Chinatown is one of Manhattan’s oldest neighborhoods — Chatham Square was the Times Square of its day — and contains open-air fruit and fish markets side-by-side with gleaming new condo buildings.
Condominium lovers will find that since much of the construction is recent, Chinatown condos often offer contemporary features like home offices and roof terraces. Yet the true hallmark of Chinatown is that juxtaposition is everywhere – next door to a bustling Chinatown gift shop you’ll find a converted apartment building with renovated kitchens and marble baths.
Great rentals, many of them in walk-up buildings, can be scored here if you’re patient. In addition, there are some Chinatown lofts that are great bargains compared with their neighbors in Tribeca just a few blocks away. Compared with many other areas of Manhattan, Chinatown is not built very high, so it can be a great neighborhood in which to find light and sky.
Chinatown has great transportation access, with the area served by five subway lines, making it an easy commute to Brooklyn, Wall Street, and Midtown. For those seeking bohemian nightlife and high-end shopping right at their doorstep, the Chinatown neighborhood blends with chic SoHo to the west.