Halstead Property

Michael A. Goldenberg
Executive Director of Sales, Westside
mgoldenberg@halstead.com
(212) 381-2203

Southwest Harlem

City Living

By Patrick Verel


The revival of Harlem is well known. But the area of Manhattan that was once the Dutch village of Nieuw Haarlem is a vast one, stretching from the Hudson River to the East Side.

Of all the parts of Harlem, few are feeling the winds of change as much Southwest Harlem, the section hemmed in by Marcus Garvey Park, Morningside Park and Central Park. Hamilton Heights may have Strivers Row and Sugar Hill can claim Duke Ellington, but the blocks surrounding the lower part of the expansive Lenox Avenue are chock-full of the stylish brownstone buildings and leafy, quiet streets that first made the area a world-class destination in the 1920s.

Nancy Cabrera, vice president at Prudential Douglas Elliman, counts herself as one of the newcomers to the area, having moved here four years ago.

"There's a diversity of people in the area, and it's quite lovely. The buildings are low; they're just starting to build buildings that are high," she said. "A block off the 125th street, it's very residential. There are all these lovely brownstones, and it's not congested."

In what has turned out to be a nice surprise, her commute in now actually easier. She notes that she has a shorter ride on the express train from 125th Street to midtown than she did when she commuted from West 103rd Street.

That's exactly what Michael Goldenberg, head of sales for Halstead Property, LLC' Harlem office, said has Harlem on the rebound. Easy access to parks, lots of transportation, ample housing, and cultural touchstones like the Apollo Theater, the Lenox Lounge, the Abyssinian Baptist Church and Sylvia's restaurant continue to draw newcomers to the area, just as they first did when elevated trains connected New York to the town of Harlem in 1880.

"If you put the positives of Harlem up against the Upper East Side or the Upper West Side, you see the same positives; it's just now people are looking at it," he said. "We saw it in Alphabet City, we saw it in Chelsea, and we see it in any neighborhood that has had a rebirth."

The Basics

Find it
The area we reviewed is bordered by 125th Street to the north, Fifth Avenue to the east, Central Park to the south and Morningside Park to the west.

Transportation
Subway: 2, 3, 125th St., 116th Street, 110th Street-Central Park North; A, C, B, D, 125th Street; B, C, 116th Street, Cathedral Parkway

Bus: M1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 60, 100, 101, 102, 116, BX 15

Crime
The 28th Precinct has had no murders, one rape and 60 robberies this year, compared to four murders, six rapes and 62 robberies at this time last year. It had a total of 12 murders, 18 rapes and 301 robberies last year.

Schools
Future Leaders Institute Charter School, 134 W. 122nd St.; Sisulu Children's Academy/Harlem Public Charter School, 125 W. 115th St.; P.S. 149, 41 W. 117th St.; P.S. 180, 370 W. 120th St.; P.S. 208, 21 W. 111th St.; P.S. 241, 240 W. 113th St.; P.S. 242, 134 W. 122nd St.; P.S. 76, 220 W. 121st St.; I.S./H.S. 415, 215 W. 114th St.; M.S. 860, 215 W. 114th St.

Post Offices
Morningside Station, 232 W. 116th St.; Manhattanville, 365 W. 125th St.

Banks
Bank of America, 106 W. 117th St., 215 W. 125th St.; Chase, 322 W. 125th St., 55 W. 125th St.; Citibank, 201 W. 125th St.; Commerce Bank, 300 W. 125th St.; Wachovia, 143 Lenox Ave.; Washington Mutual, 2129 Frederick Douglass Blvd., 105 W. 125th St.

Real Estate
Looking to pick up a really cheap brownstone in Harlem? Invent a time machine and go back 10 years. Especially on the fringes of the Mount Morris Park Historic District near Marcus Garvey Park, existing brownstones have been snapped up and are being renovated, and empty lots are sprouting new luxury units like weeds.

"For town houses, I'd say it's tough to even touch a shell for less than $1.5 million to $1.75 million," said Michael Goldenberg, executive director of sales at Halstead Property. "Bare minimum, I'd say it'll cost $700 to $750 a square foot to purchase an apartment, and maybe $1,200 to $1,330 a square foot down by the park."

Surveying the market from Halstead's recently opened office on Lenox Avenue and West 119th Street, Goldenberg noted that percentage-wise, there are probably more brand new listings in the area than many parts of the city.

"Much of the product that's available is new, whether it's restoration, renovation or built from the ground up," he noted.

