Life, Culture, and Pipe Repairs in Manhattan’s Uptown Gem
Here the Sidewalks Talk and the Streets Have a Rhythm
Lower Manhattanites consider the neighborhood of Washington Heights remote, and its residents think that’s just fine. If word were to spread about this neighborhood, the streets would overflow because of the cultural vibrancy and engagement it harbors (Sidransky).
As with all of New York, Washington Heights (also known as “the Heights”) has a diverse makeup. African Americans account for 13% of the community and 10% are White. But it’s the Latino residents, who account for over 74% of the population, who dominate the social dynamism and identity of the area. Of course, local businesses and organizations reflect this demographic mix; 68% of businesses are Latino-owned. For this reason Spanish is the primary language and the authentic food could not be replicated anywhere else in the states (nyctourism.com).
The social influence from the Dominican and broader Latino communities brings vitality to the streets. Residents of the Heights are not secluded in glass high-rises like those in Midtown. Culture is a dynamic part of the street. While neighborhoods in lower parts of Manhattan reserve their sidewalks for moving from one place to another, in Washington Heights the people use them as a living room accessible to all. Here you’ll hear the lively sounds of bachata and merengue filling the air and if you don’t want to be in the apartment or at work, you hang out on the sidewalk. Native Michigander Devin Fuller, who moved to the area three years ago, speaks of his first encounter with this phenomena. He refers to the sidewalks as a “third space.” In a city known for being fast paced and maintaining anonymity, Washington Heights offers an alternative. People here know one another because they are on the sidewalks socializing. Simple errands take twice as long because of the need to catch up on the latest gossip. But time has a different meaning here (MAS.org; nyctourism.com).
Home Improvement as History: the Residents Mission for Mansions
Unknown to many, Manhattan’s history of Dutch settlement and its role in the Revolutionary War are still seen presently. Two Uptown landmarks can be experienced today because the people of Washington Heights are not just passive residents but rather active stewards of Manhattan’s legacy. Their dedication to preservation underscores a broader commitment within the community to honor and protect a shared heritage. Through their efforts, history is preserved, and its future secured (Snyder, “Crossing Broadway“).
From Tuesday through Sunday, you can tour the Morris-Jumel Mansion, built in the 1760s. George Washington, when he was a general in the Continental Army, used the mansion as his temporary headquarters. Local volunteers, drawn from the very people who live in Washington Heights, are entrusted to maintain, celebrate, and keep this historical site alive (MAS.org).
The Dyckman Farmhouse offers visitors a chance to step into the lives of early Dutch farmers. The last Dyckman child to grow up in the house, James Frederick Smith, bought the property in 1915 to ensure its preservation. He then bequeathed the home to the neighborhood and it was transformed into a museum in 1904. This transition was not just a passing of property but a gift from a resident to their community. The nonprofit maintaining the house is run by locals who voluntarily fill the positions of gardeners, administrators, tour guides, and visitor liaisons (Washington Heights Conservancy).
Those living in Washington Heights have not only preserved these historical sites but have also revitalized them, breathing new life into old structures, which reflects the broader trend in the neighborhood, where homes and buildings once at risk of decay are being restored by the community. The process of revitalization reflects the people’s commitment to maintaining its cultural and historical identity, even as the neighborhood evolves (MAS.org; CooperatorNews).
Highbridge Park: Gothic Towers and Splash Zones
The Highbridge Water Tower, a 200-foot tall bastion of Gothic Revival architecture, has served as a crucial part of New York City’s water infrastructure since the early 19th century. With its 47,000-gallon capacity, the tower has long been a symbol of the city’s ability to meet the demands of its rapidly growing population. The surrounding area has also undergone a significant transformation, evolving into a 52-acre park that has become a cornerstone of community life in Washington Heights. Thanks to the vision and efforts of local residents, the historic site was reimagined as a vibrant green space that serves the community’s modern needs. By preserving the tower and surrounding it with recreational facilities, the people of Washington Heights have ensured that history and modern daily life coexist (Snyder, “Refuge in the Heights”).
Highbridge Park, with its pools, ball courts, and grills, offers more than just recreational facilities; it provides a vital green space for residents in a densely populated urban environment. In a neighborhood with limited access to private outdoor spaces, the park is a sanctuary. Families gather for picnics, children play on the playgrounds, and adults participate in swim classes at the Olympic-size pool. The park fosters a sense of social cohesion and community pride.
The Highbridge Walkway was once the aqueduct that supplied the tower with water from the Croton dam. The impressive, 15-arch bridge is now a pedestrian walkway that connects Manhattan to the Bronx, further enhancing the park’s role as a community hub. Residents use the walkway not only for commuting but also for exercise and leisure, while enjoying the scenic views it offers. This connection to the larger city through the walkway reinforces Washington Heights’ integration into the broader New York City community (MAS.org; CooperatorNews).
The Highbridge Water Tower and its surrounding park transcend its historical demarcation to become a vital space that enhances the quality of life for the residents, providing a place for recreation, connection, and community-building.
