Hotel 46- NYC Times Square

 Hotel 46- NYC @ Times Square

We stayed at Hotel 46, which was on 46th street. We were only half a block from Times Square and Broadway.  Almost everywhere we went involved going through Times Square. We really could not have picked a better location for our stay. Our room was on the top floor, so we were anxious to see the view. We had a good laugh when we got up to our room and saw what was outside our window- there was about a foot of space and a brick wall. 

Times Square is a five block retail area and the hub of the Broadway Theater District located in Midtown Manhattan. It is a busy intersection of art and commerce.  It is one of the world's busiest pedestrian areas and most visited tourist attractions. The area attracts about 50 million visitors annually. It is estimated that a million visit NYC each year to watch the ball drop in Times Square on New Year's Eve and over a billion watch it being broadcast on various media outlets. 

Times Square was not always an area that brought pride to New Yorkers. Crime, corruption, and the Mob turned this once elegant, cultural hub into a dark and seedy place where tourists were advised to avoid for their safety.  From the 1960 to the early 1990's, Times Square declined greatly. It became known for its high crime rates and seedy sex shops/prostitution. Once elegant movie theaters became houses of porn and prostitution. The area became a disgrace to the city. Mayor Giulani set out to clean up Times Square and recreate it into the impressive tourist attraction that it is now. 

This was Lisa's first glimpse of Times Square upon our arrival.

Opened in 1903, the Lyceum Theatre is one of the oldest surviving Broadway venues. It is also  the oldest continuously operating legitimate theater in New York City. The craftsmanship involved in the intricate work of these very old and ornate buildings is simply amazing. Many of the buildings in NYC were built in the 1800's, prior to electricity being available. 

The bronze statue of Chaplain Francis P. Duffy of New York's "Fighting 69th" Infantry Regiment, was sculpted by Charles Keck. The statue was dedicated by Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia in 1937.  The northern section of Times Square was renamed "Duffy Square" in 1939 in his honor.  The statue of Duffy and the square itself were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.

In the background is one of the most recognized buildings in Times Square. Times Square was originally called Longacre Square.  The building was home to the New York Times when the name was changed.  The building is currently vacant with no plans for its use- with the exception of it being an illuminated billboard.  All buildings in Times Square are required to have their exteriors adorned with illuminated billboards. Many of the buildings earn more money renting out billboard space than they make renting out office space. 

Lisa was standing below the light post entry to the Diamond District. (Note Adrian on the left.)  Notice how the light on top of the post is in the shape of a Diamond.  Approximately 90 percent of the diamonds that come into the US go through the Diamond District first- whether they are sold wholesale or retail. We got caught in a downpour while touring this area. Lisa had to make a pitstop in a souvenir shop to get a sweatshirt since she was cold and wet.  

This is the current NY Times office building located on the west side of Midtown Manhattan. The mix of new technology with stunning, complex architecture and historical, ornate grandeur makes NYC truly unique and a sight to behold.