A significant decision is looming in Washington Heights - a proposed Dominican Cultural Historic District is on the verge of becoming official, but community members are split on the matter.

Recently, a state board voted to create the district, which aims to officially recognize the contributions of Dominicans to the neighborhood's culture and history. The vote was so close that a state official had to break a tie.

Residents like Tanya Bonner are voicing their concerns.

“We want full transparency. We have questions about why this is being done in the cloak of darkness,” said Bonner.

In addition some residents say the proposal doesn’t include the full story of the neighborhood.

“It’s the same practice of like when Columbus came in 1492 and said this is now mine when there were native people already there, I see this as similar. We have Jewish people here, we have African Americans, we have Greek, we have Italians. Communities that were here before and still are here today,” said Bonner.

The proposed historic district would stretch from West 155th Street to Dyckman Street. This initiative has been driven by years of research conducted by the Dominican Studies Institute at the City University of New York (CUNY).

Dr. Ramona Hernandez, director of the Dominican Studies Institute, explained the importance of this effort.

“What we are doing is to protect what we have done for future generations,” she said.

She acknowledged that while some residents felt uninformed, the notification process has been in place for years. Currently, only property and business owners receive notifications, even though a large percentage of residents are renters.

Despite the divided opinions, Hernandez believes this designation can ultimately benefit the entire community.

“This is actually an invitation for others to do the exact same thing,” she said. “This in no way is going to take away a piece of who they are or what they have done. On the contrary, the other communities that feel left out will have an ally.”

The proposal has now moved to the National Park Service for approval. If it passes, the district will be officially added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Hernandez expressed hope that the designation would be a moment of celebration.

“It will be a fiesta for many people in the entire nation. It will be a fiesta for minority communities,” she noted.

However, Bonner warns that pushing the proposal through could send a negative message to the community.

“It sends a message that we’re not cared about, that we’re not represented, that we don’t count in this community,” she said. “If this passes, we will remember that on Election Day.”

Looking ahead, the National Park Service has 45 days to decide on the designation.