NEW YORK (AP) — Harlem is the historic capital of black American culture, but like many New York neighborhoods, it is rapidly changing.

Condos can go for $1 million. Big retailers like Old Navy, Starbucks, Payless, Staples and Blockbuster are ubiquitous. On 125th Street near Fifth Avenue, bulldozers clear a vacant lot for an upscale hotel.

Old-timers worry that redevelopment will wipe out mom-and-pop stores and affordable housing, along with the area’s distinct character. But boosters say commerce and construction bring jobs, safe streets and new cultural and retail venues that complement famous landmarks.

Certainly Harlem’s appeal to tourists has never been stronger. Double-decker sightseeing buses cross 125th Street every few minutes. Japanese visitors queue up at Sylvia’s, the famous soul food restaurant.

“There is an image of Harlem that is indelible around the world,” said George Fertitta, CEO of NYC & Company, the city’s marketing and tourism organization. “But that image is maybe more stuck in the past — the music scene, the Cotton Club, the Apollo Theater. You think about these things because they’re iconic. But Harlem is a wonderful, thriving community. It’s bigger than any building, bigger than any iconic representation. And there are so many things to do.”

But how does a visitor find the real Harlem amid all the changes? And what is the real Harlem anyway?

Here are some answers, along with ideas for where to go when you exit the subway at 125th Street.