In my research of the Upper East Side neighborhood of Manhattan, I found some very interesting issues and aspects, that one would not think would be present here. As individuals, we seem to believe that everything about the Upper East Side is perfect; the best schools, the best apartments, the best restaurants, and of course, the perfect fairytale lifestyle. However, one discovery I made involved the public schools in the community, especially one in particular. Along with this information, I have also found crucial data and research on other aspects of the Upper East Side, such as demographics, crime, and community activists.
The main focus of my research was to find information that supports my argument of the Upper East Side being more than just a wealthy community. I want to showcase dedicated community members, and show a side of this neighborhood that so many refuse to bring to the surface. Every community encounters conflicts and individuals who refuse to conform to the way of life presented before them. The Upper East Side is no exception. From local community groups, to school conflicts, to crime, there’s a lot more to this neighborhood than we’re being shown.
The first data I researched was the demographics and some general statistics of the Upper East Side. One piece of information that caught my attention was that space used for recreation was only 2.7%, while residential space took up 46.3% of land use. According to nyc.gov, 87.9% of people on the Upper East Side are 18 years of age or older, making majority of the population adults. In addition, within the majority of households in this area, the householder ranges in age from 25-44 years old, at 47.1%. The type of household in the neighborhood with the highest percentage is non family households at 64.7 %. The overall population of the Upper East Side is of the white Non-Hispanic race, with the number being 179, 355. African Americans and Hispanics make up a much smaller number of the population, with the numbers totaling 6,907 and 13,026 respectively.
One of the more important statistics here is the land use. This shows that things are disproportionate and housing takes over much of the Upper East Side. Building after building along the streets is not very environmental. Neighborhoods need open space and other outdoor, green areas. This allows me to see that this neighborhood is struggling with environmental issues, which is why community groups like Upper Green Side are needed.
One of the major issues I found during my research pertained to schools on the Upper East Side. The neighborhood has many private schools; however there are still a number of public schools in the area. According to an article on villagevoice.com, the Lower Laboratory School and Straus School have both been given space in the same building to share. The Lower Lab is mostly made up of white children, 69% and Asian children. The Straus School is primarily Latino, 47% and African American, 24%. The ongoing problem at the school is that kids from Straus are not allowed to enter through the front door, only the back door. Whereas the Lower Lab Students, mostly white, are allowed to enter through the front door. Further division between the students can be seen in the hallways, and in the classrooms where each school has separate classrooms. They do not mix the students.
Clearly, this shows that the Upper East Side is far from the glamorous label that we place on it. This conflict within the schools supports my case, in presenting that behind all the money and the big houses, there are some serious problems in the neighborhood. Not only does it show the schools in a negative way, but also the community as a whole and its individual members. In a way the division in the schools, represents a division in the Upper East Side community.
The last area of research I did involved crime in the area. The data I found was pretty shocking to me. For a neighborhood like the Upper East Side, the crime rates were pretty high. In the area of Lenox Hill, the week of August 16, 210, there were 41 crimes reported to Precinct 19. Of these 41 crimes, there were 2 rapes, 2 robberies, 5 burglaries, 28 grand larcenies, and 4 auto grand larcenies. Furthermore, in the area of Carnegie Hill, 47 crimes were reported to Precinct 18. Of these 47 crimes, there was 1 murder, 1 rape, 4 robberies, 1 felony assault, 4 burglaries, 34 grand larcenies, and 2 auto grand larcenies.
These numbers show me that crime is actually prevalent in this community. Most would think crime would be lower due to demographic data, and because of the wealthy area that it is. Again, this just proves that the Upper East Side may be one of the nicer, wealthier neighborhoods, but just like anywhere else there are hidden problems that don’t seem to surface as often.