Photo by Anupam_ts.
From real estate, to crime, to education, to more real estate, check out some stories published elsewhere about the neighborhood over the past couple of weeks:
The person who bought the Schinasi Mansion on 107th street is Mark Schwartz, a Goldman Sachs executive. He paid $14 million. It’s the last freestanding mansion in Manhattan (Bloomberg)
West End Avenue homes are getting more expensive. “Prices have increased since the depths of the recession, according to Streeteasy. In the first six months of 2009, the median price of the 117 apartments that sold was $770,000, while in the first six months of 2013, the median price of the 227 sales was $815,000, or a nearly 6 percent bump, the data shows.” (NY Times)
Upper West Success Academy charter school will no longer reserve seats for English language Learners; they’re blaming a confusing federal decision that has advocates scratching their heads. (DNAinfo and Gotham Schools)
A slide show of the West Side County Fair. (Time Out NY)
“The New Jersey-based real estate investment company the Orbach Group purchased a 33-building residential apartment package on the Upper West Side for $246 million yesterday from a joint venture of Heritage Real Estate Partners and Dune Real Estate Partners, the buyer told The Real Deal. The portfolio includes 1,031 apartment units and one store in properties such as the 20-unit 65 West 107th Street and the 10-unit 125 West 106th Street.” (The Real Deal)
Arrests for minor crimes have jumped in the past few years in NYC. Some may not even be crimes at all. “A group of students was heading to Lincoln Center with opera tickets in hand when one was arrested in the subway for carrying a 1-inch pocket knife on a keychain.” (DNAinfo)
Columbus Avenue between 105th and 106th is going to get spruced up: “Community Board 7 last week unanimously endorsed a grant by the Manhattan Valley Development Corporation to “upgrade and revitalize” the west side of the avenue between 105th and 106th streets through additional security lighting and a uniformed look to the awnings for the various shops on the block.” (NY Press)
A driver died last week on the West Side Highway around 56th street. (DNAinfo)
Local figure skaters came in third in a national competition. (NY Press)
The General Motors Foundation gave $100,000 to the Central Park Conservancy “to introduce pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students to the importance of preserving and caring for New York City’s Central Park.” (Just Means)
John Madden sold his Dakota pad for $3.9 million. (Curbed)
Some Ansonia residents appear to be organizing to fight high common charges and other issues. (Curbed)
