New York real estate: Lower East Side

By Hesper Desloovere | Special to amNewYork

March 20, 2008

The Tenement Museum at 97 Orchard Street was designed to chronicle and preserve New York immigrant history. The Museum has been is designated as a National Historic Site and serves roughly 125,000 vsitors per year. (RJ Mickelson / March 19, 2008)

Like the neighborhood Whole Foods that was perpetually "coming soon," the transformation of the Lower East Side has been a long time coming. Once the first stop after Ellis Island for newcomers, the enclave has probably played host to more immigrant populations than any other New York neighborhood.

In the second half of the 19th century, the influx of immigrants was so enormous that landlords couldn't throw buildings up fast enough. To squeeze as many people into -- and as much money out of -- each narrow plot of land, the city devised a New York classic: the tenement.

A fixture of the LES landscape, tenements were the first buildings in America built specifically for more than one family to live in independently. While anxiety about smallpox, cholera and tuberculosis prompted successively stricter laws requiring ventilation and light, many of the tenements still standing in the neighborhood predate these upgrades.

Where towering glassy structures haven't cropped up, tenements with original details such as tin ceilings, clawed bathtubs and airshafts -- vertical pits designed to skirt rules requiring fresh air -- remain virtually untouched.

While German, Polish, Ukranian, Italian, Latino, Chinese and Bangladeshi immigrants have all passed through the area's tenements, the area's Jewish community has played the largest role in shaping the neighborhood. At the turn of the last century, the LES was teeming with pushcarts, synagogues, Yiddish theaters and Kosher vendors. Today, among boutiques and bars, the odd pickle shop or fabric warehouse represent the neighborhood's Jewish heritage.

Though American Apparel billboards and luxury apartments loom over the area, a little digging turns up vestiges of the old world neighborhood on every block. From bialys to dim sum, the immigrant influence is still palpable on the side streets of the Lower East Side.

Find it

The Lower East Side is bounded by the East River to the east, the Bowery to the west, East Houston Street to the north and Grand Street to the south.

TO PARTY

The most commonly heard phrase uttered about the Lower East Side is: "I used to like that place until [insert complaint about hipsters or yuppies]." That said, the area is brimming with bars -- even a few untouched dives.

205 Club
A funny combination of high and low, 205 offers bottle service under a glimmering disco ball and what looks like tin foil peeling off the walls. Get there before the lines get long, and stick around until the dancing is under way downstairs.
205 Chrystie St. 212-477-6688

The Magician
While not exactly a dive bar, The Magician is about as close as it gets to a regular place with regular people -- no particular scene. To enjoy this phenomenon to the fullest, stick to weeknight visits.
118 Rivington St. 212-673-7851

The Annex
If you've outgrown your fake ID, chances are you'll feel old at The Annex on a Friday night. But if you can put down your walker long enough to dance, the fun music is worth braving the sometimes silly crowd.
152 Orchard St. 212- 673-3410

Stanton Public

With 17 beers on tap and happy hours every day of the week, Stanton Public is a good place to go when serious drinking is your object.
17 Stanton St. 212-677-5555

The Box

New York's contemporary attempt at Moulin Rouge succeeds thanks to its palatial setting, bawdy show and constant reminders of how lucky you are to be there.
189 Chrystie St. 212-982-9301

TO EAT
The Lower East Side is a food destination, offering innovative New American cuisine as well as food perfected by the waves of immigrants who have passed through the area.