Nancy Cabrera, vice president at Prudential Douglas Elliman, said rentals in the area average $1,200 a month for a studio, $1,400 for a one-bedroom and $1,800 to $2,400 a month for a two-bedroom. Because the market is in such flux, she noted that a two-bedroom HDFC apartment might sell for $300,000, even though an apartment a block away will go for a million. Even within those luxury buildings, there are exceptions.

"One of the newer developments is on 118th Street, and those two- to three-bedroom apartments will be $800,000, but two or three of them will be available for a lottery for $300,000," she said. The $450,800 starting price for a one-bedroom at the brand new Casa Loma on West 116th Street between Adam Clayton Powell and Frederick Douglass boulevards is a good barometer.

"There's this idea that people have been displaced, but where I see the new developments -- it was a vacant lot, it was where it was either empty or dilapidated," she said. "I don't see a lot of people getting pushed out."

To Buy
A 396-square-foot, one-bedroom apartment on West 115th Street between Frederick Douglass Band Adam Clayton Powell Boulevards: $282,500
A 539-square-foot, one-bedroom condo on Cathedral Parkway between West 110th Street and Central Park West: $449,000
A 1,286-square-foot, one-bedroom, two-bathroom condo on St. Nicholas Avenue between West 122nd and West 123rd streets: $674,048
An 800-square-foot two-bedroom, one-bathroom co-op on Lenox Avenue between West 116th and West 117th streets: $325,000
A 1,055-square-foot two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo on West 111th Street between Lenox Avenue and Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard: $763,000
-A 3,946-square-foot three-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom condo on Fifth Avenue between West 115th and West 116th streets: $1.435 million
-A 1,419-square-foot three-bedroom, two-bathroom condo on West 110th St between Lenox Avenue and Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard: $1.19 million

To Rent
A studio on West 119th Street between St. Nicholas Avenue and Frederick Douglass Boulevard: $1,258 a month
An 800-square-foot one-bedroom apartment on West 110th Street between Lenox Avenue and Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard: $1,900 a month
A 1,000-square-foot, one-bedroom apartment on West 125th Street between Fifth and Lenox avenues: $1,840 a month
A one-bedroom apartment on West 119th Street between Lenox Avenue and Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard: $1,250 a month
A 1,300-square-foot, two-bedroom apartment on Lenox Avenue between West 122nd and West 123rd streets: $2,200 a month
A 968-square-foot, two-bedroom apartment on West 116th Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard: $2,700 a month
A 1,028-square-foot, two-bedroom apartment on St. Nicholas Avenue between West 119th and West 120th streets: $2,172 a month
A two-bedroom apartment on West 119th Street between St. Nicholas Avenue and Frederick Douglass Boulevard: $2,850 a month

To Eat
Settepani Bakery
The name means "seven breads," and in addition to freshly made Casareccio, focaccia and Pullman breads, this cafe serves up a staggering array of cakes, mousses, pies, tarts, cookies, biscotti and pastries. 196 Lenox Ave., 917-492-4806

Africa Kine
The top three floors of it new digs (they moved across the street in 2005) may still be boarded up and seemingly abandoned, but don't be deceived: The two-level restaurant in the heart of Little Senegal is a terrific place to sample Thiebu Djeun, a dish of spiced rice, root vegetables and fish with garlic, with or without tomato sauce. 256 W. 116th St., 212-666-9400

Sea & Sea
For $4.50, you get a giant fried flounder filet sandwich, or bring your silver bowl with vegetables, crab, shrimp, lobster or fish up to the counter to have it steamed right there. 60-62 W. 116th St., 212-828-0851

Zoma
It's a sparse, mod decor of simple blacks and whites, there's space aplenty at the bar, and the Ethiopian dishes are similarly dressed up. Vegetarian dishes abound, such as Shiro Wett, a dish of chickpeas, lentils and peas roasted, powdered and cooked in berbere sauce that the owners tout as Ethiopian comfort food. 2084 Frederick Douglass Blvd., 212-662-0620

Uptown Renaissance Diner
Husband and wife team Rene and Claudia Calliste opened their 24-hour-a-day operation in 2004 and have staked out a spot on Harlem's restaurant row with all-halal meat offerings and nary a bit of pork to be found. 108 W. 116th St., 212-280-2224

