The New York Times today contrast the Target opening hoopla with the East Harlem neighborhood's former (grisly) Italian mafia past before it became El Barrio. The article only mentions far eastern Pleasant Avenue as Italian Harlem's boundaries but originally, anything east of Third Avenue, below 125th and north of 96th, was considered the city's largest little Italy at its peak in the 1930's (Harlem's Italian population was over 100,000 in comparison to 10,000 downtown). Read more in the New York Times: LINK. Check out some images of 1930's Italian Harlem in our past post: LINKOn a side note, the above image shows locals lining up for the Target shuttle which many folks seem to have been asking for. Does anyone know the route? A TIPSTER JUST ADVISED THE SHUTTLE STOPS AT 116TH AND 125TH STREET ON LEXINGTON. Photo by Marcus Yam.
Great old photos.
ReplyDelete"Gangsters of Harlem", Robert Chepesiuk, Barricade Books! 2007, has more on local mafia
Learned through this book the Nine Trey Gangstas took over two buildings across from me in the mid-90s. They were not a social club.
Any information about the Target shuttle would be greatly appreciated. It took me over an hour to get from Target to my place at 140th & Lenox on Friday evening, and I had to walk quite a bit. I could have taken the 2/3 to Target Brooklyn in less time.
ReplyDeleteHow busy was it on Sunday? We went on Friday night...thanks hb for the tip. My guess is the shuttle probably sticks to the 6 line and goes directly to the store. Would be nice if one ran from say 125th & Lenox or something.
ReplyDeleteIn reference to Italian Harlem, there used to be a restaurant called Tony Merenda's Flash Innn located at 155th Street & Macombs Place. It closed recently and many have said it was a Mafia hangout from back in the day. Can anybody give more information on this restaurant. My mom said the Osso Bucco was to die for. Ulysses maybe you could find some old photos of this little known about restaurant?
ReplyDeleteI did not know that the Flash Inn had closed. We ate there, not quite frequently, but enough. The food was quite good at first but went downhill rather rapidly. The service was always very gracious, a lingering sense of fine dining and a once-packed dining room.
ReplyDeleteAmbience was ... as mentioned ! A certain sort of hangout and all.
Im seeing all the hoopla about the Target at East River Plaza and getting there seems to be painful if you dont drive. Doesnt anyone know about the Gateway Center right over the 145th Street Bridge in the Bronx?? I saw someone commented about getting over there from 140th and Lenox. Theres another Target right there! Check it out... they have a lot of shopping and its easier to get to I think- especially for those of us above 125...
ReplyDeleteJim, your comment was posted again without the link. I think the goal here is to try to spend money in Harlem and encourage Target to get better shuttle services running.
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