REVIVE: SCAFFOLDING UP AT P.S.186

After decades of neglect and local politics that have prevented its restoration, P.S.186 on 145th Street just east of Broadway is finally coming along.  Work on the century-old school last year consisted mostly of cutting the down the forest of trees that had been growing on the various levels and also gutting the rotting interior.  Now it looks like the facade will finally get some love since scaffolding is slowly spreading over the exterior.  Some might be disappointed that the building will not be full market rate apartments when finished, but just having the massive structure cleaned up after all these years is more than a signal that the heights is doing okay these days in our opinion.  There was one point in the entire efforts to save the building that the developer told the local community board that the building was not salvageable but that did not convince local preservationist: LINK

DWELL: 36 WEST 119TH STREET TOWNHOUSE

An SRO townhouse at 36 West 119th Street has arrived on the market for the asking of $1.5 million.  The price seems to us a bit on the higher side since there is also a tenant in the 18-foot-wide building and the block probably needs the most work out of all of the ones in the Mount Morris Park Historic District. With that said, the greater neighborhood has been our top pick in Harlem for the past 2 years and things will only improve going forward.  More on the broker site:  LINK

BESPOKE: 7TH ANNUAL CHOCOLATE DAY AT MJM

Sunday, February 15th, 1:00 PM-3:00 PM, 7Th Annual Chocolate day at the Morris-Jumel Mansion,  65 Jumel Terrace between 160th and 161st Streets. The popular Valentine weekend chocolate event returns to the Morris-Jumel Mansion!  Historian Ellen Schnepel and MJM Executive Director Carol Ward will discuss all things chocolate, from the history of its consumption to the ways and means of the chocolate pot. Tastings, of course, will be included. Tickets are $40 per person. Advanced registration is required. Please call 212-923-8008.

SHOP: VACANT ON MANHATTAN AVENUE

Manhattan Avenue is just right by the FDB corridor but for some reason there are still a lot of vacant shops in this part of South Harlem.  This area is actually more charming than 8th Avenue since brownstones line one side of the street and the architecture is all prewar.  Now that folks are discovering that businesses can be successful outside of the FDB commercial strip, maybe some of the better boutique shops will start moving just one block west.

☞ SUBSCRIBE: HARLEM BESPOKE BY EMAIL

Get daily Harlem Bespoke posts via email the moment they are published by subscribing below. Just enter your e-mail address and click on subscribe to get started.

Enter your e-mail address: