Murray Hill

Before becoming a mom, Elizabeth Westcott-Pitt moved around a lot, soaking up the cachet of Greenwich Village, the swankiness of the Upper East Side, and the hustle and bustle of midtown. Four years ago, the marketing consultant and her husband, Colin, a brand director for Malibu Rum, decided they needed another change of scenery. They bought a two-bedroom, two-bath co-op at 32nd Street and Madison Avenue—smack in the middle of an area many Manhattanites consider a Greek-sweatshirted heart of darkness. (Even the maps in taxicabs leave much of the district a blank, uncharted gray.)

But when Elizabeth gave birth to daughter Ava this past April, the Westcott-Pitts never considered moving to a new neighborhood, despite inquiries from friends and family. “Sure, the postgrad situation is still prevalent, but there are more and more families moving in,” Elizabeth says. “The area offers a lot more than just the strip of popular bars and pubs on Third Avenue.”

Murray Hill stretches from 23rd to 40th Streets, east of Fifth Avenue. Buildings like the Biltmore (on 29th Street) and Windsor Court (on 31st) swarm with the barely-21 crowd. But young couples are increasingly discovering the locality’s perks—from well-regarded public schools to the Kips Bay movie theater and Madison Square Park. Most important is the stock of relatively affordable two-bedroom apartments —some in doormen buildings with amenities. According to brokers at Prudential Douglas Elliman, the average price per square foot for such an apartment in Murray Hill this year is $992, against $1,072 on the Upper West Side (and when it comes to New York City real estate, every dollar counts).

Amy and Randy Cintron came across the area in 2006, when they were searching for a two-bedroom, two-bath with high ceilings in a doorman building. Murray Hill wasn’t their first choice, but the $850,000 asking price of their current apartment was 20 to 30 percent lower than similar places elsewhere in Manhattan. Today, their two-year-old daughter is immersed in local cultural and recreational activities. She’s a frequent visitor to Scandinavia House, on Park Avenue at 38th Street, where she enjoys readings and puppet shows, and loves spending time at Madison Square Park.

“The new Murray Hill began with the park,” says Prudential Douglas Elliman agent Brian James. Spanning 23rd to 26th Streets between Fifth and Madison Avenues, this formerly run-down green space has become a hot spot since its $5 million overhaul in 2002. The park now houses a playground, a dog run, sculptural installations, a waterfall and the famous Shake Shack. In warmer months, the Madison Square Park Conservancy hosts free outdoor festivals, with live music and other entertainment (Time Out Kids is a media sponsor for some events).

When weather permits, Ava and Elizabeth hit the park almost every morning and again after the seven-month-old’s afternoon nap. Colin usually returns with his daughter for one more stroll in the evening. “It’s awesome to get home from work after a rough day and go down there with Ava,” says Colin, who commutes to White Plains from nearby Grand Central. “It’s like a little oasis from the midtown jungle.”

Chia Messina and her partner, Glenn Robinson, are also planning to buy a two-bedroom in the center of Murray Hill (they now live nearby in a loft). They want their three-year-old daughter, Lyla, to have a room of her own and, when the time comes, a seat at one of the area’s public schools. P.S. 116, for example, has a stellar reputation; it offers a special writing program and gifted and talented classes.

Ironically, the Westcott-Pitt family only heard about the school after they’d moved to the area. “Once we started trying to have a baby, everybody told us that we were in a great public school district,” says Elizabeth, who also came to realize how family-friendly their building is. “It has 118 units—a mix of singles, families and couples—and there are plenty of kids for Ava to play with. Plus, the people on my floor are great. They treat her very well.”

Messina and her daughter Lyla also enjoy all the area’s restaurants, often eating out at one of the kid-welcoming Indian joints along Lexington’s Curry Hill. The Westcott-Pitts are fans of the Crooked Knife, the 30th Street gastropub opened by the owners of Arlene’s Grocery. “We take Ava there every Friday night,” Elizabeth says. “And we go to French restaurant Les Halles. They’re very accommodating when we bring her in.”