Little Italy is a neighborhood in New York City located in lower Manhattan, bounded by Tribeca to the west, Chinatown to the south, the Lower East Side to the east, and Nolita to the north. In the 1880s, large populations of immigrants from Naples and Sicily moved into the area, creating a neighborhood with vibrant Italian culture, vestiges of which remain to this day. Though the area was once expansive, today the neighborhood consists of only a few blocks along Mulberry Street.
Little Italy is a wonderful area to visit, live in, or invest in. Little Italy has a number of historic businesses and restaurants to check out –most notably Angelo’s or Puglia’s, which have been around since 1919 and serve authenic Italian cuisine. The area is a great respite from the retail madness of Soho and the late-night bar scene of the Lower East Side. Grab some gelato after your classic Italian meal and wander the quaint neighborhood where you’ll find beautiful architecture, religious statues of the Madonna, and even the occasional long-time residents chatting in Italian. And be sure to stop by one of the remaining specialty stores, often run by fourth or fifth generation family members, to buy some top-notch Italian cheese or wine.
However, restaurants and old-fashioned grocers aren’t the only vestiges of the area’s history. If you’re visiting the area, take a trip to the Italian American Museum, located at the intersection of Mulberry and Grand Streets, to learn about the long history of Little Italy and Italian immigrants. Even the building itself is a lasting reminder of the area’s previous inhabitants. It was once home to the Banca Stabile, which was founded in 1885 to offer services, such as banking, a post office, and travel services, to the Italian immigrant population.
Little Italy remains a haven for those seeking a bit of “Old New York,” and commercial real estate investors cannot resist the lure of tradition and charm in a well-trafficked area.
For information on investments in Lower Manhattan, call Robert DeFalco Realty (NYC Service Office, member of Manhattan MLS) can be reached at one of our conveniently located one-stop centers at 8823 3rd Ave. in Brooklyn at 718-748-7000. 1678 Hylan Boulevard in Staten Island, 718-987-7900 for our Staten Island Office or in New Jersey at 340 Rte 34 Ste. 112 in Colts Neck 732-845-3200. Bi-lingual agents are available.
