Times Square is the heart of the city that never sleeps, being a hive of activity day and night, where tourists find themselves drawn to the nerve centre of the theatre district by the many neon lights and video screens, which New Yorker's have christened 'The Great White Way.'
The Square's many neon signs are no accident, the city imposes zoning ordinances requiring building owners to display illuminated signs. So much revenue is created by neon advertisements that some of the buildings in and around Time Square are empty.Their commercial value is equated not by tenants, but by advertising revenue!
Times Square is also the place where New Yorker's gather on new Year's Eve to celebrate. About a million revelers converge to watch the crystal ball descend from the flagpole atop One Times Square, a tradition that began back in 1907. With the balls descent the crowds cheer, and the square glows with the lights of the Great White Way competing for attention with the many fireworks.
Times Square is not really a square, but an elongated cross, where seventh Avenue and Broadway intersect. The square is nearly always a heaving mass of pedestrians and traffic, creating a lively, but far from relaxing, atmosphere.
Time Square was originally named Longacre Square until 1904 when the New York Times newspaper built its offices there, at what is now known as One Times Square. Soon theatres and hotels began to open, and Times Square quickly became New York City's main entertainment district.
Following the stock market crash of 1929, Times Square became a seedy part of the City, with burlesque shows, adult cinema, prostitution, gambling and drug dealing establishing themselves in the district. However, since the 1990's the city has cleaned up the area, making Times Square a family friendly place.
Address
Times Square
Junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue.
Tel: 212-363-3200
How to Get There
Subway: Times Square-42nd Street
Take the 1, 2, 3, 7, N, Q, R or S trains
External Links
Times Square Alliance
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