Try a Juneberry.

Sweetbay Magnolia -- graceful, won't grow too tall in your zone, flowers are lemony fragrant and don't bud out until early summer so won't get spoiled by frost like star magnolias frequently do in our zone. Smaller, thinner leaves than evergreen magnolias, more like "regular" tree leaves. I'm sure there are other choices but that's the first that came to my mind.

Not really looking for a fruiting tree and the Juneberry is a little small. The sweetbay might be nice but do you think it would tolerate the drier/more exposed location?

What about a dogwood?

I already have one dogwood on the other side of the lawn -- it's pretty but I think I'd like something else! Plus dogwoods don't really smell nice to me...

Does anyone have experience with an Elizabeth magnolia in a sunny spot in Zone 6? https://www.monrovia.com/elizabeth-magnolia.html

I've seen one. This was taken at Stonecrop a few years ago.

Serviceberry and Sweetbay Magnolia are great trees and both have good tolerance to dry conditions, but it sounds like you're looking for something a bit larger at maturity ("2-3 story"), so one of the more tree-like magnolias like Elizabeth might be the better option. Once established, many of the tree sized magnolias will tolerate moderately dry conditions (if you have a healthy pink dogwood in full sun in that same area, the hardier magnolias should do just fine). The options listed by gardengal are all great choices, but won't mature to the size you're looking for within a reasonable time frame. Additionally, Stewartia and Snowbell are typically more sensitive to drought. Fringetree has a "bushier" growth habit. Serviceberry can technically grow fairly tall, but it is slow and it has a fine textured, more "airy" appearance, plus its flowers are probably not as fragrant as some of the other options. Here's a good article on Yellow Magnolias by Stefan Cover. The variety called "Lois" (if you can find it) is similar to Elizabeth but probably a better yellow. Of course, the down side to the early flowering magnolias is the risk of frost damage to the blooms.

I’d you are willing to spend some $ on trees, you can get them fairly good sized from the wholesaler Cavicchio’s out in Sudbury. You’ll have to go through a landscape architect or a landscape company for them order and then deliver. We had a 10 foot multi limb sweet bay magnolia planted a couple years ago and it’s stunning. And we planted an amalanchier 7-8 years ago and it’s growing beautifully. Also multi limbed and not it’s 15 feet tall. We could have spec’d a larger tree for more $ but went with those sizes.

This article is awesome, thank you! Except now I am having trouble picking one, they all sound so great.

I had called Russell's and they have "Butterflies" yellow magnolias, but not sure how big, and it sounds from this article like it might be a fussier option than I'm looking for. I'll try Cavicchio's once I narrow things down a bit...our landscaper can probably hook it up.

If you want a yellow magnolia, 'Judy Zuk' or 'Yellow Bird' are WAY better than the wan flowers of 'Butterflies' or 'Elizabeth'. EDIT: oops I see now someone already posted an article re: other yellow mags.

Update: I ended up getting a 4 foot 'Butterflies' yellow magnolia from Russells. My landscaper could get me basically anything I wanted from Cavicchio's, and they could have ordered a Lois for me...but then I would only have had the 3-month Cavicchio's warranty. Russell's gives you a year, and this way it was small enough for me to plant myself. Also this was like a $100 investment. Butterflies is allegedly hardy down a little further than Elizabeth or Lois. The one I got has buds so crossing my fingers for flowers this year!