How the Neighborhoods of Manhattan Got Their Names | Mental Floss How the Neighborhoods of Manhattan Got Their Names filed under: History , Neighborhoods Like us on Facebook For an island of only 24 square miles, Manhattan sure has a lot of neighborhoods. Many have distinct monikers that might not seem intuitive to the lay-tourist, or even to a lifelong New Yorker. Here's where the names of New York's most famous 'hoods came from. More in This Series: Brooklyn , Chicago , Philadelphia , Seattle Hell’s Kitchen vs. Clinton In recent decades, businesses and real estate agents have tried in vain to clean up the lively reputation of this west side neighborhood by renaming it “Clinton.” Gentrification and expansion from the neighboring theater district have certainly helped the beautification cause. Nonetheless, the area spanning 34th Street to 59th Street and 8th Avenue (or 9th, depending on who you ask) to the Hudson River just can’t shake the nickname “Hell’s Kitchen.” At one time not so long ago, Hell’s Kitchen lived up to the nightmarish implications of its name—and then some—but the actual origins of the name have become something of folklore.

One legend involves a seasoned cop and a green cop watching a riot take place in the heart of the neighborhood. The story goes that the young cop remarked, “This place is hell itself!” to which the older cop responded “Hell is a mild climate. This is hell’s kitchen.” The second widely accepted origin comes from the name of a local gang, aptly called “The Hell’s Kitchen Gang.” It was the transgressions of this rough group upon which Herbert Asbury based his 1927 book Gangs of New York, which Martin Scorsese would later adapt into a film by the same name. Hell’s Kitchen was first mentioned in the New York Times on September 22, 1881; the paper used the term to refer to a tenement house on 39th between 9th and 10th . The days of ethnic strife and poverty that once defined Hell’s Kitchen are long gone, but the name has stuck. Government and business officials drew the alternative name from DeWitt Clinton Park located on the outskirts of the neighborhood. Named for the 19th century New York governor, officials thought the local park and the name Clinton would evoke a sense of New York pride.

But for now, residents and other New Yorkers alike proudly call this area Hell’s Kitchen. Harlem For a neighborhood with such a rich artistic and cultural history, the origins of its name are rather muted. Harlem is a modification of the name Haarlem, a city in the Netherlands after which this former Dutch village was named. The neighborhood is huge, beginning at 110th Street between 5th and 8th Avenues, and from 125th Street up to 155th Street from 5th Avenue to the water, and eventually from the East River to the Hudson River. Greenwich Village A hotdog stand in Greenwich Village, circa 1914. The heart of bohemia in 1960s New York, this lower Manhattan neighborhood has the Dutch and the British to thank for its name. Greenwich comes for the Dutch word “Greenwijck” which means “Pine District.” When the Dutch ran New York (or New Amsterdam, as they called it), a Dutch man named Yellis Mandeville purchased property in the Village. He allegedly renamed the area after another village on Long Island by the same name.

The first recorded appearance of this name change appeared in Yellis’ will at the turn of the 1700s; the name has since been Anglicized to Greenwich. "The Village," as it's often now called, extends from 14th Street to Houston Street and from Broadway west to the Hudson River. Chelsea A quarter century before the American Revolution, retired British Major Thomas Clarke bought 94 acres of land located between what is now 21st and 24th Streets, and from 8th Avenue to the water. He built a home on the property and named it “Chelsea,” after a veterans’ hospital and retirement home for elderly soldiers located in Britain. Chelsea Estate would pass through many more hands over the years, but the name Chelsea hung around long enough to become the official name of the neighborhood, which currently extends from 14th Street up to 30th Street, and from 6th Avenue to the water. The Districts Many districts make up the island of Manhattan, but the names of a few in particular have become part of the geographic vernacular.

The Flatiron District A rather recent addition to the Manhattan neighborhood family, the Flatiron District has the triangular shaped Flatiron Building on 23rd Street to thank for its eponym. The structure, built in 1902, was one of the tallest at the time of its construction and its shape resembles a hot clothing iron. Though initially designated the Fuller Building, people kept referring to it as the Flatiron until eventually that just became the accepted name. The Flatiron District became a “named district” in the mid-1980’s when the neighborhood started to become more residential. Today, it is also nicknamed “Silicon Alley” due to the proliferation of tech start-ups in the vicinity, and ranges from E. 20th Street up to 26th Street, between Park Avenue South/Lexington Avenue and Sixth Avenue. The Meatpacking District Now bustling with hot clubs and expensive clothing retailers, the “Meatpacking District” name has a very literal beginning. In the late 1800s, New York decided to name two acres of lower Manhattan’s west side after General Peter Gansevoort. This area became a commercial district, known as Gansevoort Market.

By 1900, the market would boast more than 250 slaughterhouses and meatpacking plants. In the later part of the century, the district—which stretches between 9th and 11th Avenues, from Gansevoort Street to 14th Street—became less of a commercial food market and more of a haven for sex clubs and other “special interest” nightlife. Eventually, all other industry gave way to exclusive nightlife and high-end apparel, but the name remains. The Garment District Only one square mile, this midtown west area located just below Times Square (from 34th to 40th Streets, between Sixth and Ninth Avenues) housed half of New York City’s garment plants in the early 20th century. In its heyday, the Garment District serviced all facets of the fashion industry, from design to manufacture to sale. Most of the manufacturing business has since faded away from the area, but its historical contributions live on through the name—and a giant needle and button sculpture on 7th Avenue. In The Heights Though the island is relatively flat, Upper Manhattan still has a few heights. Morningside Heights Columbia University, circa 1903.

The Heights formerly known as Vandewater, from the name of Dutch settler Harmon Vandewater, became Morningside around the time Columbia University was expanding into the area (around 1896). A city surveyor appraising the surrounding land found one spot he deemed unsuitable for anything other than a city park. This particular park was situated on the east side of a hill, perfectly positioned for a nice wash of sunlight every morning. In 1870, the city named it “Morning Side Park,” and it is believed to have inspired this particular Heights’ new first name of Morningside. The neighborhood's current boundaries are 110th to 125th, from 8th Avenue to the Hudson River. Washington Heights Located below Inwood, the uppermost part of Manhattan, and above Harlem and Morningside Heights, Washington Heights (155th Street to 181st Street, river to river) is named in honor of Fort Washington. Built on what was at the time the highest elevated part of Manhattan, this fortress allowed American Revolutionary forces to observe the British Redcoats from afar. The name started commonly appearing in association with the area in the late 19th century.

Hamilton Heights Once an under-settled area of mansions and estates in what is now West Harlem/Upper Manhattan, Hamilton Heights—which stretches from 135th to 155th Streets between St. Nicholas Avenue and the Hudson River—derives its name from the Hamilton Grange, the country home of Federalist leader Alexander Hamilton. He had little time to enjoy the leisurely life on his vacation estate, as he was gunned down in the infamous duel with Aaron Burr only two years after the home was built. The Hills Are Alive with the Sound of Murray The hill may be long gone, literally leveled by urbanization, but its namesake lives on below 34th Street, from Madison Avenue to the East River. In the 1760’s, Robert Murray was a Quaker merchant who purchased land in the area of Iclenberg, a large hill somewhere around modern day 36th and Park Ave. Though the Murrays may have called their homestead Iclenberg or, later, Belmont, locals referred to his family’s estate as Murray Hill.

