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Manhattan Neighborhood Guide
Morningside Heights(Upper West Side)
Morningside Heights is a neighborhood of the Borough of Manhattan in New York City and is chiefly known as the home of institutions such as Barnard College, Columbia University, the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, the Riverside Church, and St. Luke's Hospital.
Morningside Heights is bounded by the Upper West Side to the south, Morningside Park to the east, Harlem to the north, and Riverside Park to the west. In terms of street names, the edges of the neighborhood may roughly be considered either 106th Street or 110th Street on the south, Riverside Drive on the west, 123rd Street or 125th Street on the north, and Morningside Drive or Central Park West (below 110th Street) on the east. The main thoroughfare is Broadway.
The neighborhood has also been referred to as the "Academic Acropolis," the "Acropolis of New York," "Bloomingdale Village," "South Harlem" (SoHa), and has also been thought of alternately as part of either Harlem or the Upper West Side neighborhoods.
Many may now consider Morningside Heights merely an extension of the Upper West Side, though many residents do not admit to such a lack of distinction. In the last decade, some businesses in the area have started using the name SoHa (or "South of Harlem") to refer to the neighborhood. Examples of this include Max's SoHa restaurant and the former SoHa nightclub.
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Upper West Side
The Upper West Side is a neighborhood of the borough of Manhattan in New York City that lies between Central Park and the Hudson River above West 59th Street.
Like the Upper East Side, the Upper West Side is primarily a residential and shopping area, with many of its residents working in more commercial areas in Midtown and Lower Manhattan. While these distinctions were never hard-and-fast rules, and now mean little, it has the reputation of being home to New York City's liberal cultural and artistic workers, in contrast to the Upper East Side, which is traditionally home to more conservative commercial and business types. The neighborhood is nonetheless relatively upscale with the median household income in many areas exceeding Manhattan average to a considerable extent.
The Upper West Side has been a setting for many movies and television shows because of its pre-War architecture, colorful community and rich cultural life. Ever since Edward R. Murrow went "Person-to-Person" live, the length of Central Park West in the 1950s, West Siders scarcely pause to gape at on-site trailers, and jump their skateboards over coaxial cables and it seems that one or another of the various Law & Order shows is taking up all the available parking spaces in the neighborhood. Woody Allen's film Hannah and Her Sisters captures that quintessential Upper West Side flavor of rambling high-ceilinged apartments bursting at the seams with books and other cultural artifacts.
Central Park West
Central Park West (CPW) is an avenue that runs north-south in the New York City borough (New York City) of Manhattan.
As its name indicates, CPW forms the western edge of Central Park. It also forms the eastern boundary of the Upper West Side. It runs 51 blocks from Columbus Circle (at 59th Street, or Central Park South) to Frederick Douglass Circle (at 110th Street, or Cathedral Parkway). South of Columbus Circle, in Midtown, CPW becomes Eighth Avenue. North of Frederick Douglass Circle, in Harlem, it is alternately known as Eighth Avenue or Frederick Douglass Boulevard. Unlike many Manhattan avenues, CPW has traffic running in two directions.
Central Park West is the address of many famous residences, including the Dakota (where John Lennon lived with Yoko Ono, who still resides there), the San Remo, the El Dorado, the Beresford, and the Majestic. Most of these housing cooperatives were built around 1930, replacing late 19th century hotels with the same names. Other landmarks and institutions along its length include the New-York Historical Society and the American Museum of Natural History. Lead singer of U2, Bono also has an apartment in the El Dorado. The area from 61st to 97th Streets is included in the Central Park West Historic District.
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.
Carnegie Hill
Carnegie Hill is a neighborhood within the Upper East Side, in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. Roughly speaking, it is bounded by 86th Street on the south, Third Avenue on the east, 98th Street (i.e., Spanish Harlem) on the north, and Fifth Avenue (i.e., Central Park) on the west. The neighborhood is part of Manhattan Community Board 8.
The neighborhood is named for the mansion that Andrew Carnegie built at Fifth Avenue and 91st Street in 1901. The mansion is today the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, a branch of the Smithsonian Institution.
