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Hmm, I've been on the fence about Hamilton Heights (outside of Riverside Dr, but I'd much rather be along the A, B, C, D lines at 145th). I was down in Harlem on 125th, and it doesn't seem like it's changed much in the last 3-4 years aside from the area nearing the Metro North station 'feeling' worse.
In a way, the only true way for me to get a sense of the area is to walk around, but I figure I ask. Given it's likeliness to explode in improvement, do you think it's truly worth it to consider Hamilton Heights (likely between Amsterdam and St Nicholas around the 145th st station) given I'm pretty fine with Washington Heights? I can't do anything until July, but I figure I scout around out of sheer interest.
Amsterdam on the one hand and St. Nicholas on the other are two very different areas.
St. Nicholas is the 'hood. I know people disagree - which is fine.
St. Nicholas may indeed change but not in the near future.
Because they cannot afford anything else. Hope they are at least paying their legal rents - I doubt they are.
How long do they stay is the question. It would certainly help if they did.
The ones I know could easily afford something downtown, but got tired of paying $3k per month for a shoebox with a mini fridge, when they could pay $2k or less for a gut renovated 2 bedroom a block from the express train uptown.
They are all paying legal market rent.
The ones I know have been there a few years now and have no plans on leaving.
St Nicholas along most of it's duration does feel kinda hood, and if not, there's other QoL issues involved (very loud along 179-185 where my friends have lived). My friend whom was born and raised near St Nicholas and 185th says the area's gotten worse as of late, but that's besides the point.
I'm thinking more the cross streets in between and Covenant Ave, though it rarely seems like Covenant Ave has anything available unless I look to buy, and even then the inventory is low.
My husband and I (we are a newly married gay couple, woot woot!) have friends who live in Hamilton Heights and love it, but we still haven't had a chance to check out the neighborhood for ourselves. We'll be moving back to the city from Seattle (where we've lived for three years), and I gotta say that my memories of other parts of Harlem aren't the best.
The apartment is everything we want and in the right price -- which is almost a red flag for me in Manhattan.
We don't need everything outside our door, don't spend a lot of time outside at night and like that there are a few nice parks nearby. We're mainly concerned with anti-gay animus and violent crime.
Can any of you speak to that around this specific block ahead of my viewing there on Sunday afternoon?
Thanks!
There are plenty of openly Gay people in Hamilton Heights, always have been. People will respect your relationship. There is one aspect that no one has mentioned yet. That you won't see Gay people being openly affectionate. It is still not area where that is accepted. I know some will tell you they have seen that and maybe they have at one of the newer spots that one poster is letting us know opened. But the couple would have to be inside one of these spots, where it is a mostly White crowd. Not out on the street. You may see a very young Lesbian couple every now and then. But even they get stared down by the men, young, old and in between.
I have one friend that is transgender and she doesn't feel safe waiting for the train downstairs at the 145th A train stop. She waits upstairs sitting on the benches. The police station is there. Her elderly mother lives in her brownstone in another apt and she waits for her outside to come home from work. She is always concerned if she is a little late. She is born and raised there and went to school with a lot of the natives so they know her from child hood and won't bother her. However others, especially some men from the Caribbean (Spanish, French and English speaking) and Africa will. I'm not saying all, but there are some, they usually came here as adults with set ideas in mind.
I have another friend that is gay but masculine and likes to wear some outrages fashions. But he is born and raised in Hamilton Heights and he can kick a** like it too, and everybody knows it. So they don't bother him.
However neither one of these people have ever walked around the area with a significant other.
The other openly gay couple I know in the area, also hardly ever walk around together and if they are out in front of the brownstone they live in, they don't have public displays of affection. Both men are from Spanish speaking countries, and grew up rough in their respective countries, and know how to handle themselves, and can take of themselves if they need too. So no one bothers them either of them.
You and your husband will have to know if you can deal with walking down the street and not hold hands, or if you do, that you may have to be able to handle a fight if necessary. It's still like that around there.
You and your husband will have to know if you can deal with walking down the street and not hold hands, or if you do, that you may have to be able to handle a fight if necessary. It's still like that around there.
I suspected this but did not feel certain enough to say it.
I also agree with the above. Although I have seen gay couples openly holding hands in HH, you don't see it often. I wouldn't be to in your face about it on the streets.
But as long as you don't start sucking face on the corner of 145th Street, I think you'll be fine.
I also agree with the above. Although I have seen gay couples openly holding hands in HH, you don't see it often. I wouldn't be to in your face about it on the streets.
But as long as you don't start sucking face on the corner of 145th Street, I think you'll be fine.
Some people can live with that, some can't. Some want to be free in their own neighborhood to live and let live. Black and Latino neighborhoods for the most part accept their Gays but don't want to deal with it out in the open. There is still a lot of hypocrisy going on. If you are Gay you do have to be able to deal with this in these neighborhoods.
Some White men in general are not comfortable and it shows. Some will only walk down the street hugged up on a woman for protection. They feel if they are constantly hugging and kissing a woman no one will bother them. They hardly ever walk around by themselves.
Women are usually comfortable and go all over the place by themselves.
People have to consider all of these factors when choosing a neighborhood.
Hmm, I've been on the fence about Hamilton Heights (outside of Riverside Dr, but I'd much rather be along the A, B, C, D lines at 145th). I was down in Harlem on 125th, and it doesn't seem like it's changed much in the last 3-4 years aside from the area nearing the Metro North station 'feeling' worse.
In a way, the only true way for me to get a sense of the area is to walk around, but I figure I ask. Given it's likeliness to explode in improvement, do you think it's truly worth it to consider Hamilton Heights (likely between Amsterdam and St Nicholas around the 145th st station) given I'm pretty fine with Washington Heights? I can't do anything until July, but I figure I scout around out of sheer interest.
You should take time out and walk around Hamilton Heights/Sugar Hill with borders being Bradhurst Avenue on the east, 140th Street to the south, 150th street to the north, and Riverside drive to the west. Focus especially on Broadway between 145-150 streets and also look at residential on Convent Avenue and the streets spilling off of there from 140-150....it's a really solid, surprisingly quiet, pretty safe and kid/gay/family friendly neighborhood.
It's night and day from The metro north station you are referring to on the east side. The East part of Harlem is the worst in Manhattan, in my opinion. Although, given a bit more time and years, this too will totally gentrify....
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