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Thursday, June 16, 2011

The View Uptown from 42nd Street

Midtown, NYC
Photo by myself around 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue, in Midtown.

The view north from 42nd Street on the West Side is surprisingly low key. To the right are the smaller buildings of Hell's Kitchen, a mostly residential neighborhood sprinkled with stores and restaurants.

Ahead are the two towers of Worldwide Plaza, at 50th Street and Eighth Avenue, designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. The taller tower with the pyramid top is a 47-story office building. The shorter tower further back with a matching top is a 35-story condominium building.

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I ventured over to Times Square, Wednesday, where I haven't been in a while. It was a madhouse.

The sidewalks were teeming with people. Visitors were posing with a statue of Samuel L. Jackson in front of Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum.

It's hard to believe that the first time I stepped foot in Times Square, it was a scary neighborhood. There were boarded up peep show joints and the sidewalks were nearly empty.

Anyone passing through walked very fast, with their hands on their handbags. People would take care not to make eye contact with anyone, since doing so would be a minor confrontation.

Oh, how times change.

Related posts: Different Vistas, The View Atop the Whitestone Bridge and The East River, at Dusk.

7 comments:

Olivier said...

et oui Times Square a bien changé, maintenant c'est devenue le DisneyWorld New Yorkais.
Une video sur Times Square dans les années 1980

Leif Hagen said...

That's a FANTASTIC skyline view! Tres bien fait, Kitty!

Washington Cesar Takeuchi said...

Hi Kitty. Nice shot. Was it too long ago since Times Square become safer?

dianasfaria.com said...

I remember those scary Times Square days! It's safer now but sadly at the expense of losing a lot of its character. If only there could be a middle ground.

nycstylelittlecannoli said...

Great photo! My bus drops off at World Wide Plaza when I go into the city....I have heard about how the old Times Square was but never experienced it. I feel very safe in the city being there on my own. Times do change for the better. Have a great weekend!!

Kitty said...

Thanks everyone!

Washington, the renovations to Times Square took place in the mid-late 90's. Before that, Times Square and the city itself was a very different place.

Sérgio Pontes said...

Hi Kitty, This photo is very nice

Regards