Morningside Heights is bounded by the Upper West Side to the south, Morningside Park to the east, Harlem to the north, and Riverside Park to the west.

With Broadway as its main thoroughfare and Columbia and Barnard Universities dominating the neighborhood, this area of the Upper West Side is always bustling with a diverse group of people. The University’s main campus extends from 114th to 120th Streets, and many residents are either students who come and go with school semesters or the original residents who have lived in this neighborhood for most of their lives. The surrounding area is peaceful and serene, close to (express) mass transit and a quick trip to midtown.

In recent years this neighborhood has become even more of a vibrant and lively community. Many restaurants, bars, and coffee shops have brought their businesses here, drawing crowds on any given day and motivating other business owners to consider this the newest extension of the Upper West Side. Several of the city’s most impressive landmarks, such as the Episcopal Cathedral of Saint John the Divine and the Riverside Church can be found here, and Claremont Avenue, which runs north for several blocks from 116th Street, is one of the most attractive residential streets in the city. Blessed by major parks and good architecture, Morningside Heights experienced a wave of gentrification in the mid-1980’s, especially around Broadway, that has continued since.