QUESTION: IS HARLEM HOT?

The Daily News has another story on how many celebrities have dropped by restaurants in Harlem. We always think it is interesting when the media has these features about how Harlem is a celebrity magnet and that the neighborhood is basically upscale now. Yes there are businesses who have great PR departments or personal connections that help get random celebrities to visit maybe once but those said notables quickly get back into their limos and speed off to a $20 million loft somewhere in Tribeca.

This high profile press is great but the real story here that does not get covered much is that Harlem has transformed into a more diverse economy which is more middle class. Lower Manhattan and even Brooklyn has become expensive so Harlem naturally becomes the option for young adults, new families or folks who have sold their long-time previous homes and need someplace affordable to move to. We would be more impressed if Spike Lee purchased a house by the Mount Morris Park Historic District or if Mariah Carey moved into a new construction in South Harlem but the status is not really there for them.  For us, the celebrated heroes in Harlem are those working hard to make a living, raise their families, improve the neighborhood and those changing people's perception of what they think they know about uptown.