The voice of the people won, and we have them to thank for the neighborhood’s name, though we can hardly blame them for its modern reputation as a frat boy haven. To Bay or Not To Bay These areas along the East River aren't technically bays, but that didn't stop residents from using the word. Turtle Bay In 1639, the Dutch Governor bequeathed to a few Englishmen a piece of farmland, through which a creek flowed—well, trickled—into the East River bay. The men would call the property Turtle Bay Farm. Some historians believe “Turtle Bay” came from the healthy population of turtles living in the creek, but the Turtle Bay Association posits the name was actually adapted from the Dutch word “deutal,” meaning “bent blade," because the bay resembles that shape. At some point in time, New Yorkers dropped the Farm part of the name and that area east of Midtown Manhattan—which stretches from E. 42nd Street to E. 53rd Street between Lexington Avenue and the East River—simply became “Turtle Bay.” Kips Bay Just a few blocks south of Turtle Bay, from E. 23rd Street to E.

38th Street and between Lexington Avenue and the East River, is Kips Bay. The neighborhood was named for Dutch settler Jacobus Hendrickson Kip, who bought property in the area during the 1600s. Hip to Be Squares Though technically not neighborhoods, the names of these rectangular city hubs have a few stories—and mysteries—of their own. Times Square Times Building When the New York Times moved its headquarters to then-named Long Acre Square in 1904, publisher/owner Adolph Ochs strongly encouraged Mayor George B. McClellan, Jr. to change the name to Times Square. McClellan agreed, and it was henceforth Times Square. Today, the tourist trap—and the 'hood most dreaded by New Yorkers—stretches from W. 40th Street to W. 53rd Street between 6th and 8th Avenues. Union Square Originally named Union Place, this New York City hub marked the intersection, or “union,” of two major city thoroughfares—what are now 4th Avenue and Broadway at 14th Street.

There has been some speculation that the Civil War might have influenced the naming, but historical evidence points to Union Square receiving its name many years before the war broke out. Lincoln Square Lincoln Square, which lies between W. 59th Street and W. 72nd Street and stretches from Central Park West to the Hudson River, remains one of the great name mysteries in Manhattan. City records from 1906 show a NYC Board of Aldermen decreeing this piece of property be called “Lincoln Square.” However, either no one took minutes at this meeting or they were lost somewhere in the annals of time, because there exists little evidence as to why they chose “Lincoln.” Historians have yet to uncover public records of a prominent New York landowner with the surname Lincoln. Perhaps it was an homage to President Abraham Lincoln, but there’s just as little evidence to support this theory. Herald Square This busy intersection on 34th Street and 6th Avenue was named after the New York Herald. The newspaper no longer exists, leaving this Square’s name as its lasting legacy to the city.

Madison Square Not to be confused with home of the New York Rangers —Madison Square Garden—Madison Square refers to the park at 23rd Street and 5th Avenue and the square surrounding it, both of which attribute their name to the fourth President of the United States, James Madison. Washington Square Originally farmland, like most of Manhattan, this public park located at 5th Avenue and Waverly Place was named after President George Washington, who was inaugurated in New York City. Fun fact: It was once a cemetery. A 2005 archaeological assessment by the City Parks Department estimates some 20,000 bodies are buried beneath the park. The Acronyms Finally there are the original acronym neighborhoods, which popped up throughout lower Manhattan and have a reputation for hipness. They’re also pretty handy helpers for learning downtown geography: SoHo: SOuth of HOuston Street NoHo: NOrth of HOuston Tribeca: the TRIangle BElow CAnal Street Nolita: NOrth of Little ITAly We're slowly working our way across the country. See how the neighborhoods in other cities got their names.

Help Subaru with Its New 7-Seater Model Name - NASIOC Help Subaru with Its New 7-Seater Model Name Navbar Menu Help Subaru with Its New 7-Seater Model Name First You're on Page 1 of 5 Go to View Poll Results: Which Model Name Should Subaru Select for Its New 7-Seater Ascent 11-24-2015 12:33 PM by I Like Cooters On July 31, 2015 Fuji Heavy Industries, manufacturer of Subarus, filed US trademark applications for: 11-24-2015 12:45 PM by KC "SoHo". 11-24-2015 02:19 PM by 4S-TURBO Quote: Subaru Cascadia Subaru Alta What about these? I think "Columbia" needs to be tossed immediately. That's just not even funny given the context.

# 4 11-24-2015 03:22 PM by Masterauto Palo Alto, Tribe, Kindred, Firmament, Falchion, Cygnus, Antidae, Miocene, Acenda, Montane, Alpine, Volitatia, or CanusWagon, Begettor, Sire, Riseto, Bodegareap D&K hauler "dog and kids" Or Camden cruiser So what did the old name mean ? Tribeca /traɪˈbɛkə/, originally written as TriBeCa, is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City. Its name is a portmanteau from "......Triangle ....Below Canal Street". The "triangle" 11-24-2015 04:16 PM by Coati Inseption 11-24-2015 04:30 PM by 4wdwrx Impreza...

11-24-2015 04:48 PM by eps105 Quote: Originally Posted by I Like Cooters On July 31, 2015 Fuji Heavy Industries, manufacturer of Subarus, filed US trademark applications for: Help Subaru pick a name by voting for your favorite. Hmmm.... Well, "Ascent" reminds me WAY too much of the Isuzu Ascender. So that's out. "Columbia" -- too much baggage. Exploded Space Shuttle; South American country; sportswear company (also remembering that Subaru got sued by "Trek" for the Crosstrek.) "Sojourn" - A temporary stay or dwelling? WTF? "Venterra" -- Sounds too much like Ace Ventura. Plus, everyone will misspell it. "Cypress" - A tree? OK, "Subaru Cypress" alliterates and is supposed to make you think of a pretty forest. OK, I get it, but it's not as good as.... "Meridian" -- Not only does this sound sophisticated, but oh my, the symbolic meaning is excellent!

"The highest apparent point reached by the heavens by the sun or a star." "A high point." This ties in well with the Plaides constellation from Subaru's logo. I'd bet my paycheck this is going to be the name!! Subaru Meridian, I'm waiting to buy you! 11-25-2015 10:02 AM by I Like Cooters Quote: Originally Posted by KC Too many syllables. Su-ba-ru has always had up to 3 syllable names here in the states. More than three doesn't fit.... You forgot B9 Tribeca and Crosstrek XV. But I agree - the model name should be three or fewer syllables. I like Atlas. In Greek mythology, Atlas was a Titan who held the sky up on his shoulders. He somehow managed to procreate and was the father of the Pleiades. And the star Atlas is the second brightest star within the Pleiades star cluster (after Alcyone). Alternatively, I'd like to see a made-up word based on or evocative of the word Oreamnos, the American mountain goat. Loves the mountains and valleys and is extremely sure-footed.

Originally Posted by I Like Cooters You forgot B9 Tribeca and Crosstrek XV. But I agree - the model name should be three or fewer syllables. I like Atlas. In Greek mythology, Atlas was a Titan who held the sky up on his shoulders. He somehow managed to procreate and was the father of the Pleiades. And the star Atlas is the second brightest star within the Pleiades star cluster (after Alcyone). Alternatively, I'd like to see a made-up word based on or evocative of the word Oreamnos, the American mountain goat. Loves the mountains and valleys and is extremely sure-footed. All of this ^^. Subaru Atlas. Makes sense, easy to understand and not too long.

