318 East 53rd Street, 4

Quick Profile

Turtle Bay is best known for hosting the world’s dignitaries at United Nations once a year as the world institution sits on the eastern edge of the neighborhood along the East River.

But this midtown location offers a lot more, a bustling neighborhood teeming with high-rise apartment buildings and an easy walk to the Midtown business district.

Over the past two decades, developers have assembled almost every corner development site along Second Avenue and have built straight up. Not much left to assemble.

Some of the more glamorous, and of course most expensive, addresses are in close proximity to the United Nations. Trump World Tower, which caused a big stir with area residents, in particular, Walter Cronkite, when it was built sits just north of the United Nations Grounds. 

In contrast to the proliferation of the residential highrise, Turtle Bay does have some lovely tree-lined streets between the avenues. In particular, Turtle Bay Gardens, which fronts both 48th Street and 49th Street between Third and Second Avenue has always been a haven for the rich and famous.