133rd St. marks the southern boundary of our school’s home: Hamilton Heights. Moving from 133rd to 139th St., a gradual change is observed from larger buildings and vast open roads that fall skew to the Manhattan grid to a more uniform layout along Broadway. It is here that one might find all of the elements of a functioning community, from theaters and apartment buildings to groceries, doctor’s offices and, in short, all of the small businesses that are vital to daily life in Hamilton Heights. In our explorations it became evident that the southern region of Hamilton Heights that we were surveying was a wonderful representation of the ethnic makeup of our neighborhood today, along with few bits of history hidden throughout.
Broadway from 133rd – 135th St.
This stretch of Broadway is quite different from the blocks that follow it. Rather than being dominated by small storefronts, it is occupied by much more massive structures. On the east side of Broadway, a mesmerizing apartment building over 35 stories tall takes up two city blocks and is akin to the Titanic of apartment buildings. On the west side, there resides an old style building that currently resembles a warehouse. The detailed artistry of the building’s facade makes it seem out of place; it is not surprising that this building was once a theater before it was converted into a storage warehouse. It certainly stands as a wonderful remnant of history on Broadway. Follow the link to learn more:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GoUPgr1XIVxf5j9oevVDIYSL43grWTOT5pYgAir6Qqc/edit
– Max Mueller
Broadway from 135th St. to 137th St.
Walking along Broadway from 135th St. to 137th St., one really begins to gain a sense of the people who call Hamilton Heights their home. On both eastern and and western fronts, the street is lined with small family businesses and offices such as restaurants, bakeries, doctor’s offices, pharmacies and groceries.
Broadway From 137th St. to 139th St.
On the opposite side of the street from the park, there are mostly small stores like small restaurants, delis, and family owned shops. But as you walk a block to the north, you start to see several large chain stores like McDonald’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, and Subway restaurants, that dot the entire city.
The stretch of Broadway between West 137th and 139th Streets is mostly dominated by Montefiore Park on its eastern side. However, the western side of the street genuinely reflects the ethnic diversity of west Harlem. Almost every little store along Broadway represents a culture of its own. Although two different store awnings may have Spanish words on them, they each speak a different language, and express a wholly different history. Every store-front represents a unique culture.