Sustaining Our Future by Preserving Our Past | Butterfly Residential {"country":"spain","region":"","area":[""],"location":"","listing":"sale","property":"","pricemin":0,"pricemax":0,"currency":"EUR","bed":"","bath":"","pagesize":12,"own":0,"reference":"","text":"","lanaguage":"en","sortType":0,"latest":0,"qid":"","pageno":1,"referencesale":null,"referenceshort":null,"referencelong":null,"referencerecent":null,"portfolioOn":"fa-star fa-portfolio","portfolioOff":"fa-star-o fa-portfolio","portfolioOnTitle":"Remove from Favourites","portfolioOffTitle":"Add to Favourites","thankYouPage":"y"} Sustaining Our Future by Preserving Our Past luxury property london Posted 1 Apr 2016 @ 10:17 From sacred buildings, to schoolhouses to historic power plants, such as Battersea Power Station in London, the adaptive reuse of old buildings isn't a new concept. Reinventing existing buildings for new uses certainly offers some of the most dramatic and interesting living spaces.

We are currently witnessing a growing trend in conversions of urban historic buildings and by converting old structures, not only are we saving pieces of history, but also breathing new life into the unique homes that take their place. Older buildings are often steeped in history, old world elegance and style, with many original features being restored and incorporated into the renovation or new structures. A good example of this is the upcoming development in East London, appropriately named “The Stage”. With its exquisite design and rich history, The Stage will soon become one of the most spectacular mixed-use developments in the United Kingdom. The site of the Curtain Theatre in Shoreditch was once home to William Shakespeare’s Theatre Company, where the first performance of the famous Romeo and Juliet took place. Above: Computer renditions of The Stage development in Shoreditch, East London. Construction is expected to begin in April 2016 and be completed by early 2019. The theatre first opened in 1577 and showcased world-famous plays until its closing in 1624. In 2012, the site was rediscovered and what remains of the theatre is currently being excavated and preserved.

The announcement of the 2.3 acre development created a buzz amongst eager theatre lovers, as what still stands of the Elizabethan playhouse will be showcased to the public through a glass platform. The Stage will feature a public square surrounded by a residential tower and office buildings. While access to the square and the preservation of the former theatre will be free to the public, purchasing one of the 412 luxury apartments within the development will be more costly. With homes ranging from studio apartments to four-bedroom duplex penthouses, the starting price for purchasing a home within the complex will range from £695,000 into the millions. Residents of the luxury apartments will benefit from a health and fitness club, a rooftop bar on the 32nd floor and a 24-hour concierge. Paying tribute to its former self, the development will also have a 200-seat sunken amphitheatre for future plays and a Shakespeare museum. Construction on the development is expected to begin in April 2016 with completion by early 2019.

Meanwhile, in the United States, major cities such as Boston, Chicago and Seattle have seen a major redevelopment of former factories and commercial buildings, many of them being converted into spacious lofts and high end condominiums. Above left: the façade of the famous Textile Building in TriBeCa’s Historic District in Lower Manhattan; top right: apartment 6B; bottom right: the roof terrace at the Textile Building on 66 Leonard Street The Lower Manhattan neighbourhood of TriBeCa, a portmanteau from Triangle Below Canal Street, is well known around the world for its luxurious condominiums, many of which have been converted from former factories. TriBeCa was primarily known as the centre of the textile and cotton trade in New York during colonial times and it wasn’t until the late 18th century that residential development began. One of the most famous buildings in the neighbourhood is the former Textile Building. Built in 1901, it is located at 66 Leonard Street and was designed by Henry J. Hardenbergh, well known for being the architect of the famed Plaza Hotel, a beloved Manhattan landmark located just off Central Park.

The district’s revival was helped by high profile names, such as Robert De Niro, who currently owns a property in TriBeCa. The trendy neighbourhood is also home to power couple Beyoncé and Jay-Z, professional baseball and former Yankees player Derek Jeter, legendary actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Meryl Streep and supermodels Adriana Lima, Karlie Kloss and Chanel Iman. Above: The Penthouse at the Textile Building, located at 66 Leonard Street in TriBeCa’s Historic District, Lower Manhattan New York is a city where space is a premium and land availability a rarity, forcing creative real estate developers and homeowners to turn to the adaptive reuse of buildings. By doing so, we are witnessing the conservation of historic landmarks and old buildings while creating new, unique residences. Manhattan now has some of the most unusual, yet most fascinating building conversions, offering dramatic and interesting living spaces while preserving the past lives of these historical structures. During the 19th century, firehouses were built around the city and were distinguished by their high, arched entryways. The City has seen budget cuts over the years and many of the firehouses were shut down. However, these old buildings have been revived as private residences for some New Yorkers.

One of the most famous examples is the firehouse on Barrow Street in the West Village. It was built in 1851, however its short life ended in 1865. Today, it is home to several tenants as a fully occupied rental building. Above: one of the former buildings belonging to St. Vincent’s Hospital, located at 130 West 12th Street in Greenwich Village In Greenwich Village stands one of the buildings that once was part of St. Vincent’s Hospital. Founded in 1849, St. Vincent’s was one of the oldest hospitals in New York City, which eventually expanded into five buildings throughout Manhattan. However, due to bankruptcy, the hospital was forced to close in 2010 and its buildings were purchased by a private company. A much-loved building in the Village, its redevelopment was controversial as many New Yorkers didn’t want to see it become a residential building. Despite local protests, St. Vincent’s Hospital was relaunched as a luxury residential development and quickly sold out, with units priced from $1.415 million for a one bedroom to $12.85 million for a four-bedroom penthouse.

The heart of the nearby neighbourhood Nolita (derived from North of Little Italy) is home to the former police headquarters, a Beaux Arts building that was erected in 1909. The building served as the New York City Police Department Headquarters from 1909 until 1973, but the building fell into disuse following its relocation to 1 Police Plaza. Today, the building is known as the Police Building Apartments following the conversion by developers in 1988. Above left and far right: façade of the historic landmarked Police Building Apartments in Nolita, Manhattan; above centre: the building’s magnificent four-story penthouse. Head uptown to the prestigious Upper East Side, home to the wealthiest of New Yorkers. The area was once made up of townhouses, as well as nearby carriage houses for the elite to keep their horses. Today, these buildings have been converted into luxury residences. One carriage house, known as the Marquand, was restored and renovated to become a two-family residence. While this stretch of the Upper East Side is a high concentration area for carriage houses, the origins of the building were hidden for years behind a layer of stucco, which was removed during the renovation.

The revival of the former carriage house was chronicled by the New York Times, a well-known magazine in the city, throughout 2007. While the conversion of historic buildings is certainly nothing new, it is expected to grow further in the coming years as it serves as a practical solution to creating more residences in densely-populated cities. The renovation and restoration of old buildings allows for the preservation of history whilst creating modern and luxurious new homes, far outliving their original purpose. Butterfly Residential are market leaders in the luxury real estate sector with exclusive properties for sale and luxury properties for rent in some of the finest locations across the world. Categories How to Name a Neighborhood New York City Guide For New Yorkers How to Name a Neighborhood If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

How to Name a Neighborhood From NoChel to NoCal: How to Name a Neighborhood By Eric Marx, May 2004 Like tiny Eastern European breakaway republics, the plethora of newly named neighborhoods carved out of older, existing neighborhoods is emerging as these enclaves proclaim their own identity, their own independence and their own real estate price brackets. Yet how, when and by whom these emerging enclaves get pegged with an appellation is hardly a science. In fact, itï¿½s more of a free-for-all, with names sprouting up first amongst real estate brokers, developers and then the media. A case in point is the neighborhood between Chelsea and Clinton, which has been called everything from Chelsea Heights to Hellï¿½s Pantry and NoChel. Typically, the allure of being associated with the happening neighborhood next door explains why brokers seek to rebrand existing names such as Chelsea Heights or North Chelsea. Abbreviated geographically based names such as SoHo, TriBeCa and NoHo have spawned lesser offspring as well, in hopes (usually the hopes of real estate brokers) that those neighborhoods will also attain a certain cachet.