The architecture of the neighborhood is an eclectic mix of taller residential buildings, lush mansions, townhouses, and even wood-built homes built over a nearly 200-year span. Many of the neighborhood's esteemed townhouses were actually built during the Reconstruction period, with four or five houses being cheaply laid down in row. While some of the facades of these older homes have been remodeled, there are still many identical houses running the length of the numbered streets in the area. A number of wooden houses still survive in the area.
One of New York's most prestigious and expensive neighborhoods, most of the neighborhood's opulent townhouses are protected as part of the Carnegie Hill Historic District. Many of the townhouses are single family residences, although some have been converted to apartments.
Known for its "suburban" family-friendly atmosphere, Carnegie Hill boasts many fine restaurants, upscale boutiques, and gourmet food stores. Following New York City's tradition of similar stores residing next to one another, the stretch of Madison Avenue that runs through Carnegie Hill is known for its numerous children's clothing boutiques.
Also within Carnegie Hill along Fifth Avenue is the National Academy Museum in the former Huntington mansion and the Jewish Museum in the former Warburg mansion. The El Museo del Barrio and the Museum of the City of New York are both just north of Carnegie Hill also along Fifth Avenue, and the Neue Gallerie in the former Vanderbilt mansion just to the south. Together these museums partly comprise the famed "Museum Mile".
Yorkville
Yorkville is a neighborhood within the Upper East Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City. Roughly speaking, it is bound by 59th Street on the south, the East River on the east, 96th Street (i.e., Spanish Harlem) on the north, and Third Avenue on the west. The neighborhood's main artery, East 86th Street, was sometimes called the "German Broadway." Its ZIP codes are 10021, 10028 and 10128. Yorkville is served by Manhattan Community Board 8.
Yorkville's natives value its long history. There are very few chic clubs in the area, but one holdover from earlier days, however, is Brandy's Saloon - a popular 84th Street piano bar dating from the speak-easy era of the 1920s. Brandy's is host to large crowds each year after the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade.
There is a bit of a student presence due to the Fordham Graduate Housing buildings on 81st street between York and East End. Although the Fordham Graduate Schools are located on the West Side, the University purchased the buildings on 81st street to provide a safe area for graduate students. In fact, because it is isolated from the subway, east Yorkville is quite affordable, and many young people live between 1st avenue and East End Avenue.
Upper East Side
Ever since Central Park was first opened, the Lower Upper East Side has been one of the most coveted neighborhoods in which to live. It is notable for its palatial buildings facing the park, its stretch of Museum Mile, and some of the city's better private schools. Bill Gates not withstanding, it also comprises the highest concentration of wealth in the entire United States.
A fitting spot to illustrate this density of riches is at the Grand Army Plaza in the very southeastern portion of Central Park. Here you'll find a miniature block devoted entirely to the Pulitzer Fountain, which was donated by noted publisher Joseph Pulitzer. Facing the fountain is a statue of William Tecumseh Sherman, the Civil War General made famous by his march through the South.
On the west side of the fountain is the legendary Plaza Hotel. This historical landmark has appeared in a variety of films, from North by Northwest through Home Alone 2. Luminaries who have stayed here range from the Beatles to Eloise, the children's-book character whose portrait hangs on the first floor. The Presidential Suite simply defies description.
The block east of the fountain contains the General Motors Building. Kids, however, will be more intrigued by what's housed on the first floor-F.A.O. Schwarz. If the toy is on the market, chances are you'll find it somewhere here. Be warned, however, that getting yourself to leave is a lot harder than going in!
Follow Central Park north along Park Avenue and you'll soon arrive at Temple Emanu-El on 65th Street. The Temple can seat up to 2,500 people, making it the largest Reformed Jewish synagogue in the world. The limestone building is especially noted for its outside ornamentation, which combines both Art Deco and Moorish designs.
Further up the Park Avenue lies the undisputed crown jewel of Museum Mile, the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Western Hemisphere's largest museum boasts an amazing 1+ million square feet of exhibition space. Its constantly changing exhibits range from the present day all the way to prehistoric times.
