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800.ELLIMAN

6.3 out of 10

Financial District

Ranked 30th best neighborhood in Manhattan
40.7061731612123 -74.0081908364141
Great for
  • Public Transport
  • Internet Access
  • Parks & Recreation
  • Medical Facilities
  • Neighborly Spirit
Not great for
  • Parking
  • Nightlife
  • Lack of Traffic
  • Peace & Quiet
  • Cost of Living
Who lives here?
  • Tourists
  • Trendy & Stylish
  • Country Lovers
  • Beach Lovers
  •  

Reviews

3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 1/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 1/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
2yrs+

"Financial District: The Hub of Financial Activity but Very Pricey"

The Financial District offers tourists a lot of excitement. There is the New York Stock Exchange as well as lots of other landmarks to see, like the Federal Reserve Bank and the new World Trade Center Memorial. Great shopping is a must at Century 21 which is directly across the old World Trade Center site. The area itself is compact. There are a lot of little streets, some of which are very narrow and others that no longer allow cars down them. You can get a sense of the old New York by looking at these streets. Eateries abound and so do lunch specials considering the hoards of people that have to eat here everyday. But on the weekends, this place becomes very quiet. It's great for tourists who may want to roam around when there is less foot traffic. Everything is easy to get to because you're at the bottom of Manhattan and it's narrower. All the streets are named which makes it confusing. You can get disoriented and not know whether you are going east or west. Great venues nearby are the South Street Seaport which has a mall and a bunch of shops as well as ships that can be visited/boarded.

Area is very secure since attacks so you needn't worry about that. Lots of security and police abound.
Pros
  • A lot of historical sights
  • Beautiful
Cons
  • dead at night
Recommended for
  • Tourists
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 1/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 5/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
2yrs+

"Busy in the Day, Calm at Night"

The Financial District has two distinct personalities: it is bustling during the day with the Wall Street crowd and tourists but is calm and actually quite boring at night. For this reason, it would not be such a bad place to live.

For tourists this is a very interesting neighborhood to visit. To be walking through the money capital of the world is quite exciting. There is a mix of old and new buildings with the old showcasing some beautiful architectural details. The Trinity Church Cemetery and Mausoleum overlooks the Hudson River from Riverside Drive and is a special oasis of peace and tranquility in one of the most beautiful natural settings in all of New York City. Trinity Church is home to St. Paul's Chapel located directly across form the former World trade Center site. The church was home to an eight month volunteer effort in the wake of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

The neighborhood is a great area to explore for tourists to explore with its short streets, many of which are still made of the original cobblestone. Indeed Pearl Street go its name because the street is lined with crushed pearls from the time that oyster catchers patrolled the waters of the Hudson River. The financial district is filled with such history while also boasting many modern touches such as the new residential developments that have cropped up over the past ten years.

The area offers panoramic view of the Manhattan skyline and is home to the Police Museum, the Museum of American Finance, and the home of the future World Trade Center Memorial.
Recommended for
  • Tourists
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
2yrs+

"Prototypical NYC Neighborhood - Tourists and Bankers"

New York's Financial District is pretty much what you expect when you come to New York: skyscrapers filled with offices, tourists, and plenty of locals.

This is a pretty good place to live if you work nearby. The area is clean, the buildings are beautiful, and there are plenty of shopping and food options. At the same time, the area sees a lot of foot and car traffic during the day and the trains and buses are packed. At night everyone leaves for the day and the area is very nice and right next to Battery Park, South Street Seaport, and Brooklyn Bridge.

For tourists, this is Wall Street. This is what you see in those panoramic views of the Manhattan skyline. The area is also home to the Police Museum, the Museum of American Finance, and the Federal Hall National Memorial. This is also the former location of the World Trade Center and the home of the future World Trade Center Memorial.

The area has seen a lot more residents of late. It really is one of the better places to live in New York but the prices are high by all non-NYC standards. Of course, it seems like all of New York is square in your neighborhood every morning.
Pros
  • A lot of historical sights
  • Well served by good bus and subway connections to the rest of the city
  • quiet
Cons
  • Very Crowded During The Day
  • dead at night
Recommended for
  • Tourists
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
2yrs+

"Busy during the day, quiet at night"

The Financial District of Manhattan is an exciting neighborhood. Of course, it's where the World Trade Center existed prior to the attacks on 9/11, but there's much more to the area than that. It's where Wall Street is located, the New York Stock Exchange, and the famous bull sculpture. What a lot of people don't know is that this is where the Dutch first settled New York. It's so rich with history that it deserves a lot of attention from both tourists and locals. I ignored this history for years, and when I discovered it, I became totally fascinated.