Take NoBat, for example, or North of Battery Tunnel, a name recently coined by a broker (pictured on cover page; also see "Post 9/11 Transplants Say ï¿½Yesï¿½ to NoBat" in this issue). That approach appeals to brokers like Tim Melzer of Douglas Elliman, who said he wanted to call the area now known as Hudson Square by the catchy appellation NoCal, for north of Canal Street. The approach doesnï¿½t work in all cases. "That sounds like a soda pop to me," said Jason Pizer, director of commercial leasing with Trinity Real Estate, which, as the largest real estate owner in the area, is credited with currying favor with the city in order to get the Hudson Square moniker to stick. "Itï¿½s been called Hudson Square for about 200 years," Pizer said. "I like the way it sounds - strong, sophisticated, and from a historical perspective it identifies the area by its true name. Itï¿½s not something we invented. We just dug it out of the files and dusted it off." Of course, attempting to resurrect a historical name doesnï¿½t guarantee it will catch on.

For years, the Rose Hill community association labored in vain to revive that name for the area between 23rd and 34th and Madison and Third Avenues. The Rose Hill farm ranged through the area in the 1870s, but has since been subdivided into Kips Bay, the Flatiron District, Gramercy Park and Murray Hill. The revival attempt has met with only limited success. Elsewhere, community residents have been successful in setting their neighborhoods apart from neighboring blocks. In Hudson Heights, an enclave in the northwestern section of Washington Heights, residents have effectively established a separate identity, with an eye to property values. "It wasnï¿½t real estate brokers who came up with the name," said Simone Song, owner of Simone Song Realty. "It was the shareholders up here who gathered together to form the Hudson Heights Owners Coalition. They wanted to keep up their neighborhood." Over in Brooklyn, Lee Solomon of William B. May says a slew of new neighborhood names are popping up, fueled in part by booming real estate values that continue to push folks further and further out into the fringes. According to Solomon, everyone from homeowner associations to residents and the city landmark commission have influenced the delineation of "new" neighborhood boundaries.

"I think itï¿½s happening organically," she said, "and Iï¿½d like to think thatï¿½s because thereï¿½s a great deal of concern for the existing community." Copyright 2003-2004 The Real Deal A HILL OF A NEW AREA By ANNE BECKER, May 29, 2004 EVER clever Manhattan developers are used to conjuring Up fancy new names for neighborhoods they're trying to promote - Chelsea Heights anyone? Ergo, meet "Gramercy Hill" - an enclave knighted by some downtown developers to promote their condos of the same name. "We thought it'd be kind of catchy to come up with a new neighborhood, so we coined the phrase," says Kenneth Horn, president of Alchemy Properties, which is developing 120 Gramercy Hill. The condos, at 129 E. 29th St., are actually five contiguous 1880 brownstones that Alchemy's spent $9 million to renovate. They brought in an architect, gutted the original buildings down to the walls and added a couple extra stories in height.

"They had been stripped of their grace as a hodgepodge of office buildings," Horn says. "We wanted to maintain the look of the neighborhood before it was converted from its original look." So sometime in December, that original look will be back, along with 25 one- to four-bedroom condos, ranging in size from 1,002 square feet to 2,659 square feet. Prices start at $675,000 and go up to $2,400,000. After just six weeks on the market, half of the units were already spoken for. Six ground-floor duplexes score private gardens and storage space, and 11 other apartments get private terraces or balconies. And all that's in addition to the 1,650- square-foot common roof deck. The extra-special penthouses get built-in Miele coffee systems, fireplaces and oversized refrigerators. Alchemy designates the Gramercy Hill neighborhood as a Gramercy Park/Murray Hill hybrid between 25th and 31st streets, bounded by Park Avenue South and Lexington Avenue.

In recent years, the area's seen a bevy of restaurants such as Dos Caminos and Blue Smoke sprouting on and around Park Avenue. "The neighborhood will definitely change over time for the better," says Anne Tschida, who recently bought on 120 Gramercy Hill's fifth floor. "It's becoming hot with retail." Tschida, 31, and her husband currently live just a block away in a one-bedroom on 29th and Third. But they had enough faith in the 'hood's future to hunker down and invest there when looking for bigger digs. Just don't ask the communications consultant to agree to the new nomenclature. "Maybe the name will catch on in five or 10 years," she says. "But I don't know if it'll make me change how I call it. It's definitely a marketing tool for the building." NYPOST Not ready for BoCoCa, GoCaGa or BoHo? Boo-hoo! Brokers behind push to rebrand city's neighborhoods BY Kevin Deutsch What's in a name? Plenty if you're a hipster or a real estate broker who thinks the old-fashioned neighborhoods of New York are a bit too passï¿½.

From BoCoCa to Gramurray, the Big Apple is being sliced and diced into fresh-sounding quadrants all the time - and some of the new names are actually sticking. Even mapmakers have adopted DUMBO for the loft-laden area down under the Manhattan Bridge overpass. SoHo, short for south of Houston St., and Tribeca, for the triangle below Canal St., have been around for decades and are as bona fide as Greenwich Village. NoHo, north of Houston St., and Nolita, the abbreviation for north of Little Italy, are newer but well-established. You'd be hard-pressed, though, to find many people who call the Bowery below Houston St. by its new nickname - BoHo. The shorthand for the "iron triangle" of Willets Point in Queens - iTri - seems destined to go the way of the Mets' postseason hopes. BoCoCa, an amalgamation of three old-school Brooklyn neighborhoods - Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill and Boerum Hill - never caught fire. GoCaGa for Gowanus and Carroll Gardens invited ridicule. So did SunSlope, a name invented by a broker trying to sell condos in Greenwood Heights, which some consider a fancier name for Sunset Park.

The force behind the rebranding is the real estate industry. Brokers are known for pushing boundaries: Park Slope must be twice as big as it was 30 years ago, and newcomers to Bushwick are told they're buying in East Williamsburg. Sometimes they go even further by renaming a community - Clinton for Hell's Kitchen - or creating one out of whole cloth. "These names are great selling points for agents trying to bring clients into a neighborhood that wasn't so hip before but sounds a lot hipper now," said Jean Charles, a senior agent at Bond New York, a major sales and rental firm. They're not the only culprits. Bloggers can create a groundswell for a name change, too. The Web site Curbed.com decreed that the unnamed swath east of Fifth Ave. between 23rd and 34th Sts. should be called Gramurray. The practice is as old as the Brooklyn Bridge. In a city obsessed with real estate, property sellers have been playing fast and loose with names since the 19th century.

