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New York’s Little Italy has long been heralded as the best place in New York City for Italian dining, specialty grocery shopping, and rich cultural opportunities. Although the Italian population has dwindled significantly, the essence of Little Italy has remained the same.
In the past, Little Italy extended as far south as Bayard Street; as far north as Bleecker Street; as far west as Lafayette Street; and as far east as the Bowery. Many Italian-Americans once situated in Little Italy left Manhattan for other less expensive boroughs and neighborhoods, such as the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. Because of the significant relocation of Italians, the neighborhood recognized as Little Italy has shrunk somewhat over the years.
Despite the apparent “downsizing” of Little Italy, the neighborhoods here are still a very popular place for people to live, shop, eat, and simply enjoy themselves. These days, the section of Mulberry Street between Broome and Canal Streets, lined with Italian restaurants well-liked by tourists, remains clearly recognizable as Little Italy.
One of the preferred neighborhoods in the area is called NOLIta. NOLIta real estate is taking the city of Manhattan by storm. Nolita, often written as NOLIta for North of Little Italy, is a neighborhood that is part of the borough of Manhattan in New York City. The up and coming Nolita is bounded on the north by Houston Street; on the east by the Bowery; on the south by Broome Street; and on the west by Lafayette Street.
NOLIta real estate is highly sought-after considering its location east of SoHo, south of NoHo, west of the Lower East Side, and of course, north of Little Italy and Chinatown. Many people find that this neighborhood delivers its inhabitants the best of all worlds, making it a very popular spot among buyers. Right now, NOLIta real estate is most definitely a seller’s market.
Homebuyers who seek NOLIta real estate are undoubtedly swayed by the vibrant, cultural atmosphere that Little Italy brings to the city of Manhattan. One of the most famous events to take place near NOLita real estate is the annual Feast of San Gennaro, a large street fair that lasts for 11 days. The fair takes place every September along Mulberry Street between Houston Street and Canal Street.
NOLIta real estate experienced a big boom in the second half of the 1990s. During that time, NOLIta real estate attracted an influx of young urban professionals. In addition, several expensive retail boutiques and trendy restaurants and bars moved into the neighborhood as well.
Before it was known as NOLIta, NOLIta real estate promoters had tried to pass the neighborhood off as part of SoHo. But in 1994, an ad in The Village Voice by real estate agent William R. MacLeod, Jr. featured the name “Nolita,” an abbreviation for North of Little Italy. The name stuck, and the rest is history.
The NOLIta neighborhood includes the famed St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral, which is located at the corner of Mott and Prince Streets. The cathedral opened in 1815 and was rebuilt in 1868 after a fire. The building once served as New York City’s Roman Catholic Cathedral until the new St. Patrick’s Cathedral was opened on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in 1879. Today, St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral is now a parish church.
Puck Building is another NOLIta neighborhood landmark. This ornate structure was built in 1885, on the corner of Houston and Lafayette Streets, which originally housed the headquarters of the now non-operational Puck Magazine.
In addition to NOLIta real estate, other Italian American neighborhoods in New York City include Little Italy of the Bronx, located on Arthur Avenue in the Fordham section of the Bronx; Bensonhurst, Brooklyn; Howard Beach, Queens; Ozone Park, Queens; Middle Village, Queens; Morris Park, Bronx; and the entire borough of Staten Island. Over 44 percent of the Staten Island population is of Italian descent.
If you are looking to sell or buy NOLIta real estate, contact the real estate professionals who can best assist you. Call the knowledgeable and experienced Realtors from Sellers Realty Group at 212-482-0000 for Manhattan or 718-937-7900 for Brooklyn and Queens to schedule a convenient appointment today.
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