Gramercy Park East, Gramercy Park

Gramercy Park East, like the rest of the streets surrounging the park is incredibly posh and beautiful. Gram East doesn't have the mansions that it's sister streets have, but it isn't any less beautiful, historically cool or expensive. Gramercy park is the only private park left in New York City. It was supposed to be, ironically, sanctioned to the freed slaves, but then was purchased and allotted as a private park in 1831 in order to lure the wealthy back from uptown. It worked and the neighborhood remains very posh and eerily old-fashioned. The demographic of Gramercy Park East is old, grumpy, and rich. But, the street is gorgeous.
The corner of Gram Park East and North was a massive hotel built in the 1880's. It looks like a castle and Steinbeck lived there. Next door to that building is a completely different style of architecture, but this building is no less stunning. It's gothic, complete with gargoyles and creepy armor looking statues. John Barrymore and Ringling of Ringling Bros circus both lived here. It is beyond opulent. And, directly next door to the Goth building is a building that looks like a castle. They weren't joking around when they built these complexes, huh? They all look like they jumped out of fairy tales in different lands. James Cagney lived in the castle one.
It's weird that most of the park has houses and this one particular street is all massive apartments. I'm guessing they were all hotels at one point, and now, they are grand co-ops (I seriously doubt anyone rents on the Gram streets). For my money, I would live in an actual house if I were wealthy enough to live on the park, but to each his own. I'm just glad NYU hasn't gotten its mitts on this street too . . .

This area is renowned for Gramercy Park--a gated park that is only accessible to the lucky (and rich!) people who live around it and possess a key. However, that should not stop you from peeping through the fence to admire the mini daffodils during the spring. The neighborhood is on the quiet side so I would recommend it for families, couples and retirees. Pete's Tavern is in the neighborhood which is where O. Henry wrote some of his famous short stories. The Tavern is particularly lovely and festive around Christmas--homey and old fashioned place to sip a pint of cider. Very old NY.