nyc: NYC locals only please: What part of Harlem is undergoing a renaissance? I understand parts of Harlem are undergoing a significant change. I am relocating and entertaining the idea of finding a place in those parts. However, I want to be cognizant of the area and avoid parts that might not be the best place for someone who did not grow up in the area. Can anybody provide the specific areas, location, street numbers, etc? Thanks!|||Anything west of 8th avenue, particularly "west harlem" is really gentrifying as Columbia University is taking over more land and more luxury condos are coming up thus pushing everyone out. I would stick away from the east harlem, aka el barrio or spanish harlem right now. Don't go very far away from 125th street in central harlem as it gets kinda sketchy around 135th - to about 160th street. After that, you start hitting washington heights where i live, and i lived in both and think the heights are much better than harlem. In summary: West side = good yet expensive east side = sketchy, but cheap central = toss-up close to central park = very good, very expensive (for harlem) north of 135 to about 160 = avoid for now|||http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redlining|||for one, the Central Park North and the West 110th Street (Cathedral Parkway) corridor from Fifth Avenue to Morningside Park, and turning uptown along the downhill side of Morningside Park, which are Manhattan and Morningside Avenues. PS - you can also take the #2 and #3 trains from West 110th Street / Central Park North and Lenox Avenue to Chambers Street, running express, in about 20 minutes. the IRT express trains also provide direct and excellent connections between Central Harlem and 4 stops in the Financial District.|||I agree with the areas listed. To answer the other part of your question, you can take the A from 125th street straight down to Broadway/Nassau. It should take about 45 minutes during the day.|||Another section of Harlem that is undergoing a renaissance will be the Lenox Avenue corridor from 110th Street all the way up to 145th Street. New buidings are going up and older one are being renovated. Also the 125th Street corridor is undergoring a renaissance. New store are moving in while the ordinary mom and pop shops are being pushed out. I hope this information was very helpful. Good luck