It is literally impossible to see all of the Met in one day, unless you plan on running through each room without stopping to look. One item you will want to see, however, is the Temple of Dendur. This gift of the Egyptian government dates back to Roman times, and is displayed in a room that could easily fit a house.
For those looking for more modern accoutrements, Madison Avenue is highly recommended. The area between 59th and 79th Streets is now considered Manhattan's Fashion District. Here you'll find all sorts of tiny shops and unique boutiques filled with the latest runway trends. Of particular note is the beautiful Ralph Lauren store on 72nd Street.
Although many families in this area prefer to send their children to private schools, the public schools in this district are also exemplary. P.S. 6, on Madison and 81st Street, is highly regarded for its art and computer curriculum. Despite the fact that their K through 5 students consistently score high on standardized tests, there is still plenty of room for parents looking to enroll their children.
With doormen buildings facing Central Park, exceptional schools, and some of the best high-end shopping in the city, it really is no surprise that the Lower Upper East Side is one of the New York's most coveted spots.
Midtown West
To most New Yorkers, the word 'Midtown' is synonymous with 'Work.' And, in fact, a lot of people do commute here for business during the day. But Midtown, and especially Midtown West, is packed full with more universally-known buildings then any other district in Manhattan.
Snuggled tightly in the bosom of Midtown West is the Theater District. Over 30 theaters make their home here, and the fare varies from long-running musicals to the latest highly-touted drama. No matter what kind of show you're looking to see, chances are you'll find it right by Broadway.
A recent reentry into the theater scene is 42nd Street. The 'Avenue I'm Takin' You To' had fallen onto hard times in the late '80s, with the movie theaters there either vacant or showing films that weren't exactly kid-friendly. Now many buildings have been either rebuilt or entirely renovated. And since Disney has taken an express interest in the Street, many of the new theaters will focus exclusively on children.
A mere block north of 42nd Street, where Seventh Avenue and Broadway intersect, is Times Square. This is where Manhattan is at its showiest. All around these blocks are massive billboards surrounded with tubes of neon in every imaginable color. It is here where hundreds of thousands of people gather every New Year's Eve to watch the ball drop.
If you want to catch one of the hot shows but neglected to get tickets in advance, you should plan on stopping at Duffy Square. Directly opposite Times Square, this little sliver of concrete plays host to TKTS, a discount ticket outlet. Shows that find themselves with empty seats will drop their tickets here on the day of performance, many times at a pretty hefty discount.
If you'd rather see a dance performance, a spot for discount tickets has opened up in nearby Bryant Park. While you're there, you might want to take a gander at this recently renovated marvel. Once the primary residence of drug pushers and the homeless, the park is now a favorite spot for midtowners to grab a quick bite in relative peace.
Face east while in the park and you'll see the rear of the magnificent New York Public Library. If you think the back is impressive, then you should walk around to Fifth Avenue and see the front. You'll find two large stone lions guarding the wide steps that lead up to the great bronze doors. Inside the books are spread out over 85 miles of shelves-many of them housed underneath Bryant Park itself.
On the west side of Fifth Avenue, between 48th and 51st Streets, are the buildings that comprise Rockefeller Plaza. Nineteen buildings make up the Plaza, almost all of which are connected by a series of underground passages. Also in the Plaza (at the corner of Sixth Avenue and 51st Street) is Radio City Music Hall, the world's largest indoor theater.
Stroll west from Fifth down the lovely promenade known as Channel Gardens to the Plaza's centerpiece, the gold-leaf statue of Prometheus that overlooks the Lower Plaza area. The Lower Plaza is given over to cafes during the summer, but come the winter months it is transformed into an ice skating rink. Every year around the holidays a gigantic live Christmas tree is stationed between Prometheus and the looming GE Building behind it.
Bustling with business people during the day, thriving with tourists and theatergoers at night, Midtown West is one area of Manhattan that barely pauses to rest. It is hard not to take in the lights and sounds here without feeling yourself infused with its energy.
