New York Habitat Blog

Well I’m back with another New York neighborhood video tour. Today I’m going to show you yet another fascinating New York neighborhood, Chinatown, which stands proud as a small city within The City. So what makes Chinatown so special?  Let’s find out.

Chinatown is located on the East Side of Lower Manhattan.  It’s constantly growing, over taking other neighborhoods and changing, but as of now it is roughly bordered by Broome Street to the North, Broadway to the West, Worth Street and East Broadway to the South, and Essex Street to the East. 

Get the Flash Player to see this player.  Click above to watch this video: Video Tour of Chinatown, New York.(5:02)

Chatham Square:
What better place to start our tour of Chinatown than in Chatham Square.  Once a large open air market in the early 1800’s, it became a center for tattoo parlors, flophouses, and saloons in the mid 1800’s, but today has turned into a major intersection in Chinatown.   You’ll find the Kimlau Memorial Arch dedicated to Chinese Americans in the name of freedom and democracy. 

Chinatown’s History and Landmarks:
On Mott Street, just a few blocks away from Chatam Square, is where in 1858 the Cantonese businessman, Ah Ken, became the first Chinese to immigrate to Chinatown.  He eventually opened a successful cigar shop and from that point on, a steady stream of Chinese started settling in the area.

When the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 was enacted the Chinese population in this small neighborhood exploded.  Today Chinatown’s population is estimated around 100,000.

Read the entire story here… »

The Lower East Side has become one of New York’s hot neighborhoods with the development of new apartment buildings, restaurants and clubs in the area. New York Habitat’s vacation rental team member Larry Buckles notes, “It has become like a SoHo of 20 years ago.” New York Habitat has seen a surge in the demand for rentals in the area and an increase in the number of listings there as well.

Apartments of the Lower East Side:

The apartments on the Lower East Side are an interesting array of old tenement buildings, storefronts that were converted to apartments before the retail scene in the neighborhood became lively again, and newer low- and high-rise buildings. New York Habitat’s mix of apartments in the area is similarly unique with offerings from studios to two-bedrooms. Here are a few examples:

• NY-12286 is a hosted 2-bedroom located on the second floor of a walk-up building, which has a retro-styled bedroom to rent for 1 or 2 people
• NY-12201 is a studio accommodation in East Village that has two sleeping spaces — a loft and a futon — in the living room. The apartment also has a retro feel with its teal chair, carpet and curtains.
• NY-11706 is a 1-bedroom accommodation available for weekend rentals. The apartment is in a doorman building, which is unique for the neighborhood, and has a terrace with views of the Manhattan skyline.
• NY-11991 is a studio apartment located in a converted storefront building. The apartment features a loft bed, renovated kitchen and bathroom.
• NY-7114 is a two-bedroom accommodation. The apartment is a duplex set up in a postwar building, which also has access to a private terrace.

Prices in the neighborhood vary depending on the features of the building and the size and quality of the space, but generally single rooms are available from $90 to $120 per night, studios and one-bedrooms begin at $125 and reach as high as $250 with most 2-bedroom apartments beginning at about $200 and topping out as high as $300.

Transportation:

The Lower East Side is primarily served by the F train, which cuts right thought the neighborhood, making stops at Second Avenue and Houston Street, Delancey and Essex Streets and East Broadway and Rutgers Street. The J,M,Z trains also run along Delancey Street and stop at Essex Street and Bowery.

Traveling to Midtown is about 10 minutes aboard the F train and downtown is 5-10 minutes ride on the J,M,Z trains. There is also a cross-town bus running across Houston Street. For those people looking to drive in Manhattan, parking in the neighborhood is somewhat less difficult than in most of Manhattan because of the large parking lots along Delancey Street.

Also, access to the major highways is convenient, as the Williamsburg Bridge offers direct access to the Brooklyn Queens Expressway and entrances to the FDR Drive are on the eastern edge of the neighborhood.

Things not to miss

• The restaurant and nightlife scene:
  The Lower East Side features one of the fastest growing lists of nightlife locales with the Zagat guide reviewing over 100 hotspots. Some favorites include Stanton Social club, popular for its comfortable lounge atmosphere, and Whiskey Ward, which is a common spot for locals to play pool and enjoy the wide selection of high-end whiskeys. Many of the night spots in the neighborhood have hours as late as 4 A.M. For those looking for an old-fashioned deli, Katz’s offers a REAL deli sandwich.
• Delancey Street Bargain District:
  Looking to find that perfect souvenir trinket? Take a look along Delancey Street. There are assorted shops, which give it almost a flea market type feel at times.
• Lower East Side Tenement Museum:
  The Lower East Side was once a community that housed many people in tight quarters; this history can be seen at the Tenement Museum located at 97 Orchard Street.
• Lower East Side Trips:
  New York offers some of the most diverse neighborhoods of the world’s big cities and the Lower East Side has a youthful vibrancy and a strong history of immigrants, which makes it unique in New York City at this time. For your next New York vacation, consider an accommodation in the Lower East Side.