Good places to study along the 1 line in NYC?

June 10, 2009 6:20 PM

What is a good place to study in the evening and at night along the 1 line between Penn Station and City College?

I'm living in Harlem (W 137th St.) for the summer while I take a course at CUNY Graduate Center. I need a place to study in the evening and into the night, though not the morning. It'll be everyday from about 5pm to 11pm or 12pm. (Uninterrupted sessions of at least five hours.)

I'm fine if it's not open late night on Sundays.

I'd rather not study somewhere that brings to mind a cave, aka the CUNY Graduate Center. Also, I need it to be relatively quiet, though not necessarily hushed, and a place where people won't think I'm completely insane for talking quietly to myself incoherently. (I'm here studying Ancient Greek.)

Thanks in advance, I'm not familiar with the city.

posted by Outis to education (7 comments total)

Well the obvious is the zillion starbucks in morningside heights/upper west side. For evenings, but not night I've used the nypl at 115th, its not huge, but usually not too busy.
posted by jourman2 at 6:28 PM on June 10

West 137th is next to the City College campus, do you have access to the library there? There's also a coffee shop or two near campus.

There are many choices near Columbia. If you wander over to Amsterdam Ave there's Fresh Cafe at 121st, Strokos and Artopolis near 114th, and the Hungarian Pastry Shop near 110th.

The NYPL hours have been cut back, but here's a list of branches. The 115th St. branch is a bit far from the 1 train, but the Morningside Heights branch is at 113th and Broadway.

If you come up to Harlem on the 2/3 there's Settepani at 130th and Lenox and a little coffee shop whose name I forget at 131st and Lenox.
posted by plastic_animals at 6:49 PM on June 10

Hungarian Pastry Shop, on Amsterdam between 110th and 111th, was always my go-to study spot. It's a little chattery, but a great place to mutter to yourself and/or read (if you have pretty good focus). The food is tasty and cheap, and you can sit for as long as you want without being pestered, and enjoy free refills of coffee and water. It's crowded, though, but mostly with studying Columbia grad students and such.
posted by zvs at 7:38 PM on June 10

Oh, and the hours are close to what you're looking for, they close at 10 or 11 IIRC.
posted by zvs at 7:40 PM on June 10

Yep I meant the Morningside branch at 113th, I knew 115th sounded strange. I'll voice for the 113th branch, never been to 115th.
posted by jourman2 at 7:05 AM on June 11

You might try getting a visitor library card at Columbia university.
posted by tobiaswright at 7:40 AM on June 11

And while it is often, at least while I was there, frequently overrun with Columbia grad students reading heidegger and looking disgruntled, The Hungarian Pastry Shop is, hands down, the best NYC study place - ever. Why? Well, bottomless cups of coffee, for one. For two - no music! That's right - a coffee shop without music playing (which, if you're like me, is key to quality studying), and absolutely delicious pastries. Watch out though, because there is a man with a hook who is nuts and tends to hang out by the door mumbling obscenities at people. If you leave the door open, he will kill you.
posted by Lutoslawski at 7:46 AM on June 11 [1 favorite has favorites]