The compartmentalizing of Harlem is a phenomenon that I find fascinating. It seemed that there was a time when Harlem was divided into East Harlem, affectionally called Spanish Harlem, and Central or West Harlem. With the recent explosion of real estate frenzy taking place in Harlem, the neighborhood is now being divided into segments that include Morningside Heights, SoHa, NoHa, etc.
I don’t understand the distinction between SoHa and C-Ha or why new residents want to be separated from the area extending above 125th Street, but in any event, New York Magazine has decided to highlight the features of the area now know as South Harlem.
Speaking of 125th Street, Columbia continues it’s examination of rezoning 125th Street .
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Posted in: Business/Finance, Real Estate
Michèle
March 7, 2007
just a simple question : does any of you know the proportion of white people who have settled in Harlem lately .
Justin
January 31, 2007
It should be noted the 125th Corridor Rezoning is separate from Columbia’s expansion plans.
see: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/125th/index.shtml
It also should be noted that the ‘SoHa’ redevelopment is by no accident result of a zoning change in 2003, in the areas south of 125th between ACP & Morningside. These changes are now being realized making the ‘difference’ between the two development zones (really three) of central Harlem more distinct:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/fdb/fdb1.shtml
Hugo
January 30, 2007
btw, that line should read “discontent not directed at the new residents”
Hugo
January 30, 2007
i think this post has suffered a little miscommunication.and knowing that this is now being fed into curbed i should clarify two things.there are “racists” on all sides of the coin.i suppose some of my comments could be somehow molded into a racist framework.however, i should make a couple things clear.i think no one will dispute that a significant influx of new residents in the “new harlem” has been primarily white, caucasian americans.that in of itself is not a racist action on their behalf.it should be noted that our discontent is directed at the new residents. it is directed at the machine that allowing such has inadvertently (or dare i say advertently) has caused some undesirable effects to the matrix of our community.the point is that if all of a sudden a lot of black/hispanic folks moved to say…Lake Placid, New York this would have no effect on property value or on redevelopment incentives for retail businesses (just a few examples).What’s happened in Harlem’s case is that in attracting a broader investor base it simply hitched on the surging New York trend of offering luxury housing which is a New York-as-a-whole phenomenon. This crave for luxury housing has hemorraged into our neighborhood.We’ve seen the good…quality businesses, safer streets, an increase(although this is a tricky term in terms of it definition) in affordable housing.The bad…building owners opting out of affordable housing contracts with the city in the advent of more affluent investors, retail space per sq. foot exponentially increased, and aggressive investors getting an expedited green light on some projects that don’t account for the community make-up. The point is that for those of us here it seems that the ground is shifting below us and Harlem does not seem as secure for our families as it once seemed. So that’s our concern (at least mine). I couldn’t care less if our neighborhood was a microcosm of the United Nations in our diversity. It’s the impact that it’s having. With this “gold rush” no one has really studied the longterm implications of not building the “new harlem” from the inside-out…building from the community within and empowering them to make it flourish so that we have a piece of the responsibility and share in fruits of new development. I hope this sheds a bit more light on the discussion.
ac
January 30, 2007
im not disputing what you’re saying joe. all i am saying is that if you hate black people, and are a horrible white person, you are not going to be swayed by broker speak. you will come up here, you will open your eyes, you will see lots of black people and you will go home.
the only white people buying up here are those with at least somewhat open minds.
meanawhile this article has now been linked to by curbed, and the commenters are now calling for race riots. nothing spoils and decent conversation like a curbed link. im out.
joe
January 30, 2007
Beg to differ, some folks who would never venture in Harlem now are not phased by it.
For example, a black cab driver recently drove me to Harlem, telling me that a few years ago he would never drive anyone to Harlem, now he does.
Similarly, some moneyed buyers who where once intimidated by Harlem are now looking at “the new Harlem” when they read these articles.
ac
January 30, 2007
#7 anon, im not suggesting they are by any stretch of the imagination. i was saying that other posts seemed to be implying that the spin was making all the difference and “uninterested” parties were now interested. i was pointing out that i find it very hard to believe that if someone is not interested in living in harlem because they secretly hate/fear black people that’s not going to suddenly change due to some website calling out “the new harlem”
NAT
January 30, 2007
Did you guys know that in the 1920′s through the 1930′s Harlem started at 135th street and Negroes could not shop on 125th street and if you did shop on 125 the stores did not allow you to try on articles in the store. Blumstein allowed only Women to try on hats,only if their hair was in a “Hair net”,Scarf, or “Stocking Cap”aka Doo Rag.
