All of Manhattan above 155th Street was once considered to be Washington Heights, but real-estate brokers have carved out some new neighborhoods over the years, including Hudson Heights and Fort George. Today, the northern boundary of Washington Heights is largely considered to be at 181st Street.
Northern Manhattan was one of the last areas of the island to be developed. Wealthy New Yorkers built homes there in the 19th century, and, following the extension of the subway north to 157th Street in Washington Heights in the early 20th century, a boom in construction of tenements and multifamily housing took place.
Today, those prewar buildings with decorative facades still dominate the neighborhood's streets. Despite the distance from Midtown Manhattan, the express A train allows a relatively fast commute, and the George Washington Bridge and its bus terminal make for a quick trip to Northern New Jersey. Though new development in the area is scarce, Washington Heights, also known as WaHi, continues to attract new residents with relatively low prices for more space.
The median sales price of one-bedroom condos and co-ops in Washington Heights in the third quarter was $309,000, according to real-estate appraisal and consulting company Miller Samuel Inc. For all of Manhattan, the median sales price on one-bedrooms was $610,000 during the same period.
The neighborhood has hosted a variety of immigrant groups since the late 19th century, including Armenians, Irish, Germans and Greeks.
By the 1980s, waves of immigrants from Latin America, including Ecuador and the Dominican Republic, moved in, giving it the distinctly Latin flavor that it still has today. Medical professionals who work at Columbia University Medical Center at the neighborhood's heart also have settled in the area, local agents say.
Among the newer developments in the area is Heights 163 on West 163rd Street between Amsterdam and Edgecombe avenues. It features five full-floor units, each with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, as well as terraces and keyed elevator entry, according to StreetEasy.com.
The homes also include hardwood floors and private laundry rooms, and the building has a rooftop garden and views of Highbridge Park. There are currently no active listings in the building.
Hudson View Condominium on West 163rd Street between Broadway and St. Nicholas Avenue has 10 two-bedroom units with private balconies. The seven-story building has a rooftop terrace and a garden. Occupancy began in 2007. Two units are currently available: a two-bedroom for $688,000 and a three-bedroom for $958,000.
Overall prices in Washington Heights have fallen slightly in recent years but have fared better than the rest of Upper Manhattan: In the third quarter, the median sales price in the neighborhood was $365,000, a 5% drop from the third quarter of 2007 when the median sales price was $384,306, according to StreetEasy.com. Upper Manhattan as a whole saw an 18% drop in the median sales price during the same period, falling from $524,699 in the third quarter of 2007 to $430,00 in the latest third quarter.
Schools: Schools in Washington Heights are in District 6 and include P.S. 004 Duke Ellington, an elementary school with partnerships with Discovery Room, Mott Hall Service Learning Program and the 159th Street Community League. The Manhattan Middle School for Scientific Inquiry focuses on math, science and environmental studies. Others in the district include the High School for Media and Communications, the Community Health Academy of the Heights and I.S. 528 Bea Fuller Rodgers School.
In 2009, 76.3% of District 6 students in grades three through eight received a proficient score on the math exam, and 57.4% of students received a proficient score on the English Language Arts exam. In 2006, the results were 44.8% for math and 37.8% for reading.
Private schools in the neighborhood include Yeshiva University High School, Incarnation School, St. Rose of Lima School and Yeshiva Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch. Yeshiva University offers undergraduate and graduate programs.
Parks and Recreation: Parks line the edges of Washington Heights. The 160-acre Fort Washington Park includes the highest hill on Manhattan, which made it a seemingly good location for a fort during the Revolutionary War (British and Hessian forces captured the fort in November 1776 and occupied Manhattan until 1783). Today the park has baseball fields, basketball courts, barbecuing areas, dog runs, handball courts, playgrounds and tennis courts. The Little Red Lighthouse, Manhattan's only remaining lighthouse, is also in the park. Peregrine falcons can sometimes be spotted there.
Highbridge Park measures nearly 119 acres and is named for the city's oldest standing bridge, which connects Manhattan and the Bronx. Plans are currently in the works to restore and reopen the High Bridge pedestrian bridge, which was completed in 1848 and served as a walkway over the Harlem River. The park, home to the Highbridge Recreation Center and pool, opened in 1936. Also in the area is J. Hood Wright Park, which offers views of the Hudson River and the George Washington Bridge, and Bennett Park.
The New Balance Track & Field Center at the Armory was first a training center for the National Guard in 1909. It became a homeless shelter in the 1980s and was renovated in the 1990s into a track and field center with seating for more than 4,000 people.
Institutions: Dr. Betty Shabazz, the wife of the late Malcolm X, established the Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center in 1995 at the site of the Audubon Ballroom, where her husband was assassinated in 1965. Today the center hosts public events focused on Malcolm X's legacy.
Several historic homes are still in the area, including the Palladian-style Morris-Jumel Mansion, which served as Washington's headquarters in 1776. Today the house hosts events and workshops.
Dining: A variety of restaurants are mixed in with the neighborhood's bodegas, botanicas and mom-and-pop stores. For Italian food, try Aqua Marina, and for Mexican, check out Fibe Bistro. Also try Tamaya Japanese Cuisine, Tabouli Middle Eastern Cuisine, Manolo Tapas and Tawaa Tasty Indian Food.
Coogan's Irish Pub and Restaurant is a popular spot that hosts karaoke on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. For Sunday brunch, try Altus Café. Mike's Bagel, near the Columbia University Medical Center, offers freshly baked bagels, and X Caffè is the spot for a coffee break. For a treat, try Carrot Top Pastries.
If You’re Browsing This Weekend…
444 W. 162nd St.
This four-story townhouse has 12 rooms, including six bedrooms and 2 ½ bathrooms. It also has a finished basement with laundry facilities. Outside there is a garden. The home measures about 3,400 square feet.
790 Riverside Dr., No. 3A
This restored co-op has three bedrooms and two bathrooms in about 1,500 square feet. It also has high ceilings, California closets, custom radiator covers, original French doors, a formal dining room with solid Tiger Oak paneling and a living room with a decorative fireplace. The home is in a doorman building.
- Price: $679,000
- Listing Agent: Kelly Cole of Corcoran
- Open House: Sunday, Nov. 14, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