Congee Village
Once a well-kept secret, Congee Village is now the neighborhood's go-to spot for cheap, authentic Chinese. With nearly 100 dishes under $5, it's hard to make excuses not to try the pork stomach or fish maw congee (porridge).
100 Allen St. 212- 941-1818

Frankies 17 Clinton Street Spuntino
This cozy outpost of the Court Street favorite by the same name delivers equally tasty, inventive and affordable little dishes. Perfect for diners who like to assemble their own meals and take bites off each other's plates, Frankies offers a variety of small meals from squash and yam ravioli to pine nut polenta.
17 Clinton St. 212- 253-2303

The Stanton Social
One of the sleeker new-guard restaurants, Stanton Social promotes appetizer fare to dinner status. Servers will encourage you to order a bunch of mini dishes for the table, but beware: Those tasty tapas add up fast.
99 Stanton St. 212-995-0099

88 Orchard
Write a novel, read the paper, play scrabble or just drink the good coffee at this cozy cafe.
88 Orchard St. 212-228-8880

Sammy's Roumanian
Katz's is always a safe bet for Jewish favorites, but if you're looking for more food that ends in "ach," Sammy's is your place. Like a bar mitzvah party with a lot more vodka, Sammy's serves up kreplach, karnatzlach, rugelach and a prime cut of just about every meat imaginable -- except pork, of course.
157 Chrystie St. 212-673-0330

Alias
While those suckers down the street are waiting it out for a table at Clinton Street Baking Company, you can chow down fried chicken and waffles to the tunes of Dolly Parton at Alias. The three-course $25 Sunday supper changes weekly, so there's always something new to try.
76 Clinton St. 212-505-5011

TO SHOP
While the area is peppered with boutiques these days, specialty foods are really the neighborhood's calling card.

Economy Candy Market

Sugar Daddies, Bit-O-Honey, Charleston Chews, Warheads, Necco Wafers, Fox's U-Bet Chocolate Syrup, Rock Candy, Candy Buttons, Pop Rocks, Wax Lips, Fruit Stripe Gum--whenever you were a kid, Economy Candy has your childhood favorite.
108 Rivington St. 212-352-4544

Russ & Daughters

Beloved by both Martha Stewart and the neighborhood's Jewish mainstays, Russ & Daughters has everything you need for a killer brunch spread. From smoked fish to dried fruits, the nearly 100-year-old establishment still excels at prepared foods.
179 E. Houston St. 212-475-4880

Kossar's Bialys
This city is crawling with good bagels, but it takes a real pro to make a great bialy. With about 65 years of practice, Kossar's has mastered the art. The bagels are also top-notch -- no pesto sun-dried tomato nonsense, just the classics: poppy, sesame, salt, onion, garlic and all of the above.
367 Grand St. 212-473-4810

Guss' Pickles
If you've ever been met with a blank stare in search of a half-sour, Guss' is your savior. Guss' is little more than a loose confederation of barrels. No matter your pickle style, Guss' has two fresh, crisp ones for a buck waiting for you.
87 Orchard St. 212- 334-3616

Narnia
While it can be hard to rationalize vintage prices, at Narnia you pay for the magic of finding the perfect dress or pair of shoes plucked out of obscurity just for you.
161 Rivington St. 212-979-0661

Zarin Fabrics
One of only a few survivors from the area's garment district days, Zarin continues to offer the same vast selection, diligent service and serious value that the warehouse has provided since 1936.
314 Grand St. 212-925-6112

TO DO
Eating and drinking are the neighborhood's main draws, but the area also hosts a healthy number of small venues and performance spaces.

Lower East Side Tenement Museum
Take a tour of this restored Orchard Street tenement building and you may find yourself marveling at how much the place would fetch. Explained through the lens of actual families who inhabited the building, the tenement's history is dotted with neat details that snoops will love.
97 Orchard St. 212-431-0233

Cake Shop
One of a handful of little venues in the neighborhood, Cake Shop manages to cram a host of activities into its jaunty duplex space. Part cafe, part record store, part bar, part performance space, it's a dandy place to see someone beatbox in a tiger suit or to drink some hot tea on a rainy night.
152 Ludlow St. 212-253-0036

Sunshine Cinema
Stadium seating and independent films are a match made in heaven. When you're sick of dropping 10 bucks on a cocktail, spend it on a midnight movie ("Boogie Nights" and "A Clockwork Orange" are recent late-night picks).
143 E. Houston St. 212-358-7709

New Museum of Contemporary Art
The only museum in New York devoted exclusively to contemporary art from around the world, the new New Museum is settling into its new digs on the Bowery.
235 Bowery St. 212-219-1222

Real estate
Whether you spring for a century-old tenement apartment or a month-old glass palace on the LES, chances are you're spending a staggering amount of money. While both types are for rent, the area is swamped with new constructions for sale.

