In Washington Heights, near the A train’s 181st Street station, there is a complex of apartment buildings that stretches for a few blocks. Running along the back, there is a driveway for residents and guests, and beyond that a garden and another apartment complex. Further beyond is the Hudson River. Mostly inhabited by families, this complex is almost its own little town. It’s quaint, quiet—some have even referred to it as a “gingerbread village.” It certainly is not typical of Washington Heights, yet it tells a story about the neighborhood. This group of buildings nearly at the peak of the Manhattan island represents what the neighborhood used to be, somewhat. Its trees and gardens and the Hudson in the distance remind us of Washington Heights before it became the bustling neighborhood that it is today. This “gingerbread village” is a nice break from the typical busy craziness of Washington Heights and the rest of Manhattan. The old-fashioned, picturesque features of this complex remind us of the people who used to live there and those who still do. It tells us about their values: having some quiet space, perhaps a playground for their kids, a view of the river. It also reminds us about the dynamism of Washington Heights and of New York City.
–Jonathan Eckman
