Hi Chris, You're right most people, even many in the neighborhood have no idea it's called Verdi Square Park. I've lived in the neighborhood for many years although I had to look up who Giuseppe Verdi was ,-)

Hi Ruthmarie, Gentrification on the Upper West Side began in the 80's. I moved to the Upper West Side in 1982. I lived on 86th Street. The crosstown streets 86th and 72nd were always very nice but many of the tree lined side streets with brownstones and townhouses that now sell for multi millions of dollars were boarded up and vacant, in the summer the neighborhood kids used fire hydrents as sprinklers. The dealers would sit on the benches at Verdi Park along Amsterdam Avenue. If you walked by they would say "smoke smoke". It is a totally different neighborhood today. I watched it go from gritty, to hip to trendy to chic, to upscale and family friendly. The streets are filled with baby strollers and many of the new buildings built in the late 80's have swimming pools.

Roger, There sare so many little parks. Verdi Square park is where Amsterdam and Broadway form a triangle. If you are driving up Broadway or on the Broadway bus it becomes Ansterdam at 70th Street (Sherman Square) another blog lol. You have to make a left (Broadway Bus turns) at 73rd and then another right to get back on Broadway in front of he Apple Bank Building.

The 72nd and Broadway Subway station is loccated at Verdi Square across the street from The Ansonia. The old station headhouse is still there and still open on the other side of 72nd street.

 New 72nd Street Subway station at Verdi Square

Gray's Papaya considered the best Hot Dog in New York is located diagonally across from the south east corner of Verdi Square. Familiar?