Make My Cake
Baking was "Ma Smith's" hobby; now it's a full-time endeavor, with her daughter and grandchildren contributing to the operations of this 30-seat flatiron-style building. Golden butter, carrot, red velvet and moist chocolate form the basic building blocks of their creations, and buttercream, chocolate, rolled fondant, rolled butter cream, white chocolate and cream cheese cover the frosting selections. Don't even get us started on the fillings. 121 St. Nicholas Ave., 212-932-0833

Amy Ruth's
Along with Sylvia's, this is perhaps the best-known soul food restaurant in Harlem. Be prepared to wait for a spot in either the main dining room or upstairs in the more expansive backroom. The payoff? Ordering an "Al Sharpton" (chicken, fried or smothered, with waffles), an Afrika Bambaataa (fried whiting) or okra, cheesy grits, banana pudding or sweet tea that are the staples of dining rooms down south. 113 W. 116th St., 212-280-2779

To Play
Apollo Theater
As well-known a symbol as any in Harlem, and the host for mourners paying their respects to the recently deceased James Brown, the Apollo Theater launched the careers of more African American entertainers than any other venue in the country. The irony is it started as a whites-only theater in 1914, but rose to prominence thanks to an amateur showcase whose earliest winners included Ella Fitzgerald. Stop by Wednesday nights at 7:30 p.m. when Amateur Night is still held, and you might see the next Lauryn Hill, Sarah Vaughn or Luther Vandross, all Apollo alumni. 253 W 125th St, 212-531-5300

Paris Blues
Even though it takes its name from one of his songs, you're unlikely to find Branford Marsalis bellying up for a pint at this quaint dive. Even so, the picket fence out front and wood paneling on the outside lend a certain village-y feeling, back when Harlem was an actual village. 2001 Adam Clayton Blvd., 212-864-9110

Society Coffee Lounge
In some parts of Harlem, waffles are served with fried chicken. At Society, white chocolate coconut and peach cobbler waffles have been paired with Rasta Blend coffee (a blend of Jamaican Blue Mountain and Ethiopian Sidamo) since it opened in late 2005. An exposed brick wall does double duty as a gallery for revolving art exhibits, and beer and wine are available for those looking for more of a kick. 2104 Frederick Douglass Blvd., 212-222-3323

Lenox Lounge
You walk in the footsteps of Billie Holiday, John Coltrane and Miles Davis when you set foot in this historic jazz club. Though it fell into a bit of disrepair, a complete renovation in 1999 restored some glitz to the venue, which first opened in 1939. Nowadays, the lure is both the lovingly refinished art deco interior and the daily jazz bookings. 288 Lenox Ave., 212-427-0253

Uptown at Minton's
The club formerly known as Milton's Playhouse was instrumental in the development of bebop as musicians such as Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk and Dizzy Gillespie, who sat in on jam sessions held in the 1940s. It took a nosedive and closed in 1974 after a brief foray into disco, but reopened last May after a 30-year hiatus. Saxophonist Eli Fountain (who brought us the riff on Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On") presides on Sunday nights. 208 W. 118th St., 212-864-8346

To Shop
Harlem USA
Given the hustle and bustle of stores on 125th Street, it's hard to imagine how this 285,000-square-foot mall, which is paired with the nine-screen Magic Johnson movie theater, was such a revelation when it opened in 2000. And although it's easy to sneer at chain stores tenants like Old Navy, Modell's and Chuck E. Cheese's, the mall has some local flavor too, such as Hue-Man Bookstore, which recently hosted Congressman Charles Rangel and will feature Russell Simmons on April 25. 300 W. 125th St., 212-864-0144

Atmos
So here's a completely unsurprising consequence of the changing face of Harlem: A hip sneaker maker known for collaborating with Nike decides to expand from Harajuku, Japan, to New York, and picks 125th Street as its outpost. Sneaker fetishists, you have another temple to visit. 203 W. 125th St., 212-666-2242

Little Senegal
West 116th Street between Frederick Douglass and Adam Clayton Powell boulevards is the heart of Little Senegal, and is chock-full of mom-and-pop stores hawking CDs, incense, clothes, Arabic lessons, perfume, posters, books, tracts and I "heart" Allah bumper stickers.