"They're hawking a whole other city, and it's been happening for a long, long time," said Joseph Ditta, a librarian at the New-York Historical Society who penned a book about Gravesend, the city's gloomiest-sounding 'hood. Kathleen Hulser, public historian at the society, said, "It was and still is a way of distinguishing between insiders and outsiders." Citing the morphing of Bloomingdale into the upper West Side, she said, "People want to put their mark on a place by changing its name." For mapmakers, the threshold's a bit higher, but they're still open to suggestion. "We look at what the local residents and denizens call it, whether the city recognizes it and what the historical record says," said Marc Jennings, president of Hagstrom. "There's something very fluid and generally cool about neighborhood names in New York, so we try and keep up with the changes." Branding the last unnamed neighborhood in Manhattan. By Adam Sternbergh Close your eyes and picture Broadway between 23rd and 30th Streets.

Thereï¿½s a good chance youï¿½re either drawing a blank or youï¿½re envisioning a long strip of wholesale perfume retailers, luggage liquidators, and stores that specialize in human-hair wigs. This is not the most picturesque area in the city, nor the most easily romanticized. Instead, it is famously the neighborhood, south of Herald Square, north of Flatiron, and east of Chelsea, that, on the classic New York taxi maps, stood alone as officially nameless. It was simply an unlabeled rectangle. And brown. Now close your eyes and picture NoMad. NoMad isnï¿½t a neighborhood, not yet. In fact, thereï¿½s not really much to NoMad so far, except a few scattered restaurants, a handful of rental buildings, and, of course, the Ace Hotel, that humming new hotelï¿½restaurantï¿½barï¿½coffee shopï¿½sandwich emporiumï¿½fancy clothing boutique that stands, like a planted flag, at Broadway and 29th Street.

From the street, at night, in a downpour, you might peek through the steamed-up windows of the Ace and get a dreamy glimpse of the people inside, lit by lamplight, perched on armrests, cradling drinks. A clipboard-equipped doorman, studiously scruffy, might then helpfully redirect you away from the entrance for Hotel Guests Only, toward the Stumptown coffee, to an interior door, which will be locked. A barista, wearing catï¿½s-eye glasses, will regard you, not without pity, and say, ï¿½Weï¿½re at maximum capacity.ï¿½ How do you make a neighborhood? Can you conjure one out of thin air? If the crowds at the Ace are any evidence, then yes, you can, sort of, at least for a moment. The Ace opened officially one year ago, and itï¿½s now the heart of the district called NoMad (North of Madison Square Park), insofar as any such neighborhood exists. Like never-never land, NoMad is a place that can only be visited if you believe in it hard enough.

In 1963, Chester Rapkin, a University of Pennsylvania professor and urban-planning expert, sat down with a map of New York. He was preparing a study for the city government on an area of downtown Manhattan that was full of landmark architecture but faced widespread demolition, since much of its former industrial life had drained away. Rapkin hoped to persuade the city to save the area as an urban incubator, where small and mid-size businesses might thrive. On his map, the area in question was marked SOUTH HOUSTON INDUSTRIAL AREA; Rapkin shortened this to Soho and used this nickname in his report. And in this one act of graceful (and ultimately successful) preservation, Rapkin not only helped save the area; he loosed the viral idea that in New York City you can essentially call a neighborhood into existence with sheer will, imagination, and a catchy acronym. Of course, Rapkin had lots of help on the groundï¿½the artists, for example, who colonized the areaï¿½s cheap lofts; the galleries that followed the artists; the restaurants that followed the galleries; the resultant boutiques, and so on, in the cycle of urban regeneration now so familiar to New York.

This cycle repeated itself in Tribeca (Triangle Below Canal), a name that was coined in the seventies and later took on the luster of a brandï¿½literally, in the case of the 2006 car model named the Subaru Tribeca. Since the coining of Soho, dozens of Balkanized slivers of Manhattan and Brooklyn have been diced up, claimed, and either renamed (Nolita, Noho, Soha) or simply reimagined (the meatpacking district, Williamsburg, Park Slope). Three years ago, on How I Met Your Mother, a sitcom set in New York, two characters bought into the trendy and up-and-coming DoWiSeTrePla neighborhood, only to find out later that it stood for ï¿½Down Wind of Sewage Treatment Plant.ï¿½ The nameless neighborhood in that brown taxi-map rectangleï¿½roughly bordered by Madison Square Park to the south, 34th Street to the north, Broadway to the west, and Second Avenue to the eastï¿½has always resisted such neighborhoodification, despite boom times and persistent attempts.

Back in 1996, some plucky Silicon Alley entrepreneurs tried to christen the area Soma, partly meaning ï¿½South of Macyï¿½sï¿½ and partly in homage to San Franciscoï¿½s neighborhood of the same name. (No mention of Aldous Huxley.) The name didnï¿½t stick. Then in 1999, the Times ran an article titled ï¿½The Trendy Discover NoMad Land, and Move In,ï¿½ picking up on a popular coinage that seems to have appeared that year. That one didnï¿½t stick either.

By 2001, this magazine declared that NoMad ï¿½has fallen out of use,ï¿½ with Leonard Steinberg of Corcoran explaining, ï¿½The connotation was bad, like youï¿½re in no-manï¿½s-land.ï¿½ (It didnï¿½t help that Madison Square Park, the areaï¿½s jewel amenity, was not fully revitalized until 2001.) In 2007, Times theater critic Charles Isherwood, who lives on Madison Avenue, wrote an essay in which he called his neighborhood simply ï¿½the Brown Zoneï¿½ and lamented the ï¿½shaming fact of its namelessness.ï¿½ NoMad, both the name and the neighborhood, lay dormant. Then Andrew Zobler took a taxi ride downtown. Zobler, the 48-year-old CEO of GFI Development, recalls riding down Broadway late nights from his office in midtown to his home in the West Village, and as he passed through the Brown Zone, he often wondered: Why are the buildings on Broadway so stately but the storefronts so ticky-tacky?

In 2007, GFI acquired a run-down hotel on 29th, the Breslin, named for its original proprietor, James Breslin, who opened it in 1904. The company formed a partnership with the Ace Hotel Group, a successful venture in Seattle and Portland, and agreed to bring a branch of the Ace here. GFI also purchased the Johnston Building, at 28th and Broadway, to develop into a separate hotel, which Zobler decided to call the NoMad. Heï¿½d seen a Times article referring to the neighborhood as Soma but he hated that name. ï¿½We didnï¿½t think of ourselves intellectually as south of Macyï¿½s,ï¿½ he says. ï¿½We think of ourselves as extending, if you will, the Zeitgeist of Madison Square Park north.ï¿½ Zobler claims that GFI came up with the name NoMad, and when I suggest it had a brief previous life, he says, ï¿½I didnï¿½t know that.

If it has a history, even better.ï¿½ Either way, when GFI unveiled plans for its NoMad Hotel in 2008, it announced that the hotel would be located in ï¿½the newly established NoMad district,ï¿½ which ï¿½consists of upscale residences, retail shops, creative agencies and renowned restaurants.ï¿½ The only wrinkle was that, at the time, there was no such place as the NoMad district. If it was newly established, itï¿½s because GFI established it. Typically, someone discovers a happening new neighborhood and decides to give it a name. NoMad was a name in search of a neighborhood. Itï¿½s not impossible, of course, to create a neighborhood from scratch. David Walentas famously did it in Dumbo. ï¿½But Dumbo was unique,ï¿½ he says, ï¿½totally different from other neighborhoods that have gone through transformation and gentrification in the last 30 years.ï¿½ Walentas, who is 71, started Two Trees Development in 1968.

