New York Living Solutions

Clinton Hill’s restored townhouses and mansions hint to an era during the 1840s in which the neighborhood served as playground for some New York City’s wealthiest residents. The Pratt Institute of Art (the neighborhood’s pride) has not only left an artistic imprint on Clinton Hill, it has also welcomed much desired residential and commercial development. Local markets and the area’s ethnic diversity add to Clinton Hill’s appeal. Although the limited subway options have deterred some Manhattan professionals from relocating, developers are hoping to lure them with new condo high-rises.

Modeled after an English botanical garden; Kew Gardens is a charming residential neighborhood with a mix of Tudor and Colonial style single family homes, mid-rise apartment buildings, co-ops and condos. This middle to upper middle class neighborhood boasts lots of green spaces and a serene ambiance, without any of the urban buzzing synonymous with Manhattan. Local cafés, restaurants, cultural centers and nightlife cater to an eclectic mix of residents, including young professionals, multi-generational Jewish families, and Irish, Russian, Caribbean, South American, Chinese, Indian, Korean and Japanese immigrants.

TriBeCa is actually an acronym for "Triangle Below Canal" - TriBeCa. Since the 1970s, Tribeca has experienced a renaissance, as artists, retailers, and even families, have populated the neighborhood's large warehouse buildings and lofts. The area’s cobblestone streets, impressive warehouse buildings, and world-class dining, uniquely blend the old and new.

Virtually uninhabited less than twenty years ago, TriBeCa has become one of the hottest real estate areas in Manhattan. Struggling artists flocked to TriBeCa when the rent in SoHo became too high. With a similar building makeup (low-rise cast iron buildings with large windows and interior walls), TriBeCa quickly became the interest of professionals and businesses alike. Although TriBeCa is home to artists, celebrities and industrial types, it is also an ideal place for family living. With fewer tourists than SoHo, but with the similar building layouts and spacious designs, families have discovered TriBeca to be the perfect blend of convenience and location.

The West Village is undoubtedly among the most artistically vibrant and intellectually engaging neighborhoods in New York City. The neighborhood that once served as the home base for those enamored by the bohemian lifestyles popularized during 1960s and 1970s is now peppered with ethnic restaurants, trendy boutiques, and animated nightlife. Although the walk-ups remain a residential staple for artists, intellectuals and students, families have also begun to also flock to the spacious renovated lofts and residential towers that now populate the area.

Populated by mostly Jewish and Italian families during 1960s, in recent decades, Elmhurst has become home-base to a large Asian and Latin immigrant community. Now a prospering working- middle-class neighborhood, apartments, co-ops and multi-family homes adorn the quite streets of the most ethnically diverse zip-code in New York City. Subway lines facilitate access the rest of Queens, or the half hour trip into Midtown Manhattan. Locals frequent the area’s small businesses, or may venture out to the ever-popular Queen’s Center Mall. If shopping is not your diversion of choice, you can enjoy the impressive architecture of places of worship, including colonial era- Christian churches and Thai Buddhist Temples.