Malcolm Shabazz Harlem Market
Four big tents, an eye-catching sign, and a plethora of independent merchants from Senegal, the Ivory Coast, Haiti and the Dominican Republic hawk African crafts, clothing, jewelry, crafts, furniture and gifts. West 116th Street between Fifth Avenue and Malcolm X Boulevard, 212-987-8131

To See
Studio Museum Harlem
African-American art gets its due at this outpost across the street from the imposing Adam Clayton Powell Federal Building. Current exhibits include "Harlem Postcards" and "Henry Taylor: Sis and Bra," a display of paintings by Taylor, an Oxford, Calif.-based painter who uses portraiture to explore economic and racial disparities in the United States. 144 W. 125th St., 212-864-4500

Harlem Meer
The city's Dutch roots reveal themselves in the 11-acre artificial lake (or meer, as those from Amsterdam would say) at the very top of Central Park. Catch-and-release fishing equipment can be procured at the end of Lenox Avenue, where the Warrior' Gate opens up to a meandering waterway overseen by the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center. Central Park near Lenox and Fifth avenues, 212-860-1370

Hip Hop Cultural Center
Jazz came first, but rap music has undoubtedly had as great an impact on American culture, and as anyone can tell you, it started in New York. Among other things, the center has 1,000 original promotional flyers and 70 hours of recordings from the first hip-hop parties 25 years ago, as well as demonstrations by Doug E. Fresh and Grand Wizard Theodore on beatbox and needle scratch, respectively. 2309 Frederick Douglass Blvd., second floor, 212-234-7171

The Buzz
You'd be hard-pressed to keep track of the number of new developments in Harlem on two hands, but for its location, the new building at 111 Central Park North is especially hard to miss. Central Park's northern border has a long way to go before it's as regal as Central Park South, but this still under construction 19-story condo tower is a suitable opening shot. Near the Martin Luther King Jr. Houses, the glass-sheathed building will feature 48 luxury apartments, each with views of the park, and many with terraces. Harlemites needn't even guess at how much it'll cost to live amid the 41-car garage and 9,000 square feet of retail space when it opens in the fall; signs advertise two- to four-bedroom condos starting at $1.5 million.

Q&A
Neal Shoemaker has lived in Harlem his whole life: first on West 125th Street near the Apollo Theater, then in the Martin Luther King Jr. Houses. He started Harlem Heritage Tours in 1988 and is a member of the Harlem Grassroots Cultural Collective.

What do you like best about Harlem?
It's all of these great people who have come from here and gone on to do amazing things, and have lived in the same building where my father and my mother and my friends lived. If Sammy Davis Jr. grew up in the same building as my dad, and he experienced so much racism but still hung out with the rat pack, you know, he was the candy man. If he ran up and down those same staircases, and did all that he did, I can do it, too. I've learned I can change people's perceptions of Harlem, and once you change the perception of the area, you can change the perception of the people who live here.

How has it changed over the years?
Every since I've been a baby, I heard about how the new Harlem is a-comin'. My teachers used to say you better shape up because if you don't get an education, the new Harlem won't be the same, and you won't be able to see it. I remember seeing these square boxes with an X on them and the letters "HPD"[Department of Housing Preservation and Development]. Who knew these buildings would be renovated and then sold for millions of dollars? But I started to see them change about 10 years ago. As little as five years ago, you'd see the construction crews, and now there are streets you'd walk down, and if you'd been gone for a while, you wouldn't even recognize it.

Where are the best places to eat?
It's funny; it's hard to pick five. Sylvia's and Amy Ruth's are very well known soul food eateries, and then there's Manna's. The Uptown Renaissance Diner has really good food too, and Mobay has great Caribbean.

What would you change if you could?
One of the problems is the people who live here aren't unified, and that's the best thing to fight against gentrification. The Harlem Grassroots Cultural Collective represents Harlem people who want to use collective our resources politically and culturally to answer the gentrification. If we're separate, we're weak and easy to prey on by those who want to prey on the Harlem Renaissance. I want to welcome everyone but I want to inspire everyone to think we have a chance. When you see a building going for $3.4 million, and you have $25 in your pocket, where's the hope?

What's one hidden gem?
The New Amsterdam Music Association. When you think about the days of the Harlem Renaissance, in the '20s, you had the big clubs like the Cotton Club. But you also had these speakeasies in the basement of brownstones and you'd have these parties that would go on all through the night, including rent parties, where people would have parties to raise money to pay the rent. You'd have these big musicians like Duke Ellington or a Willie "The Lion" Smith come over from the big club and rock the house all night long, and when the landlord came by in the morning, they'd have the rent. NAMA is the kind of place where if you go in, it's like 80 years ago and if we lost that, it'd be horrendous. 

Copyright 2007 Newsday Inc.

Thursday, April 12, 2007