New York City's acknowledged epicenter of hipness lies south of Gramercy and north of the Lower East Side, in the East Village. Artists ranging from Madonna and Blondie to the Ramones and Beastie Boys have called the East Village home and, more than any other Manhattan neighborhood, the East Village has been integral to the development of the scenes that have long defined downtown cool. But while most NYC dwellers can tell you that the East Village was the cradle of punk and indie rock, experimental theater and visual art in New York City, the neighborhood's luxury rental apartments remain something of a well-kept secret.
Many East Village apartments are turn-of-the-century walkups, but a host of new construction residential buildings -- many condominium or co-op; many others, such as the stylish Red Square, offering apartments for rent -- have changed the look of the neighborhood without significantly dulling its still edgy feel. The recently renovated Tompkins Square Park and a host of historic buildings and community gardens give the neighborhood a small-city openness, but the East Village remains unmistakably and perhaps quintessentially New York. Thanks to its unique combination of first-class fine dining establishments and unpretentious ethnic joints, posh lounges and funky dive bars, cool boutiques and niche record stores, there's no mistaking the East Village for any other neighborhood in Manhattan, or the world.
A newly constructed red-brick luxury rental building located at the cross-section of Houston St. and Chrystie Street on the Lower East Side, Avalon Chrystie Place has played a major role in revitalizing the neighborhood. Built in 2005, the post-war luxury building stands 14-stories tall and has an appealing red-brick exterior with a set-back tower on the 9th floor. Avalon Chrystie Place is also home to multiple retail stores on the lower levels, including a Whole Foods on the 1st and 2nd floor.
Studios from $3,175 per month
1BR from $4,175 per month
2BR from $5,600 per month
1BR from $2,450 per month
250 East Houston Street, East Village
While slightly less iconic than its Moscow namesake, Red Square is an architectural landmark in the East Village and home to some of the finest rentals in the Village. While Red Square's instantly recognizable rooftop "Askew" clock and a statue of Vladimir Lenin imported from Moscow are perhaps its most obvious features, few rental apartments in the East Village can match Red Square's for spaciousness, graciousness or location.
1BR from $2,900 per month
2BR from $4,600 per month
Centrally situated in the heart of the historic East Village, Tompkins Square Plaza at 190 East 7th Street is a post-war building with 124 luxury rental apartments. Residents and guests first notice the dual towers, which are separated by a plaza and fountain. A variety of artwork adorns the walls of the lobby, adding a sense of class to this luxury rental building as well as being in indicative of the local East Village culture.
2BR from $3,800 per month
