Neighborhood Guide LOWER EAST SIDE - MANHATTAN The Lower East Side began around the 1880s as an immigrant working class area with Russian and Polish Jews inhabiting the barely livable buildings, and the area still holds a bit to its reputation of tenement living. It has been revitalized some and is starting to lose some of that gloomy stereotype. The Williamsburg Bridge spans to the middle of the Lower East Side onto Delancey Street and you're in close proximity to the East Village's trendy (but not too trendy) bars, restaurants and nightclubs, which helps to make the Lower East Side a more upbeat place to live. Plus, Orchard Street turns into a flea market each Sunday, so you’ll get some fun, cheap shopping in there. Most days of the week you’ll shop at one of the area’s many bodegas. As for dining out, there are tons of excellent Cuban and Puerto Rican restaurants to choose from. But Ratner’s bagel shop on Delancey is an absolute must, as the place has been around since the early days of the 1900s and is a staple of the Lower East Side. The Lower East Side is for those who want a piece of gritty New York as it was back in the 70s and 80s. This is where you’ll find the sort of apartments that have the bathtub in the kitchen (yes, they do exist). Although the Lower East Side isn’t quite as clean and trendy and safe as its neighboring areas (like SoHo and the East Village), it is in such close proximity to these places that if you’re in need of a quick shot of coolness you’re only a few blocks away. The apartments here are small (like every other apartment in New York), but many here aren’t in the most stellar condition. But if you have the energy and have the time, this place is slowly cleaning up its act, and a few cute cafes and boutiques have set up shop here in testament to the neighborhood’s good faith. The subways are a schlep away, so you won’t have to worry too much about joining a gym if you live here. Then again, may we suggest a taxi in lieu of any late-night walks home? The neighborhood isn’t the safest, so you should use good judgement when walking alone at night—or simply avoid doing so. Within the boundaries of the Lower East Side is the very cool, very famous Little Italy and Chinatown. Chinatown dominates most of the two areas, as there are more Chinese living in Little Italy than there are Italians. Both areas offer great food at a cheap price, and sidewalk shopping and the smaller stores promise you a great deal on some real New York City junk. In Little Italy you’ll basically only find restaurants—a whole slew of them—and not much else. Not many Italians live here anymore, and its tough-as-nails, Godfather image has long since faded. In fact, not many New Yorkers even dine here—it’s mostly those “others” from Long Island, New Jersey and Staten Island. Overall, this isn’t the most desirable place to live in New York, as it’s still in the process of being cleaned up. But considering the way New York rents are, you may not have much choice. (Hey, it’s better than living in Queens.)
Cohen Smith Chang Licensed Real Estate Broker 12 West 37th Street 7th Floor, New York, NY 10018 Office: (212)277-5500 Fax: (212)377-5751