TO RENT

$1,985 for a studio (Ludlow Street at Grand Street)

$2,350 for a studio with balcony (Clinton Street at Houston Street)

$1,650 for a one-bedroom (Rivington Street between Orchard and Ludlow streets)

$1,795 for a one-bedroom (Orchard Street at Stanton Street)

$5,480 for a two-bedroom in new building with top amenities (Ludlow Street between Houston and Stanton streets)

TO BUY

$595,000 for an 800-square-foot one-bedroom co-op with private patio (Grand Street at Norfolk Street)

$732,000 for a 1,000-square-foot two-bedroom co-op with balcony (Grand Street at FDR Drive)

$629,000 for a 560-square-foot one-bedroom (112 Rivington St.)

$573,000 for a 750-square-foot three-bedroom (Houston Street between Clinton and Attorney streets)

$895,000 for a 1,200-square-foot prewar three-bedroom co-op (Grand Street at Clinton Street)

THE BUZZ

As is often the case, gentrification has been a mixed blessing for the Lower East Side. Like its below-14th-street partners in crime, Greenwich Village and the Meatpacking District, the area was a ghost town of warehouses and slums in the city's rougher times. Organizations such as the Lower East Side Business Improvement District have embraced the revitalization that comes with increased foot traffic and wealthier neighbors while striving to preserve the historic character of the area.

Q&A WITH PAT FAIRHURST

Pat Fairhurst owns Guss' Pickles, a Lower East Side legend.

How long have you been in business?

Izzy Guss immigrated from Poland in 1910 and worked for another pickle vendor before he rented his own pushcart. He began selling pickles out of a storefront in 1930, and we've been in business ever since. In 2004, the previous owner asked me and my son to take over -- it's a staple of the neighborhood, and it has to go on.

How has the neighborhood changed over the years?

There used to be a lot of wholesale, garment industry, lingerie stores -- now there are a lot of restaurants, boutiques and art galleries. There also used to be a lot of pickle stores, and now there's only one other and it's new.

What do you like about the area?

The people. Everyone's friendly, I see the same customers -- we're neighbors, we look after each other. It's like family.

What don't you like?

It's sad that shop owners can't keep up. Children don't take over businesses, so they just close up.

What are your favorite places?

I love Yonah Schimmel's knishes; the bialys place is great -- the places where old timers make their pit stops. You get your salami at Katz's, you get your pickles here -- at least there are still some of us left.

How do you see the neighborhood changing?

It's getting better now. There used to be a lot of drug addicts and derelicts in the '70s and '80s, and this block was pretty empty. Now the stores are occupied and there are more business people.

Any hidden gems?

No. Everyone knows everything.

THE BASICS

Library

Hamilton Fish Park Branch
415 E. Houston St. 212-673-2290

Police

7th Precinct
19 1/2 Pitt St. 212-477-7311

Schools

P.S. 110 Florence Nightingale School, 285 Delancey St.; P.S. 2 Meyer London School, 122 Henry St.; Lower East Side Preparatory High School, 145 Stanton St.; Corlears Junior High School, 220 Henry St.; New Design High School, 250 Grand St.; Bard High School Early College, 525 East Houston St.

Transportation

Train: F, V to 2nd Ave.; F, J, M, Z to Delancey St.; J, M, Z to Bowery St.; B, D to Grand St.
Bus: M9, M15, M103, M21

Crime Stats

The 7th precinct, which covers the Lower East Side, reported no murders, 0 rapes, 18 robberies, and 6 burglaries so far this year. For the same period last year, there were no murders, one rape, 29 robberies, and 20 burglaries.