A Central Park West address at a reasonable price — if you're willing to sleep on a Murphy bed

By Virginia K. Smith | August 20, 2014 - 12:59PM

A Central Park West address is covetable, for sure, and a Manhattan studio with this bonafide asking $2,150 a month (with a decently sized kitchen, at that) isn't that exorbitant. Plus, the option to rent this place furnished could be a major boon, too, if you're moving without the basics. But to have to sleep on a Murphy bed, not to mention pass the building's co-op board before even gaining entry? Those may be the deal-breakers.

To find out if this park-side apartment is a smart find or not, we turn to our experts — including RentHackr founder Zeb Dropkin and freelance writers Julie Inzanti and Lambeth Hochwald — for their thoughts on this week’s Take It or Leave It.

Size: 1-bath studio
Location: 327 Central Park West (between 92nd and 93rd)
Cost: $2,150/month
Flexible Layout: No
Days on the market: 48 days
Subway: B, C at 96th Street; 1, 2, 3 at 96th Street; 1 at 86th Street

Pros and Cons:

"The fact that this Upper West Side studio gives off a shrink’s office vibe can be a pro or con, depending on how you look at it. You can always invite your friends to lie down on the Murphy bed to tell you their problems. But I still think that $2,150 for a teensy street-level room in the low ‘90s—you can take it furnished or unfurnished—seems a bit much even for a Central Park West pre-war." - Lambeth

"The location alone is a selling point. Close to Central Park, great shopping, the majority of neighboring buildings don't seem to be new glass-enclosed eyesores, so it feels like New York of olde. The building also has plenty of amenities that seem to make the rent worth it, like a gym, which could save you at least $100 per month, and a 24-hour doorman. The Murphy bed doesn't bother me, either, since a regular bed would take up the entire space." - Julie

"A great little studio with its own kitchen, in a building with a doorman, gym, and a bike room all for a competitive price? Sign me up! The only obvious con is that you need to be approved by the board, and no window views are shown—it could be on a shaftway or something dark like that." - Zeb

Who would this apartment be perfect for?

"A runner, roller blader, or cyclist who spends so much time in Central Park he/she doesn’t mind living in a very compact space." - Lambeth

"It is a studio, so the limited space would make this apartment perfect for a single thirty-something or a couple who don't have a lot of stuff. And who work a lot or spend their time outside enjoying the city." - Julie

"You're probably going to have to be a clean professional with a steady job to get approved here. Beyond that, a biker or walker who will love and use Central Park a lot." - Zeb

The Verdict(s):

LEAVE IT "Don’t even get me started about the board-approval requirement." - Lambeth

TAKE IT "A nice building in a lovely Manhattan neighborhood for under $2,500 a month? Go for it." - Julie

TAKE IT "Check the light and view from those windows first. If you can get approved by the board, this is a sweet little studio in an upper class building." - Zeb

Ready to rent? Check out our How to Rent Guide...and if the apartment you like requires a guarantor that you don’t have, see if the landlord accepts Insurent, a guarantor solution from one of BrickUnderground’s sponsors.

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