When 42nd Street Was the ‘Dead Line’ No One Would Cross

A daily mix of stories about cities, city life, and our always evolving neighborhoods and skylines. [Curbed]( THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12 TIMES SQUARE [When 42nd Street Was the ‘Dead Line’ No One Would Cross]( A new book traces the real-estate bets that made Times Square what it is today. Photo: Edwin Levick/Getty Images A New York Post headline in August declared, “Times Square Back to the Bad Old Days.” Even more recent visitors to the area will find an [autonomous, 400-pound robot]( surveilling the subway station there. In the post-pandemic era, Times Square has again emerged as a symbol of urban malaise, driven by [unusually low office occupancy rates]( and declining retail rents. While the same can be said for much of midtown Manhattan, the specter of Times Square returning to its blight-ridden ’70s and ’80s form has fed old fears and wild solutions, from [casinos]( to [thrill rides in skyscrapers](. Lynne Sagalyn, a professor emeritus of real estate at Columbia University’s Business School, has just published a history of the area, [Times Square Remade: The Dynamics of Urban Change](, that puts the area’s current woes in perspective. [Continue reading »]( Want more on city life, real estate, and design? [Subscribe now]( to save over 60% on unlimited access to Curbed and everything New York. [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( The Latest [Is Bad Bunny Renting the Most Expensive Apartment in New York? The artist’s Chelsea penthouse costs $150,000 a month, and his brokers say he’s paying the full listing price.]( By Kim Velsey [This Week’s Worth-It New York City Listings It seems like all of Park Avenue is on the market.]( By Nora DeLigter [The Look Book Goes to the Henry Taylor Opening The Whitney’s fall preview celebrated “Henry Taylor: B Side” and the work of Nancy Baker Cahill, Harry Smith, and more.]( By Kelsie Schrader and Jenna Milliner-Waddell [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [Read More From Curbed]( Introducing The City Desk, a weekly newsletter about New York. [Sign up to get it every Thursday](. [GET THE NEWSLETTER]( [logo]( [facebook logo]( [instagram logo]( [twitter logo]( [unsubscribe]( | [privacy notice]( | [update preferences]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Was this email forwarded to you? [Sign up now]( to get this newsletter in your inbox. [View this email in your browser.]( You received this email because you have a subscription to New York. Reach the right online audience with us For advertising information on email newsletters, please contact AdOps@nymag.com Vox Media, LLC 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, 12th Floor Washington, DC 20036 Copyright © 2023, All rights reserved