42nd Street

In 1990, an organization called the New 42nd St. was formed to tackle the urban decay that had completely overtaken 42nd St between 7th and 8th Avenues. It was a block filled with adult movie houses, strip joints, drug dealers, junkies, hookers and dilapidated buildings. After dark, if you HAD to walk through it, you held tight to your purse, steeled your eyes, and practically ran. The New 42nd St. group, which was comprised of state and local government officials, the leading theatre owners like the Shuberts and the Nederlanders, businessmen, and the likes, created a masterplan that completely altered the block. Disney was one of the first to commit, taking out a 99-year lease on the New Amsterdam Theatre and beginning a four-year restoration to bring that beautiful theatre back to its glory. Madam Tassaud was another of the first respectable businesses to jump on board. It took two decades to complete. Now there are four large new buildings anchoring the four corners of the block, theatres renovated, restaurants, and shops. This was a catapulting force in revitalizing the entire Times Square District. Of course, New Yorkers can’t stand it and say the entire area has become a Disney Theme Park…they wax poetic for the seedy NY of yore, which seemed more New York to them than this pristine and family friendly environment…but here it is.