windows and product mix, so always note the source and date. Check the latest snapshot.
