Flatiron District Apartments & Rentals

It's only since 1985 that rentals in this area have been advertised as Flatiron District apartments. Before then, this part of town was called the Toy District or the Photo District. It was also part of Silicon Alley in the dot.com bubble days. Then the neighborhood became more residential. Real estate agents promoted these properties in the 80s by naming the area after the iconic, wedge-shaped Flatiron Building-New York's first skyscraper. The name has stuck so far.

This area is still primarily commercial, and that's good news in terms of shopping and transportation. It's generally considered to spread from Park Avenue to Sixth Avenue, from 14th Street north to 23rd. That area encompasses the Met Life tower (built 1909) and Madison Square Garden. You'll find yourself in the thick of New York here, rubbing shoulders with ad men and other classic New York types.

There's good shopping and plentiful food in the Flatiron District. Fifth Avenue presents modern mainstays such as H&M and Anthropologie. Restaurants are diverse and even affordable, whether you're looking for a sandwich, Indian food, or even something vegan.

Bars in the neighborhood manage to be unpretentious and luxurious simultaneously. Try Flute for a glass of wine or the Old Town Bar, a former speakeasy. For non-alcoholic entertainment, the Museum of Sex will suit the risqué. Others prefer more family-appropriate shows at Madison Square Garden. There's also Madison Square Park with its popular Shake Shack burger stand if you want outdoor time.

The Flatiron District is a crossroads of excellent transportation options. Penn Station is there for longer trips and you'll cross multiple subway and bus lines as you wander. Because it's so centrally located, getting from here to most places in the city is a snap.

Average rent for a two-bedroom in the district will run about $3,100 a month. Matching these higher-end rents are higher-end professional residents. Your neighbors in the Flatiron District tend to be clean-cut types with power jobs. Whether that's a plus or a minus depends on your viewpoint.

Manhattan Community Board 5 oversees the Flatiron District. It isn't a huge neighborhood geographically, so you may choose to head north to the main branch of the New York Public Library on 40^th Street, or walk to Eighth Avenue to the main post office. The Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library is in the area, on West 20^th and Sixth Avenue.

Zip codes serving Flatiron District are 10003 and 10010.