He bought buildings in Soho in the early seventies and Noho shortly after. Then Walentas asked his staff, ï¿½Soho, Noho, whatï¿½s next?ï¿½ Someone told him ï¿½Dumbo.ï¿½ Walentas said, ï¿½Where the **** is Dumbo?ï¿½ He decided to pay it a visit. What he found was a largely vacant district of warehouses and factories on the Brooklyn waterfront, zoned for industrial use. He bought eight buildings, 2 million square feet, for $12 million, in 1981. ï¿½I got lucky. No one else wanted it. I bought the whole neighborhood.ï¿½ It took seventeen years for him to persuade the city to rezone the area. After that, he assumed the role of ï¿½benevolent dictator,ï¿½ as he says, ï¿½with a vision for the whole neighborhood.ï¿½ He lured stores like Jacques Torres Chocolate and West Elm by offering them a few yearsï¿½ worth of free rent. ï¿½That way, we created the neighborhood.

We could give space away because we had so much, it didnï¿½t matter. And it made my other properties more valuable. If you only owned one building, you would never do that. If you own one building, you take care of one building.ï¿½ It was a rare experiment in SimCity-style neighborhood building, but it worked, right down to the goofy name. Most people assume Walentas invented the acronym Dumbo (Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass), but it predates him. ï¿½I loved it, but my lawyers and consultants said, ï¿½What are you, crazy? No one will ever want to go there.ï¿½ So they came up with ï¿½Fulton Landing.ï¿½ I said, ï¿½Fulton Landing? That sounds like itï¿½s on the Ohio River. That could be ****ing anywhere.ï¿½ ï¿½ An area like the Brown Zoneï¿½or, as itï¿½s often called, the wholesale districtï¿½has been resistant to transformation in part because itï¿½s not a blank slate like Dumbo.

Everyone who owns one building there is only taking care of that one building. The lack of amenities like cafï¿½s and shops discourages residential development, which in turn discourages new cafï¿½s and shops. The area itself feels dingy and inhospitableï¿½an online commenter once suggested it be called ï¿½DoNeNo,ï¿½ for Down Near Nothing. When Bar Breton, a new venture from Michelin-star-earning chef Cyril Renaud, opened at Fifth Avenue and 28th Street, a reviewer located it in ï¿½a grungy zone between Koreatown and the Flatiron district thatï¿½s quiet in a decaying, rather than leafy and cloistered, kind of way.ï¿½ Of course, other less-than-picturesque neighborhoods have been remade; Smith Street in Brooklyn in the nineties was not exactly the West Village. But cheap rents encouraged restaurateurs to take a risk there. There are no cheap rents in midtown Manhattan.

So to change a neighborhood like that, ï¿½you need one landlord whoï¿½s willing to cut a deal for a new kind of tenant,ï¿½ says Faith Hope Consolo, chairman of retail real estate at Prudential Douglas Elliman. ï¿½If you can find someone who owns more than one building, you have a much better chance.ï¿½ Otherwise, when the blocks are dominated by fast-food outlets and stores selling perfume, jewelry, and wigs, thereï¿½s not much incentive to open anything other than a fast-food outlet or a perfume, jewelry, or wig store. In fact, the only way to jump-start that kind of neighborhood is to (a) buy up as much real estate as possible, in a kind of mini-Dumbo-fication; (b) bring in a business that can serve, like a mall, as an all-in-one destination to attract outsiders; (c) undertake a campaign to remake the image of the neighborhood in the minds of the public; or (d), as is the case with GFI in NoMad, all of the above. Residentially, the NoMad area has always been a nondescript no-manï¿½s-land.

As president of the Rose Hill Neighborhood Association, Gerard Schriffen led a long effort to officially name the neighborhood ï¿½Rose Hill,ï¿½ after an eighteenth-century farm, but those efforts have flagged of late. ï¿½A lot of young people have moved in,ï¿½ he says of the neighborhoodï¿½s changes. ï¿½They work so hard to afford Manhattan that they donï¿½t get involved in the community the same way family people would.ï¿½ Cheap rents lured a postcollegiate cohort down from Murray Hill, causing the neighborhood to swell, with mixed results: For example, itï¿½s led to a mini-boom in the kind of nightlife you might expect to find in Murray Hill. Along Broadway, the historic architecture is more interesting, but few of the blocks are zoned residential. Itï¿½s not unusual to hear of people renting apartments in the area only to come home to find a notice from the city informing them theyï¿½re illegally living in a commercial building.

A few condo developments have clustered around the park; when a 60-story luxury tower at One Madison Park was announced in 2008, it seemed like a glamour magnet. Now that building looms forlorn, like a giant glass filing cabinet, and is headed toward foreclosure. The neighborhood itself exerts a weak pull. One long-timer, now moving out, told me his reason for doing so was simple: ï¿½It doesnï¿½t feel like a neighborhood. It has no charm.ï¿½ A real-estate broker who recently moved into NoMad told me he loves itï¿½though what he loves most is how close it is to other areas. ï¿½Youï¿½re in the Village in five minutes or youï¿½re in the Fifties in five minutes.ï¿½ Then he adds, ï¿½Truthfully, I wanted to be further south. Gramercy is ideally where Iï¿½d want to be.ï¿½ Thomas Gensemer, a managing partner at Blue State Digital, bought in the area in September.

ï¿½When people would say, ï¿½Where did you buy?ï¿½ Iï¿½d struggle,ï¿½ he says. ï¿½Itï¿½s definitely a community longing for an identity.ï¿½ When I asked Charles Isherwood if he or any other locals actually call the area ï¿½NoMad,ï¿½ he said, ï¿½Iï¿½m practically the only local I know.ï¿½ Unlike Williamsburg or Park Slopeï¿½neighborhoods that are ultimately defined by the character of their residents, often to the point of cartoonish clichï¿½NoMad isnï¿½t defined at all by NoMadders. As of now, NoMad is defined, appropriately, by its nonresidents; specifically, its hotels. Thereï¿½s not only the Ace and the NoMad but a clutch of nearby boutique hotels: the MAve, the Carlton, the Hotel Roger Williams, the Gershwin, and a new branch of the Gansevoort going up at 29th and Park. Many of the areaï¿½s hotels advertise themselves as being in either the Flatiron district or Chelsea.

(The promotional material for the new Eventi hotel and rental complex, which will take up a whole block of Sixth Avenue between 29th and 30th, currently places it in Chelsea, though ï¿½Penn Station Heightsï¿½ might be more accurate.) The folks behind the Ace and the NoMad, however, had no interest in stretching the boundaries of some attractive adjacent neighborhood. They decided to create a new one all their own. Despite all the destination hotels, GFI is careful to explain that NoMad wonï¿½t become another meatpacking districtï¿½a tourist-choked amusement-park parody of a neighborhood. ï¿½We want NoMad to be a neighborhood for New Yorkers. And we want the Ace to become a ï¿½living roomï¿½ for the neighborhood,ï¿½ Zobler says, and even at 8:30 a.m. on a weekday, there is a lot of living going on. The Breslin, the in-house restaurant, with its hunting-lodge-and-tartan vibe, is filling up with a local breakfast crowd.

