Manhattan

**Manhattan** is the most densely populated borough of **New York City**, its economic and administrative center and its historical birthplace. It is commonly referred to throughout the metropolitan area as *The City*. The borough is coextensive with New York County. Consists mostly of Manhattan Island, bounded by the Hudson, East and Harlem rivers; several small adjacent islands, and Marble Hill, a small neighborhood now on the US mainland, physically connected to the Bronx and separated from the rest of Manhattan by the Harlem River.

It is often described as the cultural, financial, media and entertainment capital of the world and hosts the United Nations Headquarters. Anchored by Wall Street in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan, it is also home to the world's two largest Stock Markets and is considered to be the leading financial center of the world.

It is the home of **Daring Manor**, the current headquarters of the **Junior Guardians**.

## Overview

**Manhattan** is the heart of New York City. This is one of the world's leading financial, cultural, commercial, manufacturing, and medical centers.

The smallest and oldest borough, Manhattan is the most dense in population. Comprised of an island surrounded by the Spuyten Dyviland the Harlem River, the Hudson River, Upper New York Bay, and the East River, Manhattan is approximately 31 square miles in size and also includes a small portion of the Bronx and several islands in the East River.

With over 1.5 million people packed into the small area, personal transportation in Manhattan is challenging at best. Most New Yorkers opt for public transportation as the city has one of the most extensive subway systems in the world which connect to national railroads in the main hubs of Grand Central Station and Pennsylvania Station. Taxis are plentiful, but be prepared to fight for one as they are in high demand. Streets are crowded with pedestrians as the busy New Yorkers spill out from the subway stations and go about their business.

The architecture of the city varies, but on the whole it has made a practice of preserving important landmarks while building on top of other structures after demolishing them. This has created a myriad of hidden tunnels and unused structures tucked away among the towering sky scrapers that dominate the landscape of Manhattan.

Manhattan refers both to the Island of Manhattan which borders the lower Hudson River, and also to the Borough of Manhattan (one of the five boroughs of New York City), which includes the Island of Manhattan itself, as well as several other smaller islands and a small portion of the mainland.

### Midtown Manhattan

Midtown is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial buildings as Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, and the Empire State Building.

Midtown, along with "Uptown" and "Downtown", is one of the three major subdivisions of Manhattan. Midtown Manhattan is indisputably the busiest single commercial district in the United States, and among the most intensely and diversely used pieces of real estate in the world. The great majority of New York City's skyscrapers, including its tallest hotels and apartment towers, lie within Midtown.

### Upper East Side

The Upper East Side is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, USA, between Central Park and the East River. Embedded within the Upper East Side are the neighborhoods of Yorkville, centered on 86th Street and Third Avenue, and Carnegie Hill, centered on 91st Street and Park Avenue and Lenox Hill centered on 69th Street and First Avenue. It is one of the most affluent areas of New York City.

### Upper West Side

The Upper West Side is a neighborhood of the borough of Manhattan in New York City that lies between Central Park and the Hudson River above West 59th Street. Like the Upper East Side, the Upper West Side is primarily a residential and shopping area, with many of its residents working in more commercial areas in Midtown and Lower Manhattan. One of the wealthiest areas in New York City.

### Lower East Side

Located in the southeastern part of Manhattan. Traditionally an immigrant, working-class neighborhood, it began rapid gentrification in the mid-2000's. A popular late-night destination, with many nightclubs, bars and music venues.

### Lower West Side

Also known as Tribeca, for the abbreviation "Triangle Below Canal Street". Dominated by residential buildings that used to be industrial buildings. It's always had a reputation for being artistic and bohemian.

## History

Manhattan has a long and storied history, both natural and supernatural. The following is only a very short list of the most notable things to occur in Manhattan since The Event.

### The Event

In November of 2000, a number of grandfather clocks appeared in Times Square. They were there for forty-five minutes and as they chimed in unison at midnight, they disappeared just as abruptly as they'd appeared.

On the afternoon of October 13, 2002, there was an unscheduled Eclipse that lasted five minutes. This signaled the beginning of the **Age of Superheroes**.

### Astraea

On March 13, 2002, **Astraea** became the first paragon superhero to go public when she stopped a terrorist attack in Times Square.

### Head to Head

On June 30, 2002, **Dr. Nefarious** made his debut when he attacked the NASDAQ. Astraea stopped his scheme, though Nefarious himself escaped.

