This photo from the 1930s looks at the Harlem River Houses (newly built and highly desirable housing) from above and takes in Sugar Hill off in the distance.

The Harlem River Houses are considered a prime example of social housing, produced by the government to provide indoor plumbing, heating, cooking, and outdoor space to low-income New Yorkers. At the time, in the 1930s, Harlem River Houses was highly, highly desirable housing.

Off in the distance of this image, you can see that the Polo Grounds NYCHA buildings have not yet been built. The Highbridge water tower is in the distance, and Washington Heights looks very underdeveloped:

A little to the left, and Sugar Hill, with 555 Edgecombe towering proudly on the bluff, is to the right of the GWB, poking above the cityscape.