Midtown
Midtown is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to such world-famous commercial buildings as Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, and the Empire State Building.
Midtown, along with "Uptown" and "Downtown", is one of the three major subdivisions of Manhattan. The core of Midtown Manhattan is from about 31st Street to 59th Street between Third and Ninth avenues (this is the area most commonly referred to as "Midtown.")
Midtown encompasses many neighborhoods including Hell's Kitchen and Chelsea on the West Side, and Murray Hill, Kips Bay, Turtle Bay, and Gramercy on the East Side. It is also sometimes broken into "Midtown East" and "Midtown West", and often "Midtown South."
Midtown Manhattan is indisputably the busiest single commercial district in the United States. The great majority of the city's skyscrapers, including most of its hotels and many apartment towers, lie within Midtown. More than 700,000 commuters work in its offices, hotels, and retail establishments; the area also hosts many tourists, visiting residents, and students. Some areas, especially Times Square and Fifth Avenue, have massive clusters of retail establishments.
A destination frequently visited by business people is the colossal Jacob Javits Convention Center. The five-block Center boasts an amazing 1.8 million square feet of space that can be utilized by companies to display their latest products. Unsurprisingly, there is a convention (or two) occurring in the Center every week of the year.
Because of the way the area has been randomly both preserved and developed, there is no particularly prevalent building style. If you're not certain whether you would prefer a high-rise or a brownstone, chances are you'll be able to find it in Clinton.
Midtown East
Much like Midtown West, the east side of Midtown is generally filled with business people during the day. And though this Manhattan district encompasses one of the central commuting centers, it is considerably more subdued come nightfall. Those who are looking for a less hectic version of the Midtown scene would do well to cast a careful eye at Midtown East.
Every morning, the main concourse of Grand Central Station is the first sight that out-of-town commuters glance of the city. And what a sight it is. The recently renovated, 12-story ceiling painted with the constellations of the zodiac gives the concourse an open, airy feel. For people about to head into a cramped corner office or cubicle, this may be the most personal space they'll be able to experience all day.
Since Grand Central happens to fall directly in the path of Park Avenue, the storied street has been forced to make a detour around the building. Park is elevated to the second story before it reaches 42nd, splits to go around the Station, then reconnects after first passing through the Met Life Building. This is one instance in Midtown where it's nice to have a car.
Many of Grand Central's commuters might well be heading to the nearby Chrysler Building. Like many skyscrapers in Manhattan, this Art Deco masterpiece briefly held the title of the city's tallest building. The plans for its glittering spire were kept so secret that most people didn't know of it until it was raised through the roof!
Just before 42nd Street reaches the East River, it intersects with a small thoroughfare called Tudor City Place. The eponymous apartment complex located here is notable for their large panes of stained glass. To spare their occupants the unseemly sights going on along the East River, some of these buildings were built without any windows on their east side. Those builders are probably kicking themselves now.
The most notable change between the construction of Tudor City and the present is the presence of the United Nations Headquarters. This 18-acre plot that hugs the East River is comprised of the Secretariat and General Assembly buildings, and a rose garden that practically begs to be strolled through.
From September through December, all the leaders of the free world meet in the General Assembly Building. Surprisingly, general admission tickets are made available to these open sessions the day they are scheduled to occur. You might also want to note that once you step onto the Plaza grounds, you have technically left the United States and entered the jurisdiction of the U.N. members.
A headquarters of a different sort is St. Patrick's Cathedral. Located on Fifth Avenue between 50th and 51st Streets, St. Patrick's serves as the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York. The Gothic structure also happens to be the largest Catholic Cathedral in America. If you feel you've been paying too much attention to the needs of Mammon, a half-hour here should help you find your spiritual center.
When the workday is done, Midtown East slows its hectic pace considerably. With Midtown West only blocks away, its possible to have all the nighttime excitement of the city without having to worry about it being right under where you live.