### The Bastion Crisis

Bastiontries to take over the White House to fulfill his Prime Directive of “protecting humanity” (as the best way to protect humanity would be to rule it). Seven heroes—Astraea, **Protocol, Mercy, Flower Child, Maui, Beast Master,** and **Outback**—come together to stop him. A week later, the team will officially call themselves **The Guardians**.

### Oblivion Attack

Dr. Nefarious attacks the **Guardians’ HQ** with the help of several other villains in a group they call **Oblivion**. The Guardians emerge as the winners, but the battle caused a great deal of property damage and injured a lot of civilians. In the wake of this battle, the Guardians enlist the aid of a handful of “Reserve Members”, including **Johnny Fix-It** (who becomes the team's mechanic and tech-guy), **Boomer** (a super-intelligent Gorilla named Archibald), **Soldier-99, Powerline & Thundara** and **the Pirate**. They get a new Manhattan Penthouse HQ, whose location is kept a secret.

### The Fae Incursion

An attempted invasion of Earth from the **Fae realm of Wonderland** occurs over a period of several days in Central Park. The park is the site of the final battle with the **Queen of Hearts** and Outback's final sacrifice.

### The Guardian Memorial

A memorial is erected on February 3, 2018; the anniversary of Astraea's death. The memorial honors all Guardians who have died in the line of duty.

## Points of Interest

* **Brooklyn Bridge**
* **Central Park**
	+ **The Guardians Memorial:** A large memorial wall dedicated to the memory of the Guardians who died in service of defending the world. A large statue of Astraea stands in the square, which has been nicknamed "Hero Circle" or "Guardian Square".

* **Chrysler Building**

* **Church of the Holy Paragon:** Located in the neighborhood of Hell's Kitchen, home of Father Charles O'Brien. Runs a halfway house for young paragons in need.
* **Daring Manor:** Former HQ for the Guardians that currently serves as the home base for the Junior Guardians.

* **Empire State Building**

* **Empire State Hospital**

* **The** **Astraea Museum of Superheroics:** Located in a building erected at the site of the original Guardians Headquarters. This museum showcases American superhero history and contains a gift shop with a lot of Guardians merchandise.
* **Grand Central Station**
* **Graydon Technologies Unlimited:**The New York branch of this famous technology powerhouse is located in Manhattan.
* **Harlem Center for Heroics:** A sort of resource center for New York heroes who can't afford representation from the Paranormal Professional Society. Has showers, counselors, pro-bono lawyers and other resources for paragons.
* **Hero House:** The site of the first three seasons of the hit reality show "Hero House", located in Greenwich Village, is now a pseudo-museum and gift shop for Hero House merchandise. It's run by a former "team member" named Blue Flame.
* **Midtown General Hospital**
* **New York University**
* **Paranormal Professional Society:** Formerly located in Brooklyn, the PPS has moved to an upscale officespace in Manhattan as of 2012. Any superhero looking to "make it" eventually finds its way here.
* **Pennsylvania Station**
* **Powers Consolidated:** The New York branch of Powers Consolidated, which is mostly administrative and pharmaceutical research, is located in Manhattan.
* **Radio City Music Hall**
* **Rockefeller Center**
* **Times Square**
* **The Ugly Mug:** A hipster coffee shop in Greenwich Village; workplace of **Gwen Porter**.
* **United Nations Headquarters**
	+ **Bastion Crisis Memorial:** A large obelisk-shaped monument located in front of the United Nations Building to honor those who were killed during the Bastion Crisis.
* **Vandross Building:** The officers of Vandross Industries and their R&D labs. Vandross has his own building, which also contains his penthouse, located in Manhattan overlooking Central Park.

