East Harlem

Spanish Harlem, also known as El Barrio, is a neighborhood in the East Harlem area of New York City, in the north-eastern part of the borough of Manhattan. Spanish Harlem is one of the largest predominantly Latino communities in New York City. It was formerly known as Italian Harlem, and still harbors a small Italian American population. However, since the 1950s it has been dominated by residents of Puerto Rican descent, sometimes called Nuyoricans. Spanish Harlem extends from East 96th Street to East 125th Street and is bound by the Upper East Side, East River and the Metro-North Railroad tracks along Park Avenue. The general area of East Harlem stretches from the East River to Fifth Avenue and from 96th Street to 141st Street. Both Spanish Harlem and East Harlem fall within Manhattan Community Board 11. The primary business hub of Spanish Harlem has historically been 116th Street from 5th Avenue headed east to its termination at the FDR Drive. With the growth of the Latino population, the neighborhood is expanding. It is also home to one of the few major televisions studios north of midtown, Metropolis (106th St. and Park Ave.), where shows like BET's 106 & Park and The Chappelle Show have been produced. The major medical care provider to both East Harlem and the Upper East Side is the Mount Sinai Hospital, which has long provided tertiary care to the residents of Harlem. Many famous artists have lived and worked in Spanish Harlem, including the renowned timbalero Tito Puente (110th Street was renamed “Tito Puente Way”), Jazz legend Ray Barretto and one of Puerto Rico’s most famous poets, Julia de Burgos among others Influential social establishments like CAMARADAS el barrio and La Fonda Boricua have become social and cultural beacons supporting the growing community and cultural preservation efforts in Spanish Harlem. El Museo del Barrio, a museum of Latin American and Caribbean art and culture is located on nearby Museum Mile and endeavors to serve some of the cultural needs of the neighboring community. There is a diverse collection of religious institutions within the confines of East Harlem: from mosques, a Greek Orthodox monastery, several Roman Catholic churches, including Holy Rosary Parish-East Harlem, and a traditional Russian Orthodox Church. Despite the moniker of "Spanish Harlem" or "El Barrio," the region is now home to a new influx of immigrants from around the world. Yemeni merchants, for example, work in bodegas alongside immigrants from the Dominican Republic. Italians live and prosper next to the influx of Central and South American immigrant populations. Other businessmen and local neighbors can be Korean, Chinese or Haitian in origin. The rising price of living in Manhattan has also caused increasing numbers of young urban professional, mainly Caucasians, to move in and take advantage of the inexpensive rents, relative to the adjacent neighborhoods of Yorkville and the Upper East Side.