9. The Nordica

As rare as apartment houses were in 1884, by the 1890s they were becoming commonplace in many neighborhoods, Harlem included. The Nordica, built in 1896 at the corner of West 113th Street and Seventh Avenue (now Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Boulevard), is an example of this trend.

Unlike The Washington, which is a designated New York City Landmark, The Nordica and many other 1890s buildings are relatively anonymous today. Although not famous, it is not meek; The Nordica’s elegant design features its name displayed proudly on its upper facade.