Manhattan, New York City

**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*.

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.

## 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. It is situated (primarily) between the East River and Hudson River, which flow into Hudson Bay, which serves as one of the busiest ports in the world.

The heart of New York, Manhattan generally follows a (relatively) easy to understand grid system. East-west streets have the names of prominent individuals honored by the city. North-south avenues are numbered. Alleys running between buildings in the area are extremely common, and are actually numbered separately from streets.

Manhattan has one of the most recognizable skylines in the world and can be found in a plethora of architectural styles, from art-deco, to gothic, to sleek modern structures. Cars line the streets and the sidewalks are crowded with busy people at seemingly all hours, earning the moniker of 'The City That Never Sleeps'. Some of the most famous buildings, businesses, museums, and theaters in the world are found in Manhattan.

## Major Districts & Neighborhoods

### City Center

The heart of the downtown area, City Center rises around Columbus Circle, a traffic circle where the city's diagonal roads converge. City Center is home to numerous government buildings, such as Federal Plaza.

#### *Places of Interest*

* City Hall

* Federal Plaza

### Financial District

The busiest and most profitable center for finance in the world, New York's financial district is centered on Wall Street. The street is lined with brokerage firms, banks, investment companies, and other businesses, all of which exchange billions of dollars on a daily basis.

The district's buildings are some of the tallest in the city, towers of glass and steel featuring novel architectural styles courtesy of some of the country's finest architects. The "Golden Row" of the business district has some of the tallest buildings in the world, and features numerous stores--mostly high-priced national chains like Macy's and Neiman Marcus. It is also home to the world's two largest Stock Markets.

### Greenwich VIllage

Greenwich Village, often just called The Village, is a neighborhood with bohemian, old world charm. The area features several beautiful parks, tree-lined streets, and brickwork buildings. It's quite popular with young people, particularly students and artists, for its relatively low rents and loft apartments and studios. The Village is becoming pricier, but not as quickly as parts of Midtown, the Theatre District, or Harlem.

The neighborhood features small shops and restaurants, often catering to avant-garde and hipster subcultures. There are vegetarian bistros, pagan New Age bookshops, retro arcades, vintage clothing boutiques, record stores, and so forth.

A number of side streets in The Village are closed to all but foot traffic, making them places for afternoon strolls and shopping. In the evening, Greenwich Village offers bars, coffeehouses, and nightclubs, many with open mic nights showcasing local talent.

#### *Places of Interest*

* Bleecker Street
* Boneyard Coffeehouse
* The Midnight Hour Nightclub
* **The Mystery Box**
* New York University (NYU)
* Washington Square Park

### Hell's Kitchen

Formally known as Clinton, Hell's Kitchen exists as a corner of the Theater District on the shore of the Hudson River. Originally a marshy area known as The Fens, it was filled in years ago to allow for expansion of the city and to eliminate the disease-carrying insects who flourished there. Now, a new sort of disease is infecting Hell's Kitchen, as the area becomes progressively more dangerous with each block away from the heart of the Theatre District.

The Kitchen has become home to sleazy porn theaters and adult bookstores, a large number of waterfront bars, and relatively cheap housing. Hell's Kitchen is somewhat cleaner and less dangerous than it used to be, thanks to the gentrification efforts by the Vought Corporation and others, but that's not saying much.

### Midtown

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.

The central area of Manhattan, Midtown is bounded by the monorail lines, Central Park, and City Center. Among other things it is the largest downtown residential area and features many high-rise apartment buildings and condominiums. Midtown is also home to shopping, with massive malls and countless boutiques and department stores to choose from. Food is plentiful here as well, with choices ranged from fast-food, to specialty artisan boutiques, to more upscale establishments frequented by the city's wealthy.

On the spiritual side, Manhattan has a number of churches, most notably St. Patrick's Cathedral.

#### *Places of Interest*

* Castle Comics
* Daily Ledger Newspaper Building
* Empire State Building
* The Juilliard School
* Manhattan Mall
* Radio City Music Hall
* Rockefeller Plaza
* St. Patrick's Cathedral
* United Nations Headquarters

### Silicon Alley

Found in the Flatiron District in south Manhattan, Silicon Alley is home to tech giants and niche, hipster start ups alike. High-tech companies like **ASTRO Labs** and **Imperial Technologies** are based out of Silicon Alley. Small businesses catering to the tech-savvy are found throughout the area, including computer stores, clothing shops, and small cafes and coffee houses.

#### *Places of Interest*

* **ASTRO Labs**
* **Imperial Technologies**
* Megabytes Cafe
* New York Museum of Natural History

### Theatre District

A neighborhood of small apartment buildings clustered around a number of local theaters and pubs featuring some of the best night life in New York. Entertainment ranges from Broadway theater, to opera and rock concerts, to avant-garde productions of performance art in intimate studios.

The emphasis in the Theatre District is on performance; gallery shows and the like tend to take place in the Village. Many young actors and performers alike live in the area, although some complain that the rent is becoming too expensive thanks to the gentrification at the behest of **Vought Industries**. The truly successful move to Park Avenue or the Upper East Side when they hit it big.

The eastern edge of the Theatre District is home to Madison Square Garden, which holds sporting events and concerts. The Theatre District also features many small restaurants, bars, and eateries, open late to cater to the after-show crowds.

#### *Places of Interest*

* Broadway
* Beaudrie Opera House
* Madison Square Garden

### Upper East Side

The Upper East Side, which borders Central Park, is home to some of the city's wealthiest residents. It plays host to many high rise apartments and condominiums overlooking Central Park, priced for those with money to burn. Most are home to up and coming millionaires, along with some well-off artists and media personalities. An Upper East Side address is a sure sign of someone who's 'made it' in the New York City scene.

#### *Places of Interest*

* CNN Building
* Kirby Museum of Fine Arts
* **Lang Residence**

### Upper West Side

The Upper West Side, which borders Central Park and the Theater District. 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.

### Waterside

The city's waterfront is lined with warehouses and piers that handle New York's shipping traffic, and it is one of the busiest harbors in the world. The city's labor unions are quite influential on the Waterfront, and most of the dockside workers are union members.

In addition to shipping business, which accounts for the majority of the area, the piers also feature fine seafood restaurants as well as the New York Aquarium, a modern tourist attraction and scientific research facility. Pier One has been converted into a shopping center with a number of local stores and restaurants.

#### *Places of Interest*

* Infinity Nightclub
* New York Aquarium
* Pier One Shopping Center

## Neighborhood Overview

Below is a brief list of some of the other prominent neighborhoods and areas in Manhattan that locals would know.

* **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 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.
* **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.
* **Foley Square:**A street intersection and green space in the Civic Center neighborhood, surrounded by civic buildings. There are five bronze historical medallions, telling the history of the park and its surroundings. Site of 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.
* **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.
* **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.
* **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:**In the early 1900s, Murray Hill was known as an upscale neighborhood with gorgeous brownstones marked with old NYC charm. 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. 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 centered where Fulton Street meets the East River, and adjacent to the Financial District. It features some of the oldest architecture in downtown Manhattan. 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.

## Notable Residents

* **Ada Lang**
* **Astrid Lang**