East Harlem apartments are in a district that has gone through quite a number of names throughout the years. Known primarily as Spanish Harlem outside of the neighborhood, it was more commonly referred to as El Barrio ("the neighborhood") inside it. Making this all the more interesting is the fact that Hispanics were not the first residents of the area.
East Harlem apartments and houses were originally built to be much more modest than the middle-class structures being erected in neighboring West Harlem. Because of this, working-class families naturally leaned toward East Harlem apartments and houses which they could afford. And the first ethnic group to take advantage of East Harlem apartments was Italian.
In the 1950s, the U.S. Government wanted to assist the people of Puerto Rico by alleviating the small country's problem of overpopulation by making it easier to emigrate to America. Numerous Puerto Ricans took advantage of the opportunity, and many of them eventually made the East Harlem area their own.
One of the traditions that Hispanic-Americans maintain in East Harlem is La Marqueta, or the Market. Extending from 111th to around 116th on Park Avenue, this open-air market has something for everybody. Whether you're picking up vegetables for tonight's dinner or a knick-knack for the folks back home, chances are you can pick it up here.
Across Fifth Avenue in Central Park stands one of the most beautiful Manhattan apartment rentals spots in all of East Harlem. The six-acre Conservatory Garden is set apart from the rest of the park as a formal garden. Come during spring to watch the tulips bloom, or drop by during the fall to get your fill of chrysanthemums. When the weather is warm enough, expect to see at least one newly-married couple stopping here to get their photos taken.
Perhaps the most important set of buildings in the neighborhood are those that make up Mount Sinai hospital. This complex is also one of East Harlem's major employers and a true boon to anyone who maintains an apartment or house in East Harlem. The originally Jewish facility was moved here in 1904, and now takes up all of 98th to 101st Streets on Fifth Avenue.
