Inwood offers spacious and affordable Manhattan living. With rivers on three sides and 282 acres of parkland on its western border, Inwood -- the 'hood where the A train ends -- has an isolated feel that makes it seem even farther from "the city" its roughly nine-mile distance from midtown would indicate. And that suits residents just fine.

Having Inwood Hill Park, Fort Tryon Park and Isham Park right at their doorsteps is a major draw for residents, but affordability is a factor, too. The spacious pre-war co-ops that sit to the west of Broadway have long been a draw for families searching for affordable housing in Manhattan.

"People buy apartments in Inwood because they get a lot of space for a reasonable price and you can get to midtown pretty easily on the A train," Whelan said.

Unlike most of Manhattan, the neighborhood, which is a mix of Irish and Latino, hasn't seen a lot of gentrification. Aside from a few small projects underway and some still on the drawing board, there haven't been many new residential developments. A lot of that can be chalked up to a paucity of empty lots in a very narrow swath of land.

But Andrew Shell, principal broker for A.N. Shell Realty, thinks it's only a matter of time until the building rush arrives.

"I think when developers find no more land in Harlem and Washington Heights, they'll come up here," he said.

Find it

Go to the top of Manhattan and stop. Inwood is surrounded by the Harlem River to the east and north, and the Hudson River to the west. Washington Heights, which begins at Hillside Avenue, is the neighborhood's southern border.

Q&A with Jerry Dixon

Jerry Dixon originally hails from New Jersey, but after a spell on the Upper West Side, he and his wife moved to Inwood nine years ago.

What do you like best about the neighborhood?

It's kind of like you're living in the city but you're not really in the city. It almost feels like the suburbs. You're surrounded by parks.

What would you change if you could?

I would probably redirect the flight path of the airplanes. We have a patio on our roof, and you can see the planes; it kind of takes away from the experience. You have the visual aspect of being in the suburbs but then you always hear planes overhead. Even in the park, you have the forest feel but then you hear the planes all the time.

What are the pros of living in Inwood?

It's definitely family-oriented; there are a lot of young families here with children. ??¦ You have a lot of parks in the area. If you look at the rest of Manhattan, it's probably still affordable.

And the cons?

There could definitely be more of a police presence. ??¦ There could be more diversity as far as restaurants. I think we're just starting to get some more. We've got the bus depot right here, which they did a study on and found there's a higher asthma rate closer to the bus depot compared to other sections of Manhattan.

What's one neighborhood gem?

Inwood Hill Park. There's the park, which has everything from ballfields to playgrounds, and then there's the forest, which is unique in and of itself. I actually like it over near the caves.

The basics

Transportation: Subway: A at Dyckman and 207th streets, 1 at Dyckman Street, 207th Street, 215th Street. Bus: 3, 4, 98, 100, 101, BX 7, BX 12, BX 20Crime: The 34th precinct, which also serves portions of Washington Heights, reported eight murders, 19 rapes and 260 robberies this year, compared to eight murders, 19 rapes and 258 robberies at this time last year.Schools: P.S. 5, 3703 10th Ave.; P.S. 18, 4124 9th Ave.; P.S. 98, 512 W 212th St.; P.S. 314, 4862 Broadway; I.S. 52, 650 Academy St.; Gregorio Luperon High School, 516 West 181st St.Post Office: 90 Vermilyea Ave., 4558 BroadwayBanks: Chase, 161 Dyckman St.; Citibank, 4949 Broadway; Banco Popular, 175 Dyckman St.; Washington Mutual, 175 Dyckman St.

Real estate

When it comes to cost, Broadway is the dividing line.

To the east, rentals are more numerous and their closer proximity to a bus and garbage truck depot and the elevated No. 1 subway line lead to lower rents. Broker Andrew Shell said in general, rents east of Broadway are 20% to 30% less.

West of Broadway, studios generally go for $150,000 to $200,000, one-bedrooms go for up to $300,000 and two-bedrooms go for up to $400,000. To rent, a studio goes for about $1,000, a one-bedroom is about $1,200 and a two-bedroom is $1,800.

What's renting-Sixth-floor one-bedroom apartment with views of Harlem River/Marble Hill on Seaman Avenue and 218th Street: $1,350 a month-One-bedroom apartment on Seaman Avenue off 207th Street: $1,500 a month-Two-bedroom apartment on Park Terrace East off 215th Street: $1,900 a month-Two-bedroom apartment on Isham Street and Broadway: $1,600 a month-Three-bedroom apartment on Park Terrace East: $2,200 a month