Murray Hill
Murray Hill is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan that extends south from 42nd Street to meet the neighborhood of Gramercy (or Rose Hill as the northern half of Gramercy is often referred to) at 29th Street.
Its western border is at Fifth Avenue and eastern border now extends beyond Lexington Avenue, to meet the distinct waterfront neighborhoods of Kips Bay and Tudor City at Second Avenue.
Though housing in the neighborhood is slightly cheaper than in fashionable nearby parts of Manhattan, prices for apartments here rose a great deal during the boom of the late 1990s and early 2000s--as much as 500% in a decade. The area includes 10 East 40th Street, an example of art deco architecture.
Gramercy Park
Gramercy Park is a small, fenced-in private park in the Gramercy neighborhood of the New York City borough of Manhattan. The park is accessible only to residents of certain townhouses in the area who have keys to the park, although nearby residents may buy visiting privileges today. The park is open to the public on Gramercy Day (which changes yearly, but is often the first Saturday in May) and it is one of only two remaining private parks in New York City, the other being Sunnyside Gardens Park.
Gramercy Park is located between East 20th Street and East 21st Street and between Park Avenue South and Third Avenue (although it does not take up the entire block between these two avenues). Lexington Avenue, a major north-south thoroughfare on the East Side of Manhattan, terminates at the northern end of Gramercy Park.
Chelsea
Chelsea is a neighborhood on the West Side of the New York City borough of Manhattan, USA. It is located to the south of Hell's Kitchen and the Garment District, north of Greenwich Village, and north to northeast of the Meatpacking District that centers on West 14th Street. The neighborhood is part of Manhattan Community Board 4. It is named after Chelsea in South-West London, United Kingdom.
Chelsea has recently become a melting pot of many cultures. Above 23rd Street, by the Hudson River, most of Chelsea is still industrialized, and the forgotten High Line follows the river all through Chelsea. Eighth Avenue is a center for gay culture, and from 20th to 22nd street between Ninth and Tenth avenue, historic brownstones built over a hundred years ago are still being used. From 16th Street to 27th Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues, there are more than 200 art galleries that are home to modern art from upcoming artists and established artists as well. Along with the art galleries, Chelsea is also home to the somewhat well known Graffiti Research Lab. There are many new developments in Chelsea, including a new building built by Frank Gehry. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.
West Village
The West Village is the western portion of the Greenwich Village neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, bounded by the Hudson River and Sixth Avenue, extending from 14th Street down to Houston Street. Bordering neighborhoods include Chelsea to the north, the Hudson Square section of SoHo to the south, and the core of Greenwich Village to the east.
The neighborhood is distinguished by streets that are "off the grid" — set at an angle to the other streets in Manhattan — sometimes confusing both tourists and city residents alike.
The center of the bohemian lifestyle on the West Side, with classic artist's lofts (Westbeth Artists Community) and new residential towers designed by American architect Richard Meier facing the Hudson River at 173-176 Perry Street. The Meatpacking District at the top of this neighborhood, also known as the "Gansevoort Historic District", is filled with trendy boutiques and night clubs.
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Meatpacking District
The Meatpacking District, once known as Gansevoort Market, is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It runs roughly from West 15th Street south to Gansevoort Street, and from the Hudson River east to Hudson Street.
For decades the Meatpacking District was a center for New York City's slaughter and meatpacking industry. Beginning in the early 1990s, the Meatpacking District went through a formidable transformation; today, high-end clothing stores and restaurants together with trendy bars cater to young professionals and "hipsters." This, coupled with still-active meatpacking companies in the area, contribute to the area's "gritty glam" appeal. In 2004, New York magazine called the Meatpacking District "New York’s most fashionable neighborhood".[1]
Despite these changes, vestiges of the meatpacking industry remain. Visitors to Washington Street in the early morning hours will see active meat shipments from warehouses between the boutiques and cafes.
East Village
The East Village is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. The neighborhood is bounded by 14th Street on the north, the East River on the east, Houston Street on the south, and, roughly, Broadway on the west. It lies east of Greenwich Village and NoHo, south of Stuyvesant Town, and north of the Lower East Side. The East Village includes the area known as Alphabet City (Avenues A - D).