## Neighborhoods

* **The Bowery:** Located in the western part of the Lower East Side. Once upon a time, Bowery was all flophouses, whiskey joints and legendary bums. The flophouses survive, but now they're surrounded by celebrity lounges and lofts. Considered to be a working class, gritty neighborhood. Home to "Little Saigon". Once known for "flophouses" and a high population of homeless.
* **Chinatown:** A neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, bordering the Lower East Side, Little Italy, Civic Center and Tribeca. Home to the largest population of Chinese people in the Western hemisphere, with an estimated population of 100,000 people. The Manhattan Chinatown is one of nine Chinatown neighborhoods in the city. As many Fuzhounese and Cantonese speakers now speak Mandarin—the official language in China and Taiwan—in addition to their native languages, this made it more important for Chinatown residents to learn and speak Mandarin
* **East Village:** The East Village never fails to keep the excitement going long after other neighborhoods hit the pillow. Follow the foodies, dive bar enthusiasts, and vintage-hunters to the east end of Manhattan, where head-turning street style is the norm. The people are an eclectic mix of NYC newcomers and long-time residents. It's a lively neighborhood that tends to be quiet during the day and packed at night. Known for its creative, gritty and independent energy. Has a large population of Russian, Ukrainian and Jewish residents.
* **Financial District:** Also called "FiDi". Fast-paced during the day and calm and clear at night, the Financial District is both a bustling financial hub and a residential catch. Made up of working professionals who prioritize public transportation, packed with high-rises and extremely congested.
* **Foley Square:** A street intersection and green space in the Civic Center neighborhood, surrounded by civic buildings. The space is bordered by Worth Street, Centre Street and Lafayette Street and lies between City Hall and Canal Street, near Chinatown and east of Tribeca. There are five bronze historical medallions, telling the history of the park and its surroundings. Site of the Superhuman Riot in 2003 and the Occupy Wall Street protest in 2011.
* **Garment District:** Also known as the Fashion District. A centrally located neighborhood, manufacturing has kept the Fashion District bustling for decades. The dense concentration of fashion-related uses give the neighborhood its name. The neighborhood, less than 1 square mile, is generally considered to lie between Fifth Avenue and Ninth Avenue, from 34th to 42nd Streets. The neighborhood is home to many of New York City's showrooms and to numerous major fashion labels, and caters to all aspects of the fashion process from design and production to wholesale selling.
* **Greenwich Village:** The neighborhood is bordered by Broadway to the east, the North River(part of the Hudson River) to the west, Houston Streetto the south, and 14th Street to the north, and roughly centered on Washington Square Park and New York University. Often referred to by locals as simply "**the Village**", is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan, New York City. Greenwich Village has been known as an artists' haven, the Bohemian capital, the cradle of the modern LGBT movement, and the East Coast birthplace of both the Beat and '60s counterculturemovements.
* **Harlem:** Since the 1920's, Harlem has been known as a major African American residential, cultural and business center. Manhattan's contributions to hip-hop stems largely from artists with Harlem roots, such as Big L, Kurtis Blow and Immortal Technique. Despite radical changes in recent years, crime is still high and the public schools could use improvement. Has a strong sense of community. Home to the iconic Apollo Theater.
* **Hell's Kitchen:** Also known as Clinton and Midtown West, incorporates the area between 34th Street and 57th Street, from 8th Avenue to the Hudson River. Once a bastion of poor and working class Irish Americans, it has a gritty, dangerous reputation and high crime rates. It's terrifying reputation has long held housing prices lower than elsewhere in Manhattan.
* **Inwood:** In Manhattan, but not of it. Considered a relatively inconvenient neighborhood. Located at the northern tip of Manhattan Island. Has a relatively high crime rate, though not as high as it once was. Clean but impossible to park. Inwoodites have long complained about different worlds existing on the east and west sides of Broadway. The line of demarcation, which separates the low-income, heavily Dominican east side from the whiter, co-op-filled area west of Broadway.
* **Little Italy:** Good food and rich traditions have kept Little Italy true to its roots. Although this small but boisterous neighborhood has changed over time, its European heritage is still alive in the restaurants, shops, and jovial spirit of those who call Little Italy home.Today, Little Italy is still home to a handful of long-time residents who have seen the neighborhood change and develop throughout the years. But for the most part, residents of Little Italy are people who enjoy the neighborhood's blend of casual and chic hangouts. Those who live here find cozy niches in wine bars and coffee shops on almost every block.Little Italy is filled with small details that act as a constant reminder of the neighborhood's roots - and the pride that residents take in their heritage.
