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You haven't been to Harlem, your descriptions are way off the mark in every thread, but yet you keep posting as if you know what you are stating is true.
I don't want a lot of people moving to Harlem and crowding up the trains in the morning before they get to my stop. I feel a little like I did as child when my cousins would come and visit, and I had to let them play with my toys, they all became my favorites, that is how I feel when I see the newcomers discovering the quiet blocks, and nice parks in Harlem.
But even so, I welcome the new brownstone owners that renovated the 3 abandoned ones on the block, where my family and others have been holding down the fort for years. I like that one is a White police officer, and another is young Black attorney couple, and another is an immigrant extended Polish family, and yet another extended Latin family. My family and the others now feel that all there hard work over years is now bearing fruit.
Because of this I give a real description of Harlem, I'll advise on what areas to avoid. I also take into consideration who is asking. Because some places may not be good for certain people and ok for others.
I applaud other posters that didn't listen to all the bad press about the Bronx and staked their claim to coops, houses, condos and are making the Boro a better place. As one poster already informed us teachers are investing again in the south Bronx as a place to actually live in.
There are others giving good advice about Brooklyn and Queens as well.
There is no need to bash an area that unfamiliar to you. However maybe it is good that some people think Harlem still looks like it did in a Shaft movie.
Generally speaking, west of Broadway is better in Washington Heights, beginning around Columbia Presbyterian. Some blocks and buildings that are far west are very nice. The problem comes into play with particular blocks that are not as nice, though the area is not easily painted with a broad brush; rather, it's a complex arrangement of sub-neighborhoods, since there are blocks near Yeshiva that are also not bad, precisely because of the university's presence.
The only issue that can come into play when you find a nice building/block in Washington Heights is regarding neighborhood services and transportation. Some commercial stretches are not as nice, and/or don't have the same mix of stores that you might find in other areas of the city, such as convenient 24-hour drug stores/markets (not bodegas), etc. And, some blocks are dead-ended because as they do not go through to Riverside Drive, which can mean a longer car trip, if you take a cab/car service or drive.
Your instincts are correct that even in a decent area of Washington Heights, do not enter a park at night, and do not take a short cut through a building courtyard, since it's safer to stick with the busier streets. You might get a friend or two to go with you and take a trip up there at night, just to see if it looks the same to you as it does during the day.
One way to gauge the area in parts of Washington Heights, and Inwood, is by the number of co-ops in the immediate vicinity. Owner-shareholders tend to look after their buildings and are quite vocal with regard to quality of life issues, such as graffiti, dirty streets, etc. What may be tolerated on a street of renters, with some run-down buildings, and absentee landlords is much less likely to be tolerated by active co-op/neighborhood associations. Riverside Drive is generally nice, well into Washington Heights, and one reason for that is the co-ops.
There are some nicely renovated/restored buildings in Washington Heights that have quality features, like the high ceilings, cross-ventilation, views, and generous room sizes. The majority of the older buildings were built as quality residential housing, and when the neighborhood went through phases of decay, the character of the area did change, but there have been many positive changes in areas of Washington Heights, such that there are decent places to live again.
Astoria tends to be a different character of neighborhood entirely, where the majority of the area is stable and convenient. While you may have to look with a discerning eye in Washington Heights than Astoria, much depends upon the immediate neighborhood to determine whether or not it is a good fit for you.
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All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
You haven't been to Harlem, your descriptions are way off the mark in every thread, but yet you keep posting as if you know what you are stating is true.
I don't want a lot of people moving to Harlem and crowding up the trains in the morning before they get to my stop. I feel a little like I did as child when my cousins would come and visit, and I had to let them play with my toys, they all became my favorites, that is how I feel when I see the newcomers discovering the quiet blocks, and nice parks in Harlem.
But even so, I welcome the new brownstone owners that renovated the 3 abandoned ones on the block, where my family and others have been holding down the fort for years. I like that one is a White police officer, and another is young Black attorney couple, and another is an immigrant extended Polish family, and yet another extended Latin family. My family and the others now feel that all there hard work over years is now bearing fruit.
Because of this I give a real description of Harlem, I'll advise on what areas to avoid. I also take into consideration who is asking. Because some places may not be good for certain people and ok for others.
I applaud other posters that didn't listen to all the bad press about the Bronx and staked their claim to coops, houses, condos and are making the Boro a better place. As one poster already informed us teachers are investing again in the south Bronx as a place to actually live in.
There are others giving good advice about Brooklyn and Queens as well.
There is no need to bash an area that unfamiliar to you. However maybe it is good that some people think Harlem still looks like it did in a Shaft movie.
First Harlem does not look like it did back in the day. No one said it did.
Second, Harlem is spotty IMO but still, overall Harlem is still not a good area despite the gentrification. Just because you see a women jogging with her dog does not mean that it is now good. Lastly, how am I way off the mark? I say Harlem is not a good neighborhood and I'm way off the mark? Harlem is not a good neighborhood and its true. Washington Heights, I don't know as much, but from what I've seen it doesn't look as bad, I've walked on 181st at 1 in the morning and it seemed pretty tame. Harlem did not see as tame or safe when I walked there at night, it was pretty sketchy.
If you've ever been to Harlem, you would know that this isn't true. Some of the most beautiful blocks in Manhattan are in Harlem.
It is very clear that you have never been to Harlem. And you think it's an awful place. That is fine. But you should not post your rants as though they are true. When they are not.
First Harlem does not look like it did back in the day. No one said it did.
Second, Harlem is spotty IMO but still, overall Harlem is still not a good area despite the gentrification. Just because you see a women jogging with her dog does not mean that it is now good. Lastly, how am I way off the mark? I say Harlem is not a good neighborhood and I'm way off the mark? Harlem is not a good neighborhood and its true. Washington Heights, I don't know as much, but from what I've seen it doesn't look as bad, I've walked on 181st at 1 in the morning and it seemed pretty tame. Harlem did not see as tame or safe when I walked there at night, it was pretty sketchy.
The women jogging with their dogs would not have occurred 15 years ago in Harlem, so yes gentrification has changed things. 15 Years ago when the 1st hipsters starting arriving, I have to admit the women were a lot braver than the men. They would walk the streets by themselves. The men only came outside with the women, and would hug the women real tight, and act like they were so in love, just to keep from showing fear. You would never see the men by themselves in the streets. But now they walk around just fine. Even carrying their musical instruments, and camera equipment. Even openly gay men have no problems.
You are stating Harlem is spotty this true for most of Manhattan above 96th St and below 59th St, and even those areas contain some projects, and subsidized housing.
Some blocks on 181st St are nice, same goes for Harlem. If you really walked through the entire Harlem you would know which ones these are.
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