Other than geography, the East Village's most notable commonalities with Greenwich Village are a colorful history, vibrant social and cultural outlets, and street names that often diverge from the norm. Some notable examples are the Bowery, a north-south avenue which also lends its name to the somewhat overlapping neighborhood of the Bowery; St. Mark's Place, a cross-town street well-known for counterculture businesses; and Astor Place/Cooper Square, home of the Public Theater and the Cooper Union. Nearby New York University (NYU) has dormitories in the neighborhood.
Over the last 100 years, the East Village/Lower East Side neighborhood has been considered one of the strongest contributors to American arts and culture in New York. During the great wave of immigration (Germans, Ukrainians, Polish) in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, countless families found their new homes in this area. The East Village has also been the home of cultural icons and movements from the American gangster to the Warhol Superstars, folk music to punk rock, anti-folk to hip-hop, advanced education to organized activism, experimental theater to the Beat Generation. Club 57, on St. Mark's Place, was an important incubator for performance and visual art in the late 1970s and early 1980s, followed by 8BC as, during the 1980s, the East Village art gallery scene helped to galvanize modern art in America, with such artists as Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Jeff Koons exhibiting. Though parts of this culture remain, many artists have relocated to Brooklyn in response to the rising prices and homogeneity that have followed the neighborhood's gentrification.
Lower East Side
The Lower East Side is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of New York City borough of Manhattan. It has traditionally been an immigrant, working class neighborhood, but it has undergone gentrification in recent years and is increasingly populated by young professionals, artists, and students.
While the exact eastern and southern boundaries of the neighborhood are open to debate, the Lower East Side today refers to the area of Manhattan south of East Houston Street and west of the East River.
The Lower East side is bordered in the south and west by Chinatown (which extends north to roughly Grand Street), in the west by NoLIta and in the north by East Village.
This diverse neighborhood contains many synagogues and a great variety of churches, both in terms of denomination and ethnic and linguistic makeup. In addition, there is a major Hare Krishna temple and Buddhist houses of worship.
The Bowery remains the location of the famous Bowery Mission, serving the down-and-out since 1879. Another notable landmark on the Bowery was CBGB, a nightclub that presented live music – including some of the most famous figures in rock 'n roll – from 1973 until it closed on October 15, 2006. A bit further north and east is McSorley's Old Ale House, a famous Irish bar that opened its doors in 1854.
The part of the neighborhood south of Delancey Street and west of Allen Street has in large measure become part of Chinatown, and Grand Street is one of the major business and shopping streets of Chinatown. Also contained within the neighborhood are strips of lighting and restaurant supply shops on the Bowery.
In recent years, the gentrification that was previously confined to north of Delancey Street has continued south. Several restaurants, bars and galleries have opened below Delancey Street since 2005, especially around the intersection of Broome and Orchard Streets.
Also, the Lower East Side is home to many live music venues. Up and coming alternative rock bands play at Bowery Ballroom on Delancey Street and Mercury Lounge on East Houston Street, while lesser known bands play at Tonic on Norfolk Street and Rothko on Suffolk Street. There are also bars that offer performance space, such as Pianos and the Living Room on Ludlow Street.
Little Italy/Chinatown
Little Italy is a neighborhood in lower Manhattan, New York City, once known for its large population of Italians.
Historically, Little Italy extended as far south as Bayard St, as far north as Bleecker, as far west as Lafayette, and as far east as the Bowery. As Italian-Americans left Manhattan for other boroughs and neighborhoods, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island, the neighborhood recognizable as Little Italy gradually shrank.
Large portions of the neighborhood were absorbed by Chinatown, as immigrants from China and other East Asian countries moved to the area. The northern reaches of Little Italy, near Houston Street, ceased to be recognizably Italian, and eventually became the neighborhood known today as NoLIta, an abbreviation for North of Little Italy. Today, the section of Mulberry Street between Broome and Canal Streets, lined with Italian restaurants popular with tourists, remains distinctly recognizable as Little Italy.
