Hamilton Heights, Morningside’s northern neighbor, prepares for Manhattanville campus
The New York Times yesterday profiled Hamilton Heights, the neighborhood just north of West Harlem. Extending on the west side roughly from 133rd to 155th streets, Hamilton Heights boasts the picturesque campus of the City College of New York, a housing market that’s a lot cheaper than its downtown counterparts, and zero Starbucks stores.
The impact of Columbia’s Manhattanville campus on West Harlem has been much scrutinized. West Harlem residents have been vocal in both their support and criticism of the University’s expansion, but not as much attention has been paid to the other neighborhood, Hamilton Heights.
Perhaps because Hamilton Heights lies just outside of the expansion zone, The Times’ article suggests that residents are relatively happy with the University’s move and are curious to see how their neighborhood might be transformed:
Tom Smith, a professional clown who has lived in a three-bedroom co-op on Riverside Drive in Hamilton Heights for seven years, is torn about the new campus. He said he did not like the institution’s use of eminent domain to get its hands on some key parcels. “I’m not really an eminent-domain kind of guy,” he said.
Yet he thinks Columbia will help curb street crime, which in turn may make the area a more pleasant place to walk. “There will be a lot less chicanery and hustling going around,” he said.
Real estate agents predict a tremendous hike in prices. More restaurants and new types of businesses will crop up. But mostly, the influx of more people is expected to put Hamilton Heights on the map