(It opens at 7 a.m.) Itï¿½s run by Ken Friedman and April Bloomfield, proprietors of the Spotted Pig in the West Village, which, like the Breslin, marries the unpretentiousness of a no-reservations policy with the quiet exclusivity of never actually being able to get a dinner table. As a destination, the Breslin is crucial. The restaurant is always the catalyst. ï¿½First food, then fashion. Fashion always follows food,ï¿½ Consolo explains. Retail wants to cluster near retail, but people will travel for a hot restaurant, whether to far-flung Vinegar Hill or Broadway south of Herald Square. And once they get there, theyï¿½ll also find, all under the Aceï¿½s roof, a Stumptown coffee shop (for the morning crowd), the No. 7 Sub Shop (the lunch crowd), the Lobby Bar (the after-hours crowd), and a branch of the chic clothing store Opening Ceremony (the skinny-jeans-and-geometric-spectacles crowd). The Ace is negotiating to bring in an upscale nail-art salon, Valley. Normally it would take years for one hot neighborhood to develop that diversity of hip attractions.

But with the Ace, the whole thing comes preassembled. Itï¿½s like a hot-neighborhood starter kit. Joey Arak, senior editor of the real-estate blog Curbed.com, marvels at the genius of it. ï¿½Itï¿½s so much easier to kick-start something when itï¿½s a hotel-driven development patch, because then restaurateurs and store owners have a built-in client base,ï¿½ he says. ï¿½I canï¿½t imagine Ken Friedman saying, ï¿½Iï¿½m going to cruise 29th and Broadway to see if thereï¿½s anywhere I can open a restaurant.ï¿½ But the Ace Hotel is its own entertainment multiplex. Itï¿½s a self-contained pleasure dome of fun.ï¿½ Last month, eleven years after the termï¿½s debut, NoMad returned to the Times, in the headline ï¿½In NoMad, a Bar With a Pub Vibe,ï¿½ about the scene at the Ace.

The Guardian in London called NoMad ï¿½a hipster hub in midtown Manhattan.ï¿½ Even David Walentas said of NoMad, ï¿½Weï¿½re looking at a building there. But weï¿½ll be just another asshole.ï¿½ There are other dots to be connected as the rough borders of NoMad are sketched in: Thereï¿½s Bar Breton; the Eventi; and Eataly, a 32,000-square-foot skyscraperï¿½cumï¿½Italian artisanal market going up at the southeast corner of Madison Square Park, which will feature an 8,000-square-foot rooftop garden and six (!) restaurants under the guidance of Mario Batali. Thereï¿½s also, of course, Danny Meyerï¿½s Shake Shack in the park, where I once stood in line while a homeless man jeered, ï¿½Look at you!

Youï¿½ll wait 40 minutes to pay $8 for a cheeseburger!ï¿½ I wanted to correct him: The double cheeseburger is only $7, and Iï¿½d been in line for an hour and a half. If the Ace is a neighborhood starter kit, then massive projects like Eventi and Eataly are the same approach taken to a Vegas-level extreme. Itï¿½s like creating a whole new neighborhoodï¿½complete with residences, restaurants, bars, shops, and a steady flow of touristsï¿½inside one towering building: the neighborhood-as-biosphere. Gone are the days when you might reimagine an underused industrial zone on a map, or stumble on a bunch of vacant warehouses on the waterfront, or find some funky frontier in which to rub two sticks together and hope to ignite something new. There are no new frontiers, save the ones you carve out or conjure yourself, starting with the right magic word. ï¿½We all might be saying NoMad sounds dumb now,ï¿½ says Arak. ï¿½But if 10,000 people keep repeating it for five years, who knows?ï¿½ He corrects himself.

ï¿½Maybe not 10,000 people. Maybe 100 trendsetting Ace Hotel regulars.ï¿½ Eventually the name, and the neighborhood, and the idea of the neighborhood, will drift out into the city, and make its way into more headlines and tourist guides and maybe even taxicab mapsï¿½everywhere, it seems, except across the street, on 29th, where two shops stand side by side. One bears the enigmatic name City Group King Star, though a neon sign explicates further: BELT LIGHTER WALLET hat. Judging from the window display, they could add LED BOB MARLEY LIGHTER SKULL BONG SNOW IN A CAN. Next door is M.K. Sterling & Watches. Inside, I ask a clerk how long theyï¿½ve been here and he laughs. ï¿½Here? We just moved. We used to be thereï¿½ï¿½ and he points across the street to the corner of 29th and Broadway, which is now the prow of the Ace Hotel building and is currently covered in plywood, awaiting a new tenant. ï¿½We got kicked out,ï¿½ he says.

His name is Umang. His boss, the owner, also gives only his first name, Shappy. (To be fair, his business card uses only his first name; thatï¿½s how you do business in the wholesale district.) Shappyï¿½s had a store in the neighborhood for 25 years. Recently, heï¿½s seen other shops pick up for New Jersey or, in an odd echo of the Victorian mad wife stashed in the attic, move to the upper floors of the local skyscrapers when the storefronts got too expensive. Most of the storefronts on the east side of Broadway between 29th and 28th are now for rent. ï¿½Small people canï¿½t survive no more,ï¿½ Shappy says. He likes the Ace. Theyï¿½re decent neighbors. They even put planters out in front of their bar to obscure revelers and appease a mosque on the block. ï¿½Theyï¿½re busy,ï¿½ Umang says. ï¿½They bring good crowds,ï¿½ though few of those people wander over to shop for wholesale watches. ï¿½What we sell is inexpensive.

They sell T-shirts for $150.ï¿½ I think of Remington Guest (yes, his real name), a 21-year-old who lives in Hoboken and was written up in a Blackbook article on the Ace. ï¿½I mean, look at the area itï¿½s in,ï¿½ Guest said. ï¿½You walk outside and thereï¿½s some guy trying to sell you suitcases for five bucks.ï¿½ Correction: The Ace used to be in that area. Itï¿½s in NoMad now. Whatï¿½s in a neighborhoodï¿½s name? Written by Laura Gabby Spacious rooms, ecologically forward-thinking, post-war apartment. Location: Cloister Park. Cloister Park? Is that in Brooklyn? New Jersey? Pennsylvania? Nope. Itï¿½s in Manhattan. At the crux of Washington Heights and Inwood, to be exact. The apartment building at 37 Nagle Avenue was recently advertised by Stein-Perry Real Estate as resting in the ï¿½Cloister Parkï¿½ neighborhood.

According to Matthew Bizzarro of Stein-Perry Real Estate, ï¿½Cloister Parkï¿½ sits at the foot of the Cloisters, stretching north from the intersection of Bennett Avenue and Broadway, west of Bogardus Place and south of Dyckman Street. ï¿½The popularity of the neighborhood has exploded in the last five years,ï¿½ said Bizzarro. ï¿½We wanted to put a name to it that sticks out and fits with the neighborhood.ï¿½ Bizzarro says units in ï¿½Cloister Parkï¿½ have experienced a 500- to 600-percent increase in real estate prices over the past five years. Nonetheless, first time homebuyers will still pay $50,000 to $100,000 less for an apartment there than they would for a similar home up the hill on Fort Washington Avenue. A Stein-Perry one-bedroom apartment at 14 Bogardus Place a block off Nagle Avenue has an asking price of $299,000. The apartment comes completely renovated and is environmentally-friendly. The renovations were done with recycled materials, and are toxic-free.