What's selling-900-square-foot, 2-bedroom co-op on Park Terrace East and 215th Street: $359,000-350-square-foot studio co-op on Bogardus Place near Hillside Avenue: $169,000-1,200-square-foot convertible 3-bedroom co-op on Cooper Street between 207th and 204th streets: $650,000-850-square-foot, 1-bedroom condo on Academy between Sherman and Vermilyea avenues: $349,000-Fourth floor, 1-bedroom co-op between on Park Terrace East between 217th and 218th streets: $299,000-First floor, 2-bedroom co-op on Seaman Avenue near 218th Street: $487,000

To shop

Scavengers

Pottery, china, glass, vintage clothing, furniture, prints, books and collectibles. 600 W. 218th St. 212-569-8343

Nostylgia

Try on a Nike Team Edition Lebron on one of the two park benches inside this hip little shop, and you'll feel like you're ready to hit the boards.251 Dyckman St. 212-304-0337

Tread Bike

Borne out of the success of the bi-weekly mountain-biking cable TV show "Treaddogz," this shop is a hub of activity for cyclists in northern Manhattan.225 Dyckman St. 212-544-7055

Sol's Record Shop

At Sol's, you can pick up a La Coste cologne set, a Jeep Rescue Commander toy and the latest Shakira CD. That's what we call one-stop shopping.133 Sherman Ave. 212-569-8166

PJ Wine & Liquor

Picked by GQ Magazine as one of the top 50 wine stores in the country, PJ's has a selection that belies its out-of-the-way location.4898 Broadway 212-567-5500

The Buzz

The view from the east side of Inwood couldn't be more different from the west side. To view New Jersey across the Hudson, one stands in the pristine forests of Inwood Hill Park. Turning east, the Harlem River is completely obscured by barbed wire, corrugated sheet metal industrial lots and a subway yard. But Sherman Creek, as the area is known, may look very different in the future.

The city Department of Planning has proposed rezoning the area to allow greater density of commercial and residential development, and the Parks Department has begun construction on five street-end waterfront parks. Provided they gain public approval (the new zoning regulations wouldn't go into effect until late next year), the parks will open next summer between 202nd and 206th streets.

To see

Dyckman Farmhouse Museum

This Dutch Colonial-style farmhouse was built by William Dyckman around 1784. It now sits perched above Broadway, beckoning visitors to see what life was like in 18th-century New York.4881 Broadway 212-304-9422

Inwood Hill Park

Don't be fooled by the seemingly natural beauty of Central Park. There's only one spot left in Manhattan where virgin forest can be found, and this is it. Within the park's 196 acres are countless trails cutting through centuries-old maple and hickory trees, ballfields, playgrounds, a boat launch and a nature center. There's also a marker of the location of the most famous real estate deal in history: Peter Minuit's reputed purchase of Manhattan from the Lenape Indians in 1626.West 218th Street and Indian Road 212-304-2365

The Cloisters Museum

You'll work up a sweat climbing to the top of the hill where The Cloisters is located, but the views both inside and out are worth it. The museum, an outpost for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is devoted to the art and architecture of the Middle Ages. It isn't just statues and tapestries though. They also have impressive gardens designed with the Middle Ages in mind.Fort Tryon Park 212-923-3700

To play

Patrick's Bar

Easy access to a pint in a tiny bar right next to the subway entrance.221 Dyckman St. 212-567-9229

Piper's Kilt

Widely known to have the best selection of beers in the area, this Inwood mainstay also serves up a mean cheeseburger in the adjacent restaurant.4944 Broadway 212-569-7071

La Marina

La Marina features both outdoor and indoor seating on the Hudson. Latin performers and reggaeton DJs perform on the weekends and short-order Latin food and ceviche is available to fuel any dancing that might come as a result.348 Dyckman St. 212-567-8088

Liffy II

Don't be surprised if you hear some distinctly Irish brogues on the lips of the patrons who take the stage to belt out karaoke here.5009 Broadway 212-544-7255

Melodia Lounge

Dance the night away to merengue, bachata, salsa, reggaeton and hip-hop at this newcomer near the No. 1 train.154 Post Ave. 212-304-0859

To eat

Carrot Top Pastries

One of two locations (the other is in Washington Heights) where the essence of carrots is distilled into succulent, creamy pastry form.5025 Broadway 212-569-1532

La Nueva Espa?a Restaurant

Standard Dominican fare, including roasted chicken, rice, beans, tostones, guisados and mofongo.606 W 207th St. 212-567-0500

Grandpa's Brick Oven Pizza

Stop in for a slice of thin-crust pizza with fresh mozzarella or ricotta for $2.75, or stick with the regular plain slice for $1.90.4973 Broadway 212-304-1185

Park View Cafe

Granted, you have to peer across the busy intersection of Dyckman Street and Riverside Drive to see Fort Tryon Park from here. But this diner is big with locals looking to score an omelet at 3:30 in the afternoon.219 Dyckman St. 212-544-9024

By Patrick Verel

Special to amNew York

Copyright 2006 Newsday Inc.