<p>Whats good everybody? Im a Prospective ©olumbian. I'll be applying this October ED (Shout to all those who are doing the same) but I'm just curious. Do you guys consider where ©olumbia is situated Morningside heights or Harlem. Some tell me its Morningside heights whereas others say its Harlem. More often they identify it as MorningSide Heights but its on 116th and Lexington avenue is not too far away. So what do you guys think?</p>
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So what do you guys think?
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<p>You aren't asking for an opinion you are asking for a fact and the fact is that columbia's main gates are on 116th and Broadway which is in Morningside Heights. End of thread.</p>
<p>So its not harlem huh? cool</p>
<p>Common misconception.</p>
<p>And the part of Harlem that it's near is really nice, gentrified Harlem so I don't know why people worry so much.</p>
<p>If you're afraid of Harlem, you're going to be afraid of New York City.</p>
<p>no I really am not afraid of Harlem. I live in Brooklyn so theres not much difference between the two areas. It really is nice over MorningSide Heights/or Harlem.</p>
<p>The name of a neighborhood name is a social construct, like "SoHo" or "NoLiTa" or "Downtown." Ralph Ellison wrote that anywhere that black people live uptown is considered Harlem. George Carlin called the area around Columbia "White Harlem." The name became most in use after a large number of African Americans moved there around 1905, and particularly after the famous "Harlem Renassiance" era. Before that it was just a Dutch name for the area and used to describe pretty much all of upper Manhattan. Geographically speaking, since both are areas above 96th Street, I don't see any reason to separate "Morningside Heights" from "Harlem" or from any of the other many small hills that you can find in that area, e.g., Sugar Hill, Hamilton Heights, Mount Morris, etc etc. To me it's all Harlem, and so are parts of the "Upper East Side" and "Upper West Side" for that matter. That's one reason I have a distaste for real estate agents. The agents are now calling areas about a stone's throw from 125th Street the "Upper East Side" in some of their ads.</p>
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Geographically speaking, since both are areas above 96th Street, I don't see any reason to separate "Morningside Heights" from "Harlem" or from any of the other many small hills that you can find in that area, e.g., Sugar Hill, Hamilton Heights, Mount Morris, etc etc.
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<p>i've never heard of anyone saying that 100th st. is part of harlem....</p>
<p>Every life-long New Yorker I know recognizes 96th as the specific boundary, a fact that can be confirmed with a simple search through the internet. Although like anything it is a matter of speech, it's not like there is a wall there. When it comes to real estate agents, on the other hand, anything goes if it will sell a flat.</p>
<p><---- life-long new yorker</p>
<p>the 96th street boundary only applies on the east side....the more accepted boundary on the west side is 125th street, and that is actually mainly because of columbia's impact on the neighborhood.</p>
<p>Agreed; most people I know from New York lump Morningside in with the Upper West Side. I think this is just a matter of their associating it with nearby parts of the city that are most similar to Morningside, even though it is bounded to the north and east by Harlem proper. </p>
<p>The fact is that, for the past two decades, gentrification has drastically altered the makeup of the neighborhood (in terms of basic demographics, income distribution, street life, local businesses, and crime rates) in such a way that it feels very distinct from the parts of Harlem that are in close proximity. This is neither good nor bad, per se, but anyone who's spent significant time in Morningside and the rest of Harlem would be hard-pressed not to acknowledge these distinctions, as they're very obvious and right on the surface. </p>
<p>Morningside itself is defined by the presence of its academic institutions, a group that is obviously anchored by Columbia. It has a relatively quiet, relaxed character, along with a good selection of businesses, bars, and restaurants that cater to students and faculty. In my opinion, that's what distinguishes it from both the Upper West Side and Harlem--it's just a pleasant academic enclave sandwiched between the two.</p>
<p>To learn more: <a href="http://www.morningside-heights.net/today.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.morningside-heights.net/today.htm</a></p>
<p>Fun fact--my mother-in-law grew up as a buddy of George Carlin in the Riverside Drive neighborhood of lower 120's. She was quite wealthy at the time (though he wasn't--they went to school together, though), and they definitely did not live in Harlem.</p>
<p>Carlin used to have this routine about how growing up he and his friends used to tell people that they lived in "white Harlem", because they would get beaten up if they said Morningside Heights></p>
<p>D goes to Barnard and feels very comfortable in Morningside Heights, She and her friends also go to Dinosaur Barbeque in Harlem and I have frequently gone to The Dance Theater of Harlem. Too bad the Apollo isn't what it was in its heyday. </p>
<p>She feels completely safe in her lifestyle, but only takes the local subway, particularly at night. Sometimes, depending where and when she's going, if she's alone I mandate a cab.</p>
<p>I wish it WAS Harlem.
:(</p>
<p>Well I just merge the two && say MorningSide Harlem^^</p>
<p>Man, to be honest, I reckon it IS in Harlem; West Harlem.</p>
<p>West Harlem includes areas such as Morningside Heights etc</p>
<p>Then again, I'm not a local, so I rather not talk like I own the place - but that's just the geographical impression I get.</p>
<p>^So you're now in New York huh? not Australia && are you staying in dorms? Make sure you get a suite because their suites are big && spacious. :D</p>
<p>Just go by the test of whether a post office would deliver there. You can send mail addressed to "Astoria, NY" and it will go to the proper neighborhood in queens. You can address something to Brooklyn Heights. Whatever used to be a distinct village back in the 1800s before it was all incorporated in 1898 probably can be considered its own neighborhood.</p>
<p>Harlem definitely has its own post office and is recognized as an address. Morningside Heights has a "Morningside Station, 10025" post office but I don't think you could address a letter to Morningside Heights. So I'd say it's part of harlem.</p>
<p>White harlem, sure. MH is basically Columbia's euphemism for "please just don't call it harlem, it drives down our property values".<br>
But I think once you get north of 96th st, it's all Harlem until you hit Washington Heights.</p>
<p>Good test - I've heard that mentioned before as a good metric.</p>
<p>the location by any other name would smell as sweet</p>