Midtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is a geographic area of Manhattan, New York City. It is home to some of the city’s tallest and most famous buildings, such as the Empire State Building and Chrysler Building. It also contains world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square.
Geographically, Midtown is commonly defined as the area south of 59th Street, east of the Hudson River, and west of the East River. While its border with Lower Manhattan is less clear, the City of New York refers to 14th Street as the divider between the two districts. Overall, Manhattan can be divided into three geographic regions: “Uptown”, Midtown, and “Downtown”.
As New York’s largest central business district, Midtown Manhattan is the busiest single commercial district in the United States, and among the most intensely used pieces of real estate in the world. The majority of New York City’s skyscrapers, including its tallest hotels and apartment towers, lie within Midtown. More than 700,000 commuters work in its offices, hotels, and retail establishments; the area also hosts many tourists, visiting residents, and students. Some areas, such as Times Square and Fifth Avenue, have large clusters of retail stores. Sixth Avenue in Midtown holds the headquarters of three of the four major television networks. It is also a growing center of finance, second in importance within the United States only to Downtown Manhattan’s Financial District. Times Square is also the center of American theater.
Road congestion is common, especially for crosstown traffic. In 2011, a new system of traffic light control, known as “Midtown in Motion” was announced, with the aim of reducing traffic congestion.