175 East 96th Street

175 East 96th Street is a Privately Owned Public Space at the boundary between the Upper East Side and East Harlem, one of the most socioeconomically significant borders in Manhattan.

96th Street has historically served as the dividing line between the affluent Upper East Side and the lower-income community of East Harlem (El Barrio / Spanish Harlem). The Second Avenue subway, which opened its first phase in 2017, is gradually blurring this boundary.

East Harlem has a rich Latino cultural heritage, particularly Puerto Rican, with murals, community organizations, and cultural institutions that reflect the neighborhood's identity as the largest Puerto Rican community outside of Puerto Rico.

The POPS at this address sits precisely at this cultural and economic boundary, serving residents from both neighborhoods. The space provides outdoor amenity in a section of the Upper East Side that has fewer public spaces than the wealthier blocks to the south.

This plaza occupies one of Manhattan's most symbolically charged addresses, where the wealth of the Upper East Side meets the vibrant cultural energy of East Harlem.