136th and Broadway

[cubanpab]

Posted: 5/27/08 at 3:35pm

is that UWS or Morningside or Harlem? Still trying figure the city out and i found a great apartment in that area on craigslist. I'd like to schedule an apointment to see it if anyone can shed some light on the area...

[JbaraFan1]

Posted: 5/27/08 at 8:32pm

I have no idea really, but maybe this'll help ...
location at Google maps

[nygrl23]

Posted: 5/27/08 at 9:39pm

Probably Harlem (or Hamilton Heights, more specifically).

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 5/27/08 at 10:20pm

Yep, Hamilton Heights, which is part of West Harlem, according to Wikipedia and Google.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton_Heights

Updated On: 5/27/08 at 10:20 PM

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 5/27/08 at 10:38pm

Hamilton Heights.

[Raspberry]

Posted: 5/27/08 at 11:29pm

It's what some call Hamilton Heights, but that's really just something you say. Hamilton Heights is just an area of Harlem, and 136th and Broadway looks just about like everywhere else in West Harlem. I think most people would just call it Harlem, and it's definitely not UWS or Morningside. I think the generally accepted cut-off for "Hamilton Heights," whatever that really means, is around 130th on the southern border. A lot of times on craigslist, they label apartments in Harlem as being "Upper West Side," "Morningside," or "Hamilton Heights," because it supposedly sounds more desirable, even if it's not accurate.

As for shedding light on the area, I have friends who live nearby, some at 132 & Riverside, some at 145 & Broadway. It's definitely not a nice neighborhood by any means, and I kinda used to be scared (actually, terrified) of being alone outside at night there. It gets really dark and quite there, and everyone is just a little crazier than they are downtown, so I perpetually felt like I was about to be mugged, although the crime rate is actually much higher in Bushwick (Brooklyn) where I'm moving in August. And to be fair, none of my friends has actually been the victim of a major crime while there. The neighborhood just gives off that vibe.

On the plus side, there are lots of all-night delis, grocers, etc., as well as nearby parks with a track where my friends would go running. It has easy access to the red, blue, and orange subways lines (less than 20 minutes to the Broadway theatres once you get on the train). Also, I don't know how long you're planning to stay, but if you wait a few years, Columbia is going to be expanding into the area. It will become more gentrified, your rent will increase, and most of the people and independent businesses that have always been there will be unable to afford it and will be forced further east or north, or into the Bronx. If you can afford to stick around, it means the neighborhood will probably become dramatically less Harlem-y and more like the rest of Manhattan over the coming decades.

If I may ask, where are are you living now? And why are you moving to the city?