This is a really delightful , and delightfully attractive, area of Harlem to explore. In many respects you don’t expect to find such an upmarket area in Harlem, and it is one of the reasons you should visit the neighbourhood. On 138th and 139th Streets between Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. and Frederick Douglass Boulevards in Harlem sit four rows of beautiful townhouses. Whilst they have had a checkered history of decay and dereliction since their inception, they are beautifully restored and are attracting once again the elite of Manhattan society. These rows of Neo-Italian and Georgian townhouses together make up Strivers Row, one of the city’s architectural gems and a rich source of local history. The name supposedly comes from the fact that when they were made available to African Americans around 1920, they attracted both leaders of the black community and upwardly-mobile professionals, or "strivers”, hence the district’s colloquial name. The rows of houses were built between 1891 and 1893 by developer David H. King Jr. The homes were originally called the King Model Houses, and were built to serve the elite of Manhattan society. As you walk the two rows, you’ll notice three distinct styles of architecture. This was because they were designed by three different architects, each putting their own individual concepts on the buildings. Look out for the Italian Renaissance-style brown brick homes on the north side of West 139th, the yellow-brick-and-limestone townhomes along the north side of West 138th Street and south side of West 139th Street, and the Georgian-style, brownstone-and-red brick homes on the south side of West 138th Street. You’ll see a plethora of beautiful wrought iron stair railings, gateways, and balconies, as well as graceful doorways and archways. And you can’t fail to notice the peculiar marker “Private Road, Walk Your Horses” which is painted onto the columns that support intricate curled rod-iron gates leading into spacious private townhouse parking. It’s worth a visit, as is other parts of Harlem.

We went on a walking tour of Harlem and our guide pointed out Strivers Row. The buildings are very impressive and historically significant. It's a very pleasant neighborhood. The architecture and structures are notable for the quality of their execution. By the way, our guide said the minimum price for a residence in Strivers Row is $5 million.