This is why the activity of the “Harlem Renaissance was centered around 135th Street.
Anon
January 30, 2007
ac, not all white people are racist, most likely if they have 1mil to spend, they are acomplished, educated and not likely racist.
ac
January 30, 2007
interestingly this post is about how “below” 125th is what’s being sold as acceptable, but all three new posts today on UF are all about developments ABOVE 125th. they’re all getting similar spin treatment “hamilton heights” “strivers row” etc…but when you come up here, if you have eyes, you realize you’re not on the upper west side. they can spin all they want, but it’s not like some racist group of white people is suddenly going to drop 1mil and get the moving trucks going just because some real estate agent says it’s “the new harlem”.
joe
January 30, 2007
SoHa is not colonization, racism or any other conspiracy theory, although many will argue it as some evil.
Simply put, in the new Harlem, below 125 is different to above 125, in many ways, hence the natural need differentiate South Harlem from North Harlem.
Also Harlem is a large area with respect to Manhattan neighborhoods, so again a natural need to identify North, South, East and West Harlem.
As far as SoHa NoHa CeHa etc, I think that is a bad joke that unfortunately some people fail to see the irony. Have seen it in writing but never heard anyone speak of SoHa. Like Malcom X Blvd, everyone just calls it Lenox.
As far a realtors, they will always stretch the truth about neighborhoods, square footage and anything else to sell an apt. so no surprises on that front.
Hugo
January 30, 2007
Folks, as unfair, marginalizing, and pro-gentrification as this type of advertisement on behalf of real estate firms is…it should not come by as any surprise. When faced with selling a product, instead of changing the reality of things it’s much easier to change the language and in so “create” a new reality. It is the power of words and semantics in creating a picture that is almost other worldly. The shame in all this of course is that it actually works! And you are seeing a migration of otherwise not interested parties into our neighborhood. As long as you can use language to divide people and create classes where there shouldn’t be, it only affirms the roots of racism and separatism making it that more difficult to take down. As sharp as the critique is, the solution is more difficult as this boom has become a machine with no apparent stop to it. All I can advise is to be as informed as possible and when faced with an opportunity of a forum to speak out, do so.
reefinyateef
January 30, 2007
When I was looking for apartments in Brooklyn a couple of years ago, it was the same deal. Any place that was anywhere near Park Slope – Crown Heights, Leffert Gardens, etc – were ALL listed as Park Slope.
Hell, I see places in this ‘SoHA’ area advertised as the Upper West Side at times. The kicker was seeing an apartment smack in the middle of Harlem being labeled as ‘Morningside’.
Jay Wilson
January 30, 2007
I haven’t been Uptown in a year or two, but the dividing up of the area into regions, leaves a bad taste in my mouth as I’ve seen the same thing happen in my borough, Brooklyn, specifically in Williamsburgh. Real estaters in attempts to get more White folk in have really pushed the “East Willamsburgh” bit, which is really Western Bushwick.
Reminds me of the European influence in Africa, when they created and destroyed boundaries, causing all kinds of strife.
Anonymous
January 29, 2007
“I don’t understand the distinction between SoHa and C-Ha or why new residents want to be separated from the area extending above 125th Street”.
I’ll assume you’re taking an intentional posture here as we all know what’s up. Race and class has separated communities forever. “The wrong side of the tracks’ if you will….exist in Harlem today, if you’re pushing real estate.
Labels, “branding”, ultimately boils down and equates to perceived value. If we’re going to be honest with each other, we’re going to acknowledge the reason why NONE of the real estate firms that historically never cared about Harlem and now have offices in Harlem will never say “Marcy Garvey Park” and will always say, “Mt Morris Park”.
In ’73 the park was officially renamed Marcus Garvey Park. Is it not interesting how business today has intentionally chosen to negate and disregard the official declarations of the Harlem community circa 70′s? Are we going to be honest with ourselves and explore the motivations behind this? Or are we going to put our heads in the sand and allow our history to be erased? And why and for who?
Who’s ready to get and be real? Marvin Gaye said it best right around ’73 in fact, “What’s Going On”?