To be listed on the  State and National Register, a district must possess a significant concentration, linkage, or continuity of sites, buildings, structures, or objects united historically or aesthetically by a plan or physical development . The National Park Service (NPS) works in conjunction with the NY State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) to determine eligibility. These criteria are similar to those for historic districts designated by the  New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC). The difference is that listing on the State and National Registers is honorary and  does not impose any burdens on property owners. LPC designation, on the other hand, does require property owners to meet LPC standards  when making additions or renovations and does not allow property owners to demolish their buildings  except under rare circumstances.

The region of Southern East Harlem beginning north of East 96th Street represents a multi-dimensional history of land development, class, immigration, self-determination, and community. Not unlike the history of many other Manhattan neighborhoods, this region commonly referred to as El Barrio is unique in that it remains home to a predominantly working-class and multi-ethnic population while continuing to express its rich history regarding critical lessons to be learned from the past. This survey helped further determine that it is the cultural history of El Barrio that is central to the community’s identity and its significance. Research was driven by pertinent social themes rather than architectural expression. Community surveys and conversations characterized the neighborhood using words such as “community, culture, family, food, and home” pointing to core values of the region. Through discussions with community members and leaders, the survey’s author, Marissa Marvelli remarked that there was “unanimous agreement that [El Barrio] is nationally significant as the cradle of the Puerto Rican diaspora.” Underscoring this sentiment were the remarks of other individuals who stated that East Harlem was historically the “anchor place of the first and largest Latinx migrant/immigrant wave to the United States.” This fact demonstrates the importance of this work not only to Manhattan but to the state of New York and the United States.

In 2019, after securing additional grant funding from PLNYS, AND hired a consultant to start work on a historic resource survey of East-Central Harlem. SHPO determined historic district eligibility from the findings in this survey in 2020.