The Feast of San Gennaro is a large street fair, lasting 11 days that takes place every September along Mulberry Street between Houston Street and Canal Street.
The Chinatown neighborhood of Manhattan — a borough of New York City — is an ethnic enclave with a large population of Chinese immigrants, similar to other Chinatown districts in American cities.
Chinese green groceries and fish mongers are clustered around Mulberry Street, Canal Street (by Baxter Street) and all along East Broadway (especially by Catherine Street). The Chinese jewelry shop district is on Canal Street between Mott and Bowery. Due to the high savings rate among Chinese, there are many Asian and American banks in the neighborhood. Canal Street, west of Broadway (especially on the North side), is filled with Chinese street vendors selling imitation perfumes, watches, and hand-bags.
Unlike most other urban Chinatowns, Manhattan's Chinatown is both a residential area as well as commercial area. Most population estimates are in the range of 150,000 to 250,000 residents (some estimates go as high as 350,000 residents). Besides the more than 200 Chinese restaurants in the area for employment, there are still some factories. The proximity of the fashion industry has kept some garment work in the local area though most of the garment industry has moved to China.
Soho
SoHo is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is bounded roughly by Houston Street on the north, Lafayette Street on the east, Canal Street on the south, and Varick Street on the west.
The name is an acronym for South of Houston (pronounced HOUSE-tin) Street, and has no relation to the Soho district of London, England. Its name has been the model for other new neighborhood descriptions in New York City, such as TriBeCa and DUMBO. Before its incarnation as a trendy locale, it was known as the Cast Iron District.
SoHo's location, the appeal of lofts as living spaces, its architecture and, ironically, its "hip" reputation as a haven for artists all contributed to this change. The pattern of gentrification is typically known as the "SoHo Effect" and has been observed in several cities around the United States. Thirty years ago a backwater of poor artists and small factories, SoHo is now a popular tourist destination for people looking for fashionable (and expensive) clothing and exquisite architecture.
SoHo's boutiques and restaurants are clustered in the northern area of the neighborhood, along Broadway and Prince and Spring streets. SoHo is known for its eclectic mix of different boutiques for shopping, including Prada, Chanel, popular skateboard/sneakerhead stores such as Supreme and Clientele, Kid Robot, and the newly established Apple Store. In recent years, however, more mundane chain stores have crept into SoHo, such as Bloomingdale's, H&M, Victoria's Secret, and J. Crew. SoHo has become fairly commercialized. Yet, the southern part of the neighborhood, along Grand Street and Canal Street, retains some of the feel of SoHo's earlier days and is less upscale and less crowded than the northern half. There are even a few small factories that have managed to remain. Canal Street at SoHo's south boundary contrasts with the former's posh shopping district in offering cheap imitation clothing and accessories.
TriBeCa (Triangle Below Canal)
TriBeCa is a neighborhood in downtown Manhattan. The name is a syllabic abbreviation of "Triangle Below Canal Street." It runs roughly from Canal Street south to Park Place, and from the Hudson River east to Broadway. TriBeCa, once an industrial district dominated by warehouses, has undergone a major revitalization. Warehouses were converted into loft apartments and new businesses emerged, making it into a mixed zoning neighborhood.
TriBeCa is dominated by former industrial buildings that have been converted into residential buildings and lofts. Notable buildings in the neighborhoods include the Powell Building, on Hudson Street, which was designed by Carrere & Hastings and built in 1892. At 73 Worth Street there are a handsome row of neo-Renaissance White Buildings built at the end of the Civil War in 1865.
TriBeCa is now a fashionable residential neighborhood with an affluent population. Many of the streets are lined with boutique shops and high-end restaurants such as Nobu, Chanterelle and Bouley. TriBeCa is also home to the TriBeCa Film Festival. The neighborhood is a frequent filming location for movies, including the 1984 hit movie Ghostbusters, which took place in a TriBeCa firehouse.
