Originally from Boston, I moved to Hamilton Heights three years ago in 2012 by a happy accident. Not that moving into Manhattan was an accident. No, that was basically ingrained in me before I could say “New York City.” But my aspirations had been to reside on the east side, be it lower or upper. Researching pricey apartments in those neighborhoods led me to venture over to the west side and up, into a part of town I had only heard of as “The Heights.” Upon further googling, I found out that there were two “heights,” Hamilton Heights leading the way into the more popular Washington Heights. In these places, apartments were twice the size for a little more than half the price, depending on how many room mates were residing there. Having room mates is often a necessary compromise to living in Manhattan, the key difference being a shared four bedroom uptown vs a shared studio downtown.

This blog is my point of view as a bystander in this huge process known as gentrification, which is currently sweeping through Hamilton Heights like a giant wave. New bars, coffee shops, and restaurants are opening by the minute, with many available retail spaces being devoured by the same group of prophetic entrepreneurs. Stay tuned for real time pics, posts, and updates plus my own emotional input on what it’s like to be living in the midst of an established neighborhood blossoming into a hipper scene than anyone could have imagined. Preceded by the East Village and Brooklyn’s infamous transformations, the rebirth of Hamilton Heights is definitely another one to watch.