Chinatown / Little Italy / Nolita

Chinatown in Manhattan can be a great place to live for families who want a dynamic neighborhood. Read on to know what you can expect when you look for apartments on rent in Chinatown.

Chinatown apartments are much in demand these days since it is one of the most lively and oldest neighborhoods in Manhattan. Chinatown had been founded during in the 1890s and it is a centre of historic and cultural riches. If you are looking for an apartment to rent in this area you should know that you will find it a little difficult to find one on a tight budget. Because of the variety of apartments that can be found here, it is easy to find one that would be suitable for your needs.  

A Unique Experience Chinatown apartments are chosen by most people simply because they offer a very unique experience. The neighborhood is one of the most densely populated in Manhattan and it runs from the Bowery to Broadway in between Canal Street and Worth Street and between Grand Street and East Broadway. As it can be guessed, the area has a large Chinese population and culture. Little Italy border of the neighborhood adds to the cultural diversity that can be found here. There are a few parts of the neighborhood that have recently been developed and these have become the hot spot for younger residents because of the low real estate prices and their close proximity to bars and restaurants. 

Types of Apartments that Can be Found in the Area Because of the huge diversity in Chinatown apartments, you will be able to find apartments that are suitable for your needs and budget. The options that you can find here include mostly walkup tenement buildings as well as modern and new mid rises. The population in the area is mostly young with few older singles residing here and there. There are specific sections in the neighborhoods which are up and coming like the area bordering Lower East Side. There areas are often picked by younger families and college graduates.  

Chinatown is usually very crowded during the weekends and during the days because of the large number of establishments, tourists, street vendors and local residents that can be found here. However, at night the area is much quieter as the crowds begin to thin. This is the time when the appeal of the area actually becomes evident. One of the best things about the area is that you will be able to find a good selection of restaurants and bars. Some of the most popular destinations have recently been set up here. Transportation facilities available in the area are also quite good which makes it easier to commute. 

If you are looking for Chinatown apartments to rent in the area you will have to be ready to deal with high rental price.

 Little Italy:

Little Italy is located comfortably in cozy ambience of Lower Manhattan populated largely by Italians. Previously, Little Italy belonged to the stretches of Upper Manhattan. One could find a perfect backdrop of Italian culture and traditions followed here with much to offer through Italian restaurants, Italian stores and supermarkets.

The history of Little Italy dates long before a century and extends itself from Bayard Street in South to Bleecker in North and Lafavette in West to Bowery in East. Currently it has gained influence from China as many Chinese Immigrants have moved into this area and thus absorbed by Chinatown. What was earlier called as Little Italy with significant area has now shrunk itself to a single street which has home of early Italians who settled here many years ago.

The northern end of Little Italy is now called as NoLIta (North of Little Italy). Unfortunately, this neighborhood is slowly losing its Italian reminiscences. The only street that can be said to be of Little Italy neighborhood is the Mulberry Street. Around two dozens of Italian restaurants line up here attracting tourists from all over. As opposed to China town which has been expanding in area and increased inflow of Chinese Immigrants, Little Italy still remains the same in all aspects without commercialization.

People here celebrate Feast of San Gennaro, an annual religious ceremony during the month of September, originated in the year 1926 to celebrate the arrival of Naples Immigrants. It is usually celebrated in Mulberry Street in Little Italy with huge crowd, mostly Italian immigrants, sharing their happiness among each other. Initially this festival was celebrated for one day which is now observed for 11 days between Houston and Mosco Streets. This has played a major role in uniting Italian and American Community and in preserving Italian Culture till date.

Little Italy is listed in the book of National Register of Historic Places in the year 2010 along with China town that is within a single historic district. Some of the NYC’s Italian American neighborhoods include The Bronx’s, Brooklyn’s and Queens with Ozone Park, Middle Village and Howard Beach. Staten Island has the largest Italian American population among all countries of United States. Rosebank is considered as the foremost Italian enclave and over 220,000 residents affirm to be of Italian Heritage, which is over 40% of the population in the neighborhood.

There are many interesting places to visit such as St.Patrick’s old Cathedral, Mulberry Street and Canal Street – meeting place of Chinese and Italians, San Gennaro Shrine at the Most Precious Blood Church, Ray’s Pizza on the extreme north of Little Italy, Lombardi’s Pizza and there are many vendors on streets selling mouth watering sausages, cheesesteak and other interesting Italian foods.

To sum up, Little Italy has always been a home to Italian population in New York City. It has been able to offer much more than a mere residential neighborhood. Although it has shrunk itself in size to a maximum of 40 blocks, it has been able to create and recreate magic moments with San Gennaro Festival during all Septembers for 11 days and authentic Italian groceries. One could get glimpses of restaurants and permits often frequented by mafias. Its indeed a wonderful experience to stay next to Little Italy

     Nolita:

Standing for 'NOrth of Little ITAly', NoLita was originally part of what was once the vast neighborhood of Little Italy. As Chinatown exploded in the early 20th-century and began to absorb large sections of its surrounding neighborhoods, Little Italy shrank, leaving most of its northern section and Mulberry Street center intact.

In the 1990's the northern section of Little Italy experienced a large influx of young urban professionals escaping the high rents of SoHo. This, in turn, inspired the blossoming of fancy boutiques and establishments along it's quaint cobblestone streets. With a new energy in the neighborhood, distinct from the old charm of Little Italy, and NoLita was born. Currently considered an extremely fancy and expensive neighborhood, NoLita is especially desired for its convenient access to the surrounding neighborhoods of NoHo, Lower East Side, and SoHo. Highlights: Tree lined streets, Old St. Patrick's Cathedral

Nolita, an abbreviation for 'NOrth of Little ITAly, is a relatively new neighborhood.  Once a part of Little Italy, in the mid-1990's the neighborhood was rebranded and the catchy name that stuck was Nolita, following the naming trend of its neighbors Soho,  (South of Houston Street), and Tribeca, (Triangle Below Canal Street).

Nolita, in the 1990's experienced a large influx of young urban professionals escaping the high rents of SoHo. This, in turn, inspired the blossoming of fancy boutiques and establishments along it's quaint cobblestone streets. With a new energy in the neighborhood, distinct from the old charm of Little Italy, NoLita was born. Currently considered an extremely fancy and expensive neighborhood, NoLita is especially desired for its convenient access to the surrounding neighborhoods of NoHo, Lower East Side, and SoHo.

NoLita is south of NoHo, bounded on the north by Houston Street, on the east by the Bowery, on the south roughly by Broome Street, and on the west roughly by Lafayette Street.

Nolita apartments for sale are dominated by condominiums with a few co-ops mixed in.  The Nolita real estate market is often seen as an offshoot of its neighbor Soho, but is still a product of its more relaxed roots.  New Construction buildings have entered the market place with varying reflections of the neighborhood character.

Pricing for Nolita apartments for sale tends to fluctuate closer to Soho and Noho than it does the Lower East Side, but ultimately the variations depend on building quality, building amenities, exposure and renovations. 

Some of Nolita's greatest appeal is that it has relatively everything you would be looking for in the downtown Manhattan experience, great boutique shopping, close proximity to Soho, eclectic mix of restaurants, cafes and entertainment.

For information regarding Nolita apartments for sale, or for Nolita apartments for rent