From Unicorns to Tony Awards: Taking “The Heights” to Global Heights
At Fort Tryon Park, green space and medieval art mingle. This local park draws global crowds because it’s here that, among other works of art, the famed Unicorn Tapestries can be seen. The Cloisters, governed by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, opened in 1938. The land and building construction were funded by John D. Rockefeller to house the Met’s medieval and religious artifacts. Here, nestled within the greenery of the park, residents and tourists can view up close statuaries, tapestries, paintings, and even building facades from the 1400s. And, while the museum is certainly a draw to many who appreciate art history, it’s the residents who breathe life into the surrounding park. For most of the locals the surrounding fields and gardens are known for sunbathing, reading, picnics and romance. The views up and down the Hudson River from this park are unrivaled in all of Manhattan but it’s the everyday use by Washington Heights residents that makes it a beloved neighborhood space (MAS.org; Snyder, “Crossing Broadway“).
On Broadway, between 175th and 176th streets, the United Palace theater brings international interest to the area for its opulence and blend of Byzantine-Persian-Rococo-style architecture. Perhaps you’ve seen it on television? The venue hosted the 76th Tony Awards and is featured in the Hulu show Only Murders in the Building.
While the theater draws deserved attention, it remains rooted in the neighborhood. The community makes sure to use the building’s architecture for its benefit. The side of the building provides a gracious veranda and plaza for gatherings. It’s here that you’ll find Sunday block parties and community salsa and Zumba classes. On any given day the open space next to the theater is where friends play dominoes, gossip, and listen to music. Further contributing to the arts in the area, the non-profit United Palace of Cultural Arts features artists from the Washington Heights area and welcomes the community to performances, presentations, and movie series curated just for them (nyctourism.com; Ritchie).
Other towns might consider the United Palace a centerpiece in their “theater district,” but Washington Heights considers it another neighbor. Since it is on the main artery through the neighborhood, businesses are located on either side. To the right of this landmark is Flor de Mayo, a restaurant serving traditional Latin cuisine. And to the left is the Food Emporium, a grocery store with aisles so narrow each person must wait their turn to shop because there isn’t enough space for two people to pull Cheerios from the shelf at the same time. And shopping carts?… Fuhgeddaboudit!
Washington Heights inspires grand creativity, as evidenced by local Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway hit In the Heights. A musical so well received that it became a movie in 2021. Because of Miranda’s creativity, theatergoers across America were able to experience the Heights’ distinctive flair (Ritchie).
Whether by attending performances at the United Palace or participating in community art programs, it’s the residents who keep the arts alive in Washington Heights. By doing so they ensure that culture remains a dynamic and integral part of the neighborhood so talent can shine on global stages.
Navigating the Heights: Where the GW Bridge and NY Attitude Collide
Opening to traffic on October 25, 1931, the George Washington Bridge spans the Hudson River and connects Manhattan to New Jersey. This double-decker structure, the busiest motor vehicle bridge in the world, has seven lanes on the upper level and seven on the lower. Its design was meant to handle 60,000 cars a day but that number has more than doubled and now exceeds 290,000, which translates to 200 cars per minute, more or less (CooperatorNews).
The bridge is located on the west side of the neighborhood, and the small two-lane streets of Washington Heights could never handle the congestion a bridge of this magnitude can bring. The not-so-simple solution was to tunnel under the community, so cars and trucks could be routed onto various parkways that could accommodate the influx of traffic.
Though most traffic is funneled under the community, there are two ramps into Washington Heights. These ramps accommodate traffic leaving or entering the Upper West Side. Eastbound drivers enter the local Manhattan area by way of these ramps. Drivers departing the seven-lane highway abruptly enter a two-lane residential neighborhood, with crosswalks located at the end of each ramp.
New Yorkers, with their renowned attitudes, rarely obey traffic signals, making intersections at these highway-end crosswalks a strange showdown between confident pedestrians and startled drivers. No one living here is intimidated by speeding two-ton metal objects because they just know how to adeptly move around them. It may seem unbelievable, but the death toll from vehicle accidents is actually quite low (Alroy et al.).
Another spectacle residents witness is the parade of 18-wheelers on their way to the bridge. These rolling titans, built for highways, are now navigating a residentially zoned area with short intersections and high pedestrian activity, giving truckers the ultimate driving test. Only the most experienced drivers can manage to pass. It is not unusual for significant traffic jams to occur as less-experienced drivers get stuck and need to back up to try to make their turn again. Adding further humiliation to the driver is the feedback from pedestrians on the trucker’s skills. Annoyed and amused locals ask one particular question to stuck trucks: “Eh asshole, where’d you learn to drive?!”
In true Heights fashion, residents have turned the chaos into just another part of daily life, expertly weaving through traffic with the ease of seasoned pros. What could be a frustrating ordeal elsewhere is simply another challenge to master in this resilient community.
