density and height in Manhattan (New York, York: middle-class, homes, neighborhoods)
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I'm curious about how New Yorkers see the following...
Manhattan is in a boom era with many major projects being built or on the drawing board. Height is a major component of any number of them and it is clear that the skyline of midtown Manhattan is being spiked by extremely tall buildings that shoot out above the ones around them.
New York continues to get more dense as it gets taller as well.
I realize, of course, that many of these new projects are exciting and bring real assets to the city. But I have to wonder if New Yorkers have any concern about the future of the city as it keeps going higher and becomes more crowded.
we are living in an era where growth appears to be on steroids so in a relatively short time, New York's skyline and its street grid will become far higher and far more dense.
Do you think this may end up having a negative effect on the city's character, its livability, etc? Can New York get too much of a good thing?
If we are serious about making room for more people here or lowering the rents paid by those already here, then what is the alternative? Either build taller buildings or keep out immigrants. Supply and demand. Those are the two variables we have to work with.
Personally, I am fine with new tall buildings. They have always made New York City what it is. My only objection is that developers often don't build high enough. A lot that sports a 20 story building that might otherwise have been the location of an 80 story building seems like a wasted opportunity.
We need more housing to support a growing population and to moderate housing costs. And yes, were more high-rises to be built--in the boroughs as well as Manhattan--it would definitely change the fabric and ambience of the city. But you can't complain about building more housing in the midst of a housing shortage.
That said there are two main problems. One is that much of the new housing, especially in Manhattan, is in no way affordable to middle-class families. Much of it is for super-rich investors who won't be living or raising families in them. I don't think you can get a lot of new middle-class housing at this point w/o some form of gov't subsidy, like Mitchell Lama.
The second big problem is that if a slew of new hi-rises suddenly sprouted, the accompanying infrastructure might not be there to support them. We see already the school squeeze in part of lower Manhattan where the number of affluent families have been growing. And what about transportation? The subways and buses are near to bursting on many lines at rush hours and the MTA can only put so many more buses or trains in service on a given route. It took almost a century just to get the 2nd Ave subway. And park space? Where would that go if so much land was converted to residential buildings?
Ultimately we need to build more housing, and yes, it will change the character of the neighborhoods where it's built. But if that growth is accomplished with some smart planning, the changes will be for the better.
We need more housing to support a growing population and to moderate housing costs. And yes, were more high-rises to be built--in the boroughs as well as Manhattan--it would definitely change the fabric and ambience of the city. But you can't complain about building more housing in the midst of a housing shortage.
That said there are two main problems. One is that much of the new housing, especially in Manhattan, is in no way affordable to middle-class families. Much of it is for super-rich investors who won't be living or raising families in them. I don't think you can get a lot of new middle-class housing at this point w/o some form of gov't subsidy, like Mitchell Lama.
The second big problem is that if a slew of new hi-rises suddenly sprouted, the accompanying infrastructure might not be there to support them. We see already the school squeeze in part of lower Manhattan where the number of affluent families have been growing. And what about transportation? The subways and buses are near to bursting on many lines at rush hours and the MTA can only put so many more buses or trains in service on a given route. It took almost a century just to get the 2nd Ave subway. And park space? Where would that go if so much land was converted to residential buildings?
Ultimately we need to build more housing, and yes, it will change the character of the neighborhoods where it's built. But if that growth is accomplished with some smart planning, the changes will be for the better.
the only saving grace from what i know about many of the projects currently going up in midtown is that for a large percentage of the units, they are occupied by those who do not make them their primary residency and who have a number of other homes.
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