Times Square

Times Square is primarily thought of as a commercial area, but there is plenty of housing if you know where to look. The side streets are rich with small, old buildings with units for rent and for sale. There are studios, and one-bedrooms, but you can also find spacious floor-through lofts.

There are two major downsides to this lively area: tourists and dirt...and they’re related to some degree. Because so many people in Times Square are visitors – from other parts of Manhattan, from other boroughs, and from other countries -- they have no community pride and seem to be unconcerned about throwing their garbage on the streets. These visitors clog the streets on weeknights and weekends, turning Times Square into a sea of humanity that’s hard to navigate.

There are two major upsides to Times Square: food and entertainment. Times Square is home to dozens of movie houses and theatres, as well as jazz clubs, strip clubs, and comedy clubs. There are literally hundreds of restaurants in the area, ranging from chain eateries (like Red Lobster) and fast food (McDonalds) to upscale dining options. And on ‘Restaurant Row,’ a block of West 46th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues, you can rub elbows with Broadway stars and chorus kids at iconic theatre district restaurants such like Joe Allen’s

If you live right off of Times Square (east or west of Broadway and 7th Avenue from 42nd to 47th Street), you will enjoy an endless stream of free outdoor entertainment. The area is home to major broadcasting companies such as ABC and MTV, and every month they and other business enterprises turn Times Square into a performance space, with concerts, fashion shows, and product launches.

There’s great everyday shopping just a block away on 8th Avenue where you can find shoe repair shops, supermarkets, and pharmacies. The area is heavily patrolled, but it is also considered a terrorist target and several plots have been foiled there. And when the garbage cans are removed and the manholes sealed for New Year’s Eve, it is hard to think of Times Square as safe.

Most New Yorkers will tell you that they are not fans of Times Square - it's crowded, dirty and full of tourists who move at a strangely slow pace. But in fact there are people who live in this neighborhood, and I once heard one actually praise the tourists who frequent the area because he appreciated their great appreciation for New York - tourists don't take this city for granted, he said.

This neighborhood is a must-see for all first-time tourists - I know it was certainly on my list when I was a teenager visiting the city for the first time. There is nothing like Times Square in the rest of the country, that's for sure.

So there you have it: this area has its ups (amazing theater shows, a function as a unique tourist destination, sidewalks that actually sparkle) and its downs (crowds, tourists traps, too many chain restaurants).