Cones Rule the Streets: Surviving the Endless Pipe Dreams
Ongoing construction is just another shared experience that unites the community. Major projects to repair Manhattan’s century-old water pipes cause a perpetual cycle of street and sidewalk closures, adding further complications for drivers and pedestrians alike. With sidewalks closed, everyone walking is routed into the streets which then become spaces for an ultimate survival of the fittest battle between cycling commuters, food deliveries on electric scooters, pedestrians hauling shopping bags, honking cars carrying cursing motorists, passengers alighting from buses, and the “weeeeooo-weeeeooo”-roaring ambulances. It doesn’t take long for new residents to gain the confidence needed to walk between cars, trucks, and buses at bumper level.
The constant need for the city to dig up the roads and repair the old pipes is an experience Heights residents get used to quickly. That ubiquitous water turn-off notice is posted to prepare everyone for collective misery. A day or two later, the streets are closed and then dug up to expose ancient piping buried 20 feet under the asphalt. Since Washington Heights is at the top of Manhattan Island, all water passes through the conduits buried underneath the area’s infrastructure. These pipes need upgrading to modern standards.
The number of times the streets are torn up then repaved is a common neighborly joke. By day, construction workers, clad in reflective orange vests, direct pedestrians away from the active excavating equipment. At night, residents navigate an ever-changing maze of construction cones, set out as warnings for the 20-foot drop in their future should they step off the curb
Residents Love It—But They Won’t Tell You That!
Come to Washington Heights, where friends gather on the sidewalks and life happens out in the open. Here is where community thrives, but don’t expect the locals to brag about it because when New Yorkers find a place they love, they don’t share it. In a city as crowded and chaotic as New York, finding a special spot that feels like home is like discovering a hidden gem. The people of Washington Heights cherish their neighborhood for its unique vibe and tight-knit community, and that’s what makes it special. But too much attention might change that, so keep it to yourself. One neighborhood block party and you’ll understand why Washington Heights’ charm is worth keeping under wraps.
Bibliography
Alroy, KA, et al. “Can Changing Neighborhoods Influence Mental Health? An Ecological Analysis of Gentrification and Neighborhood-Level Serious Psychological Distress—New York City, 2002–2015.” PLOS ONE, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0283191.
This peer-reviewed article provides an analysis of the way gentrification affects mental health in various neighborhoods, but most relevant – Washington Heights. It is used here for understanding social and health impacts of change in the area. The study’s findings support the essay’s discussions on community cohesion and the challenges residents face due to gentrification.
CooperatorNews. “The Changing Faces of Washington Heights: A Look at an Evolving NYC Neighborhood.” CooperatorNews New York, 2024. www.cooperatornews.com.
This source gives an overview of the demographic and cultural shifts in Washington Heights. It is useful for providing background information on the neighborhood’s evolution and the effects of these changes on local residents. It complements the discussion of the neighborhood’s diverse cultural makeup and ongoing transformation.
MAS.org. “Washington Heights: NYC’s Most Newly Famous Historic Neighborhood. “The Municipal Art Society of New York, 2024, www.mas.org.
This reference from The Municipal Art Society of New York highlights Washington Heights’ historical and cultural significance. Particularly relevant to the essay’s focus on the neighborhood’s heritage and the preservation efforts by the community. The source also ties into the discussion of notable landmarks like The Cloisters and Fort Tryon Park.
nyctourism.com. “Explore Latino Culture in Washington Heights Neighborhood Here.” NYC Tourism News, 2024, www.nyctourism.com.
This article provides insights into the vibrant Latino culture that dominates Washington Heights. It includes descriptions of local businesses, food, and cultural practices, making it a valuable source for the essay’s discussion on the neighborhood’s social dynamics and community life.
Snyder, Robert W. “Crossing Broadway: Washington Heights and the Promise of New York City.” Cornell University Press, 2015.
This book by Robert W. Snyder is a comprehensive resource on the history and development of Washington Heights. It provides the context for the essay’s exploration of the neighborhood’s past, including the preservation of historical landmarks. The book also discusses the community’s role in shaping the neighborhood’s identity.
Snyder, Robert W. “Refuge in the Heights: Migration, Memory, and Authoritarianism in the Twentieth Century.” Gotham Center for New York City History, 2020, www.gothamcenter.org.
“The View from Uptown: A Cultural Panoramic of Washington Heights.” New Women New Yorkers, New Women New Yorkers, https://www.nywomenimmigrants.org/the-view-from-uptown-a-cultural-panoramic-of-washington-heights/. Accessed 26 July 2024.
“Washington Heights, Manhattan – History.” UrbanAreas.net, Urban Areas, https://urbanareas.net/info/washington-heights-manhattan-history/. Accessed 26 July 2024.
Washington Heights Conservancy. “Preserving the Legacy of Washington Heights: Historic Sites and Community Involvement.” Historic Districts Council’s Six to Celebrate, 2024. www.6tocelebrate.org.
“Washington Heights.” C250 at Columbia University, Columbia University, https://c250.columbia.edu. Accessed 26 July 2024.