Upper East Side Story

White glove-buildings, designer boutiques, Museum Mile and ladies who lunch are some of the images associated with Manhattan’s Upper East Side (UES). Numbered streets running east/west from (roughly) 59th to 96th street are vertically dissected by famous avenues such as Park, Madison and Fifth, from the East River to the edge of Central Park, in a classic grid pattern. The Upper East Side is widely considered New York City’s most affluent neighborhood. Originally divided into the smaller neighborhoods of Lenox Hill, named after a wealthy landowner, Yorkville, a predominantly German enclave, and Carnegie Hill, for the esteemed philanthropist, the boundaries have faded over the last century though each retains a distinct personality and iconic landmarks. Statistically, the majority of the population on the Upper East Side is older and wealthier relative to the the rest of New York City, but not everyone is in the top tax bracket; many UES residents live in rent-controlled apartments.  After years of construction and inconvenience, the new 2nd Avenue subway line now links the furthest reaches of the Upper East Side to the rest of Manhattan making the neighborhood even more desirable. While some longtime residents are fighting the development boom and lament the disappearance of family-run businesses being replaced by modern hi-rises and chain stores, a younger, more diverse population is moving in for the quiet residential feel, good schools and beautiful parks. This series depicts a microcosm of life on the Upper East Side in New York City.