Battery Park City
Battery Park City is a 92 acre (0.4 km²) planned community at the southwestern tip of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The land upon which it stands was created from the Hudson River using 1.2 million cubic yards (917,000 cubic meters) of dirt and rocks excavated during the construction of the World Trade Center and certain other construction projects. The neighborhood, which is the site of the World Financial Center along with numerous housing, commercial and retail buildings, is named for adjacent Battery Park.
Battery Park City is bounded on the east by West Street, which insulates the area from the Financial District of downtown Manhattan. To the west, north and south, the area is surrounded by the tidal estuary of the Hudson River.
The development consists of roughly five major sections. Traveling North to South, the first neighborhood, the "North Residential Neighborhood," consists of high-rise residential buildings, a large hotel, Stuyvesant High School and a mall (currently occupied by a movie theater, restaurants and a discount store for leather goods and accessories). Former parkland in the area is being converted into high-rise buildings.
Immediately to the South lies the World Financial Center, a complex of several commercial buildings occupied by tenants including American Express, Dow Jones & Company, Merrill Lynch and Deloitte & Touche. The World Financial Center's ground floor and portions of the second floor are occupied by a mall; its center point is a steel-and-glass atrium known as the Winter Garden. Outside of the Winter Garden lies a sizeable yacht harbor on the Hudson known as North Cove.
South of the World Financial Center lies the majority of Battery Park City's residential areas, in three sections: "Gateway Plaza", a high-rise building complex; the "Rector Place Residential Neighborhood" and the "Battery Place Residential Neighborhood", mostly low-rise building complexes. These neighborhoods contain most of the area's residential buildings, along with park space and various types of supporting businesses (supermarkets, restaurants, movie theatres.) Construction of residential buildings began north of the World Financial Center in the late 1990s.
Wall Street/South Street Seaport
Wall Street is a narrow street in lower Manhattan in New York City, running east from Broadway downhill to South Street on the East River. Considered to be the historical heart of the Financial District, it was the first permanent home of the New York Stock Exchange.
The Manhattan Financial District is one of the largest business districts in the United States, and second in New York City only to Midtown. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the corporate culture of New York was a primary center for the construction of skyscrapers (rivaled only by Chicago). The Financial District, even today, actually makes up a distinct skyline of its own, separate from but not soaring to quite the same heights as its midtown counterpart a few miles to the north.
Over the years, certain persons associated with Wall Street have become famous, even legendary. Although their reputation is usually limited to members of the stock brokerage/banking community, several have gained national and international fame. Some earned their fame for their investment strategies, financing, reporting, legal or regulatory skills, while others are remembered for their greed. One of the most iconic representations of the market prosperity is the Charging Bull sculpture, by Arturo Di Modica. Representing the bull market economy, the sculpture was originally placed in front of the New York Stock Exchange, and subsequently moved to its current location in Bowling Green.
Wall Street's architecture is generally rooted in the Gilded Age, though there are also some art deco influences in the neighborhood. Landmark buildings on Wall Street include Federal Hall, and the New York Stock Exchange at the corner of Broad Street.
The South Street Seaport is a historic area in the New York City borough of Manhattan, located where Fulton Street meets the East River, and adjacent to the Financial District. The Seaport is usually considered a historical district, distinct from the neighboring Financial District. It features some of the oldest architecture in downtown Manhattan. This includes renovated original mercantile buildings from the early 19th century, renovated sailing ships, the former Fulton Fish Market, and modern tourist malls featuring food, shopping and nightlife, with a view of Brooklyn Bridge.
Almost all buildings and the entire Seaport neighborhood are meant to transport the visitor back in time to New York's mid-1800's, to demonstrate what life in the commercial maritime trade was like. Docked at the Seaport are a few historical sailing vessels, including the Flying P-Liner, Peking and museum ships. A section of nearby Fulton Street is preserved as cobblestone and lined with shops, bars, and restaurants.
The Seaport itself now operates primarily as a mall and tourism center. Built on Pier 17 on the East River, visitors are offered shops and a food court. Decks outside allow views of the East River, Brooklyn Bridge and Brooklyn Heights.
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