Check out the Fraunces Tavern and Museum. Washington spent time there, and the museum has some of his artifacts. My favorite street in the Financial District is Stone Street off Coenties Ally – the first paved street in New York City. Today, it's lined with restaurants and is an old world pedestrian block. Delmonico's on Beaver Street is purportedly the first restaurant in America. George Washington was inaugurated as our first president where today's Federal Hall National Monument stands at 26 Wall Street. And that's just the beginning. Don't miss Trinity Church and St. Paul's Chapel either.

This area is a must-see for tourists and history buffs, and it isn't bad for living either, although it isn't the most affordable neighborhood in Manhattan. More people are moving into the area, and there are more grocery stores in what used to be an almost exclusively commercial 'hood.
Pros
  • Affordable rents
  • Many streets are undiscovered by tourists, still charming and quiet
  • Some relatively unknown good restaurants and pubs
Cons
  • Boring
  • Mostly commercial/business
  • No nightlife
Recommended for
  • Tourists
  • Trendy & Stylish
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 4/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 5/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
2yrs+

"Good Place to Live!"

The Financial District is actually a pretty good place to live. The streets and trains are crowded during business hours, but the night is very calm. Instead of you commuting away from the city at night, the people of the city commute away from you, allowing you to enjoy some much needed calm.

Apartment deals are pretty good and most of the housing options are newer luxury buildings. There's a lot of empty apartments since 2008, so some people are getting awesome deals--clean, spacious apartments with fantastic city views.

The South Street Seaport is the main attraction, aside from Wall Street itself, and there's nothing quite like it. This attracts tons of tourists on the weekends, but only certain hours of the day. The Seaport can be very relaxing at night, allowing you to walk far out on the pier and enjoy some of the decent restaurants in the area.

The Brooklyn Bridge is in your backyard and almost every subway line crosses through the Financial District, making it easy to travel anywhere in the city.

In general this is a convient location where you can get a great deal, but the flow of business professionals and tourists can be overwhelming for some. Still, it's not as crowded as you might think and there are some great hidden gems where you can wait the tourists out. Try Fresh Salt Bar, just beyond Water Street.
Pros
  • affordable rents
  • Beautiful
  • Well served by good bus and subway connections to the rest of the city
Cons
  • South Street Seaport in a huge tourist attraction
Recommended for
  • Trendy & Stylish
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
2yrs+

"Perhaps the cleanest neighborhood in the city?"

Normally I'm not a big crowd person, and normally I avoid places that are as full of tourists as the Financial District tends to be. But there is something really appealing about this neighborhood - every time I'm there I think to myself, "man, this must be the cleanest place in all of New York City." Because, comparatively, the streets are amazingly clean - which is impressive for a place that is bustling during business hours.

The neighborhood is full of tourists who've come to check out Wall Street and whatnot, but the neighborhood really caters to the suits who run the city - with endless delis and eateries and a few upscale club-type of restaurants.

This is not a neighborhood I would ever consider living in - the action dies out pretty early around these parts, after the tourists have moved on and the business men have gone home or out in a more happening part of the city. But I'm sure people do live down there - they must. And it's clean and probably pretty quiet at night, as no one else is likely to venture down there unless they happen to live there...
Pros
  • A lot of historical sights
  • affordable rents
  • The Century 21 designer discount store is a huge draw in the financial district
  • The harbor nearby
Cons
  • deli-heavy for the business lunch crowd
  • dead at night
  • The WTC continues to be heavily tourist trafficked
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
2yrs+

"The epicenter"

