Discovering the Other New York

Harlem’s community is proud and energetic, shaped by a love of music, food and social consciousness. Block parties and pick-up basketball games are a constant part of life, but get away from the main thoroughfares and the tree-lined blocks become quiet and residential. The streets, however, can be unpredictable. Beautiful churches and elegant row houses abut housing projects just as sleek new restaurants are moving in next to hole-in-the-wall home-cooking joints.  In recent years, the poverty rate in Harlem has declined, but it still remains among Manhattan's poorest neighborhoods. This has not deterred a spate of new developments and residents moving into the area.