* **Meatpacking District:** A 24-hour neighborhood located on the far west side of Manhattan, bordered by Chelsea to the north and the West Village to the south. Cobblestone streets and converted brick buildings lend the Meatpacking District an otherworldly ambiance at night. New York City's Meatpacking District has come a long way from its industrial days as a meat distributor. As NYC's destination for ultimate partying, revelers come out to the Meatpacking District in droves, dressed to the nines, and ready to see the sun rise.
* **Murray Hill:** Runs from east 34th Street to the south, East 40th Street to the north, Madison Avenue to the west, and East River to the east. In the early 1900s, Murray Hill was known as an upscale neighborhood with gorgeous brownstones marked with old NYC charm. Since then, the neighborhood has gotten younger and more affordable with an active nightlife scene and an influx of NYC transplants. Today, Murray Hill is known as a popular destination for undergraduates and graduates. Residents make homes in spacious brownstones, and enjoy quiet mornings at the coffee shops and near schools. Murray Hill’s location makes it an ideal neighborhood for many professionals that work in Midtown. For many commuters, the proximity to Grand Central Station is especially convenient.
* **SoHo:** SoHo, sometimes written Soho, is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City, which in recent history came to the public's attention for being the location of many artists' lofts and art galleries, but is now better known for its variety of shops ranging from trendy upscale boutiques to national and international chain store outlets. The area's history is an archetypal example of inner-city regeneration and gentrification, encompassing socioeconomic, cultural, political, and architectural developments. Remarkably hip; what you're wearing, who you're wearing, and how you're wearing it are all up for debate in this impeccably dressed neighborhood.
* **South Street Seaport:** A historic area in the New York City borough of Manhattan, centered where Fulton Street meets the East River, and adjacent to the Financial District. It features some of the oldest architecture in downtown Manhattan, and includes the largest concentration of restored early 19th-century commercial buildings in the city. This includes renovated original mercantile buildings, renovated sailing ships, the former Fulton Fish Market, and modern tourist malls featuring food, shopping, and nightlife, with a view of the Brooklyn Bridge.
* **Spanish Harlem:** Also known as El Barrio or East Harlem (just don't call it "SpaHa"), this neighborhood’s vibrant roots are depicted through its large-scale murals, discussed in its museums, and revered by its members. From its bus stop benches to its business' awnings, East Harlem keeps its neighborhood colorful. Community members gather in East Harlem's local businesses, churches, and community gardens. It is alive with history and culture--Puerto Rican, African American, Mexican, Italian, Dominican and increasingly Asian...it's really one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the city. It's not uncommon to find people playing congas on the street or riding tricked-out bicycles with Puerto Rican tunes blasting from their radios. Another dangerous neighborhood.
* **Sutton Place:** York Avenue and Sutton Place are the names of a relatively short north-south thoroughfare in the Yorkville, Lenox Hill, and Sutton Place neighborhoods of the East Side of Manhattan, in New York City. The greater Sutton Place neighborhood, which sits north of the neighborhood of Turtle Bay, runs from 53rd Street to 59th Street and is bounded on the east by the East River and on the west by either First Avenue or Second Avenue. Sutton Square is the cul-de-sac at the end of East 58th Street, just east of Sutton Place; Riverview Terrace is a row of townhouses on a short private driveway that runs north from Sutton Square.
* **Theatre District:** An area in Midtown Manhattan where most Broadway theaters are located, as well as many other theaters, movie theaters, restaurants, hotels, and other places of entertainment. Between the glowing neon signs and Broadway location, the Theater District has come to exemplify New York City hustle. For those that want to live and play at “the center of it all”, there’s no more stimulating place than the Theater District, often also referred to as Midtown West. Feels like more like a global crossroads than a defined neighborhood.
* **Tribeca:** In the 70s, this formerly industrial neighborhood transformed into a haven for the city’s artistic community. Painters, photographers, and sculptors flocked to Tribeca and took over enormous abandoned lofts. Big open spaces became the homes to galleries and studios of some of the most famous New York-based artists. Today, Tribeca’s creative edge still remains. For many artists, the neighborhood is an inspirational place to live with plenty of options to turn converted lofts to live-work studios. Tribeca is also known as quiet and safe.
* **Washington Heights:** A neighborhood in the northern portion of Manhattan Island. Washington Heights is bordered by Harlem to the south, along 155th Street, Inwood to the north along Dyckman Street or Hillside Avenue, the Hudson River to the west, and the Harlem River and Coogan's Bluff to the east. Demure with a rough reputation.

## Residents

* **Brian Carmichael**
* **Darius Vandross**
* **Kate Richardson**
* **Gwen Porter**

## Trivia

* Manhattan saw the debut of the first superhero (Astraea), the first supervillain (Dr. Nefarious) and the first superteam (The Guardians).