Bizzarro said a lot of people come to look at this particular building because it is green and forward-thinking. Indeed, the courtyard behind 37 Nagle Avenue suggests a connection in vegetation and greenery with the nearby Fort Tryon Park, where the Cloisters sits high above the neighborhood below. Bizzarro said that the need for a name arose because the area is neither part of Hudson Heights nor part of Inwood. Bizzarro defined Hudson Heights as stretching from Fort Washington Park to Fort Tryon Park, or from 175th Street to Bennett Avenue and Broadway. Inwood, as Bizzarro defines it, runs from Dyckman to W. 218th Streets. The boundaries and definitions of neighborhoods have been fluid over the years, and often the boundaries and names are not entirely agreed upon by everyone. Some say Inwood extends from Nagle and Broadway to W. 218th Street. Some call the neighborhood surrounding Dyckman Street, ï¿½Dyckman City.ï¿½ Some lump all of Inwood and Washington Heights together, calling it simply the Heights.

ï¿½During the late 80s and early 90s, Washington Heights was being associated with every single crime north of 96th Street,ï¿½ said Gus Perry, Stein-Perry Real Estateï¿½s principal broker. Community groups started calling the area from W. 175th to W. 190th Streets Fort Washington. It has now been dubbed Hudson Heights by some. It is uncertain where the name Hudson Heights came from ï¿½ which group or individual first came up with it. It may have first spread with the founding of the Hudson Heights Ownerï¿½s Coalition. According to Perry, this was the point that brokers began using the name. ï¿½Part of it is to be trendy and for the mystique of it, part of it is to be able to identify and section different areas,ï¿½ said Bizzarro. ï¿½Itï¿½s important for areas that are up and coming to have a name and identification.ï¿½ Bizzarro said that the area is still extremely undiscovered, and that there are still many hidden gems in the neighborhood.

The buildingï¿½s board has most recently polished the gem of 37 Nagle Avenue by replacing the windows. The newer, energy-saving bay windows have reduced yearly heating and oil bills by 40 percent. In addition, all air conditioners installed are energy efficient. Be it Cloister Park, Inwood or Washington Heights, the buildingï¿½s board plans to continue to make decisions with the environment in mind, including the possibility of adding a green roof in the future, according to Bizzarro. ï¿½You donï¿½t always have a lot of choice in social responsibility in buying,ï¿½ said Bizzarro. All of Lower Manhattan Now Called 'CanDo,' Says This Guy December 8, 2010, by Joey Arak The Financial District, Battery Park City, Tribeca, SUPPLE (Suspicious Urban Pockets in the Pussycat Lounge Environs)—with so many names for the neighborhoods of Lower Manhattan, tourists get confused, and the identity of the area as a whole gets lost. And so Clive Burrow, chairman of the Lower Manhattan Marketing Association, has come up with a new nickname: CanDo, short for Canal Downtown. Upbeat!

Burrow thinks the moniker will help distinguish this part of the island from uptown, midtown and downtown (which he insists starts at 23rd Street and ends at Canal). So what's wrong with "Lower Manhattan?" No Soho-style pizzazz! The name already appears on maps being distributed in hotels, but so far we have yet to hear of any incidents of a cab driver punching someone in the face who said "Take me to CanDo!" pets About the owner: born and buttered New Yorker Why the Owner Chose Lower Manhattan, New York, NY, USA: This Italianate facade building was constructed in 1865 and is located in center of the designated historic area of Tribeca (Triangle below Canal). This landmark area is one of the neighborhoods of NY that is not permitted to be altered in any way by the NYC Landmarks commission. It is a peek into another era and should be enjoyed by walking among the many cobblestone streets that dot the area. The Unique Benefits at this Apartment: upscale area, well equipped/outfitted apt with numerous conveniences for a care free and comfortable visit to NY.. A unique and lovely space for the perfect 'Live like a New Yorker experience' or special event.

Contact us Response time: Within 12 hours Response Rate: 100% Click Here to see All My Rental Listings Guestbook comments from the owner Date of Stay 22 September 2014 Helpful votes:0/0. Great location in Tribeca with an easy walk to Soho, Greenwich Village, Chinatown and lower Manhattan. Easy to find and easy to get into. Very comfortable and quiet. Would encourage going to Battery Park at Chambers Street. Easy walk and the park is new there with sculpture and great views of the Hudson, the Jersey side and lower Manhattan. We ate at several neighborhood restaurants including Kori Korean and Anejo. All very good. Patrick We so enjoyed our stay at your place; it was a cozy and welcoming retreat amidst all the hustle and bustle of the city. We would definitely come back, as it is a charming apartment and neighborhood. Thank you so much for making us so welcome. P.S. We discovered the wonderful park/playground on Greenwich and Reade; that was a real success for our little one.

Lucia Review Submitted December 9, 2010 Date of Stay August 2010 My two teen children and I, from France, had a great moment in this very comfortable and nice apartment. The neighborhood in Tribeca is both quiet and trendy. You can find everything 24/7 just around the corner, walk to the park along the river, take the subway to any place in New York city, eat different types of cuisine in many restaurants or comfortably cook at home. Everything in this place is there to make yourself at home : nice furniture and decoration, fresh beds, full-equipped kitchen, laundry, and so on. We just felt as if we were New Yorkers and had a really wonderful time there. Thanks to the particularly welcoming family owning the property, who was very attentive and considerative of all our needs ! Hope to go back there soon. Isabelle Great base for visiting New York Helen London UK Review Submitted: March 16, 2010 Date of Stay: October 2009 My husband and I have stayed in the flats for New York Marathon week 2008 and 2009. In 2008 we were in the front flat.

In 2009 we were in the back flat with our teenage son and his friend. The description of the flats and the pictures are very accurate. The flats are clean and well maintained, warm and with plentiful supplies of hot water. The kitchen is well stocked with cooking implements and the computer and TV were functioning well. They both feel secure. The owner was helpful and clear and stayed in good contact during the booking process. She was there on our arrival to hand over keys and introduce us to the flat. She is extremely pleasant and helpful and had some good advice on local shops and eateries. There is lots of information on local shops, restaurants and take-aways at the flats. There is a lovely cafe called Bread close by, good food and friendly service. A bakery with the most delicious home made cup cakes within 1 minutes walk, and the Hudson River Park (nice views while running) five minutes walk away. Our favourite restaurant, Balthazaar, is only ten minutes walk away, as is downtown Bloomingdales, Dean and Deluca (FOOD!) the Uggs shop and lots more. Two streets away is a tiny theatre that does fantastic productions. We saw Blasted there - intense and very well done production.

The Tenement Museum is ten minutes walk away where informed guides show small groups round original tenement flats previously inhabited by Irish, Jewish, Porto Rican and German Immigrants. Good for kids and grown ups alike. They are both quiet at night. We preferred the front flat as it has great views down to the street. On the other hand the back flat is very quiet and was a great place to stay with kids - and even smaller kids than ours would feel at home there. There is even a box of toys there. I have stayed in hotels in New York. One spends a lot of money on being out for utilitarian meals like breakfast and cups of tea. Hiring an apartment works out cheaper as some meals are eaten at home. It also allows some respite from the throbbing city which can be a bit overwhelming. We will definitely book one of the flats when we make our next visit. We have recommended the apartments to friends with smaller children, friends with teenagers, a honeymoon couple and a pre baby couple.

Recommended for: Age 55+, Helen bedroom area with queen bed Dining getting ready for a film shoot Bedroom with sliding door closed View toward kitchen On set with Keanu Reeves during John Wick filming outside our door Keanu Reeves on lunch break during John Wick filming movie trailers nearby

Question: Tribeca, the name of a neighbourhood of Lower Manhattan, is a portmanteau word made up how?
Answer: Triangle Below Canal