Quote:
Originally Posted by jmecklenborg
I stayed in a youth hostel in 2000 just off Madison Square Park in Manhattan, and most of the big buildings in the area were vacant or nearly vacant. No, they weren't bombed out, but there weren't many street-level or upper tenants, and almost no pedestrian traffic. The Flatiron Building might have been completely vacant. I remember there being a cell phone ad in the pointy storefront, which did not have a store in it, because I stood there for a half hour waiting for people to meet. That's what you had to do...before cell phones. I took a photo of the storefront while I waited, having no idea what "Sprint PCS" was.
Imagine this being pretty desolate, with grime streaking down the sides of all of the buildings:
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7412...7i16384!8i8192 |
Hmm, I think you have your location or years wrong.
I don't think there was any period in modern history where the Madison Square Park area was vacant. Certainly not in 2000, when it was pretty fancy.
It was probably semi-grimy in the 1970's and 80's, but no way in 2000. And never vacant. My first job out of college was at 11 Madison, which is right on the park. It was a very nice area in 2000, with big corporate tenants in the neighborhood, including one of the world's largest investment banks.
Very good neighborhood restaurant scene, actually better than now. Eleven Madison Park and Tabla, two of the most renowned restaurants in the world, were right on the park. Neighborhood residences were extremely expensive, and only affordable to higher-ups.
The Flatiron Building wasn't vacant. I passed by it every day. It had normal upscale Manhattan retail. Some British makeup store. Jo Malone, I think?