I'm somewhat in love with the Financial Center, though it is an unlikely love. What seems so striking about the area is its crazy drama: the sheer contrast of skyscrapers next to the solitary figure on the sidewalk, the wild play of light and shadows cut at vicious angles, the presence of glimmering glass facades of the modernist buildings right next to the extraordinary Gothic brickwork of Trinity Church. Home to Wall Street and the insane world of highs and lows that it conjures, scene of the shocking collapse of the World Trade Center and its perennial stream of tourist-mourners, I think of this place as the epicenter. For the rest of New York and also for the world. As such, I am never entirely at ease here, as if the area is haunted by its past. I looked at several apartments in this area a few years ago, and almost ended up moving here, and it's surprising to think how quickly the tourists and Wall Street types vanished in my mind's eye once I looked at the area as a potential residence. However, neither group, tourists nor suits, are all that easy to ignore, and if I lived here I would certainly consider their presence a drawback. The apartments I saw all had high ceilings and generous windows, and I really love the idea of being able to jog by the water every morning. Alas, so far this hasn't happened.
Pros
  • The harbor nearby
  • A lot of historical sights
  • Well served by good bus and subway connections to the rest of the city
Cons
  • dead at night
  • Not a ton to do after sightseeing
  • The WTC continues to be heavily tourist trafficked
Recommended for
  • Tourists
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
2yrs+

"For businessmen and tourists!"

Financial District is a great place to work in but a very expensive one to live in. It is located in downtown Manhattan. It has a lot of restaurants, shops, retail stores, lots of expensive, affordable to not everyone brands. It is filled by tourists and business people. New York Stock Exchange and Federal Reserve bank is one of the major sites to visit there.
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
2yrs+

"Crowded sidewalks and narrow streets"

I have mixed feelings about the financial district. First of all, it is always packed with both business men and tourists - an unlikely mix, but there they are all the same. The streets tend to be narrow and the sidewalks crowded, all of which is off putting for someone who feels disinclined toward crowds.

Then again, Century 21 - the greatest discount retail store ever created - is located in this neighborhood, and so I can't help but brave this atmosphere once in a while. When I do venture down there, I am always amazed at how clean (for New York City) the streets always are. This neighborhood is certainly a sight to behold and anyone visiting the city for a short while probably has no choice but to behold it - the same goes for Times Square - it's an area one should visit at least once in their lifetime.
Pros
  • A lot of historical sights
  • Beautiful
  • The Century 21 designer discount store is a huge draw in the financial district
Cons
  • dead at night
  • boring
Recommended for
  • Tourists
Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish And the area around the WTC gets a lot of gapers and gawkers--
2yrs+
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3/5
2yrs+

"Clean, streets feature interesting architecture, shopping/eating not the greatest"

If you are a tourist, you will probably find yourself here – for some reason whenever I wandered through the Financial District, the streets were always filled with tourists (during the daylight hours, at least) who were snapping pictures all around. This area is a deadzone during the evenings, at least compared with the rest of the city. Though there are many people who live down here, the area still seems to cater mostly to the financial businesses and their employees.

For a tourist there is obviously much to see here, the New York Stock Exchange and the American Stock Exchange being the main attractions. The streets of this neighborhood are surprisingly clean (for this city, anyway), and though the tourists and business people flock here and clog up the sidewalks during the 9 to 5 hours, you’d be pretty hard pressed to find a crowd here later in the evening.
3/5
2yrs+

"Can we blame the money men?"

Given the financial markets crash of late, you may not want to be spending too much time in Wall Street in fear of seeing some desperate people but for the architecture and imposing buildings alone, this is a great stop off. The fact that the street name is synonymous with financial transaction and economic impact tells you the level of importance the street holds and the businesses and organizations it contains. Grasping the power that this one area has over the rest of the world is fascinating and you can always go and vent some anger at how the recession is kicking in!

Unranked Streets in Financial District

Barclay St

2.5/5
"Short Street near Ground Zero"
40.7142090015849 -74.0129334975658

Greenwich St

1.5/5
"Loud and crowded . . but cool buildings."
40.7054835003639 -74.0146605029215

Ann St

1.5/5
"Used to be wild; now its wearing a business suit"
40.7102455017761 -74.0067334967906

Beaver St

2.5/5
"Loads of old buildings but not much to do. "
40.7050812912606 -74.0108588954744
"A tunnel entrance (exactly how it sounds)"
40.7064405068765 -74.0149966764442

Brooklyn Brg

2.5/5
"Great Bridge with an ugly entrance area"
40.7082496596258 -73.9994917861152

Carlisle St

1.5/5
"Give Carlisle Street a Few Years and it will Come Back to Life"
40.7090740145221 -74.0140472842191

Exchange Aly

1.5/5
"A block of offices"
40.7069570008137 -74.0129409987697

Liberty St

2.5/5
"Financial new and old"
40.7094970370062 -74.0112727958873

Maiden Ln

2.5/5
"One of the more happening streets in Fidi"
40.7080881858846 -74.0080952346386

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