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It’s a warm and sunny Wednesday afternoon. Retail stores occupy 18th century buildings next to modern office spaces. A few men in business suits hastily weave their way around slowly wandering tourists with their heads in the air and armed with their maps and cameras. Passer-bys speak in English, French, Korean, and Russian. Standing at the intersection of 14th Street and Broadway at the South West corner of Union Square, it is evident that the square is the junction of much more than just 4th Avenue, formerly known as Bowery Road, and Broadway for which it was named.
The area is lively and bustling with a sea of different people and the sounds of busy traffic. Given its central location in the city, the square has been a prime venue for commerce, entertainment, and cultural and political events since its transformation from burial grounds to a public square in 1839. During its earlier years, the neighborhood was largely a residential area for the elite and home to esteemed brands such as Tiffany’s. Towards the end of the 19th century, the square became popular grounds for labor protests, political rallies, and other mass gatherings. It was here, in 1882, where the first Labor Day Parade was held (Sennett, 163-175).
Although the square has transformed into a largely commercial area, remnants of its past still remain. While scanning the buildings surrounding me, I notice new and modern structures that have been built and retail stores now occupy the 19th century skyscrapers. What was once the Century Publishing Co. in the 1880s Queen Anne-style building is now a Barnes & Noble Bookstore (Follett). The former Germania Life Insurance Company Building has been transformed into the esteemed W Union Square Hotel. The Union Square Savings Bank is now used as the Daryl Roth Theatre, showing modern performances such as Fuerza Bruta. Other commercial stores such as Whole Foods and Staples surround the square, as well as a collection of popular restaurants (Union Square Park).
Serving as the cross-section of many subway lines, the square continues to be a prime gathering place for people. There is a very fast-paced and energetic atmosphere, magnified by the whiz of people and cars passing by, the sounds a man playing his guitar on the sidewalk, and the digital timepiece that counts down the seconds until midnight. I make my way over to the steps of the square where a crowd has gathered, passing a group of skateboarders practicing their Ollies on the sidewalk, vendors selling paintings and mangoes in the shape of flowers, and a few tables of chess games on the way. Everyone is watching as a group of three young boys spin in circles on the ground in sync to music that is blasting from a boom box.
As impressed as I am by their talent, my attention is averted by the smell of freshly baked bread that wafts in my direction, something I cannot walk away from. I am guided through a stretch of lawn to the North West side of the square and am met with kiosks lining the edges of the pavement displaying baked goods, fresh produce to handmade gifts. I recognized this as the popular Greenmarket that is held a few times a week, attracting people from all around the city. Beginning in 1976, the Union Square Greenmarket has grown to become New York’s flagship farmer’s market where artisans can sell their locally produced products (GrowNYC). As I stroll down the path mixed with tourists and locals both young and old, I see a bread stand that seemed to attract a particularly large group of customers. Their selection is extensive but my decision is narrowed down by a local who recommends that I buy their Cranberry Walnut Bread, insisting that it is their best. Eventually, I reluctantly leave the Greenmarket and head towards 5th Avenue.
The street is lined with midrange retail stores and specialty restaurants, including Mesa Grill owned by the famous Chef, Bobby Flay. The sidewalks remain crowded with satisfied shoppers carrying their purchases from Anthropologie, H&M, Zara, and the like. One could easily spend a whole days worth of shopping on this small strip of 5th Avenue alone.
Just when I begin to feel like the commotion of Union Square is behind me, I am enticed by animated sounds of laughter and chatter emerging ahead, signaling me with its twinkling lights. Various restaurants had set up small kiosks along the perimeters of a patch of pavement called Worth Square to sell a few items from their menu. Apparently, I had stumbled upon an ongoing event called Madison Square Eats, a popular spot where business people come to relax after a day’s work and friends gather for a bite to eat and a drink.
A much calmer yet still vivacious Madison Square sits right beside Worth Square. Named after James Madison, the square opened as a public park in 1847. It is home to many iconic buildings that make New York City what it is today such as the Flatiron Building, the first two Madison Square Gardens, and the Metropolitan Life Insurance Building, which was the tallest building in the world when it was completed in 1909. In the late 19th century, the square served as one of the city’s most elite neighborhoods but lost much of its former vitality towards the end of the century when the wealthy moved uptown.
The City Parks Foundation renovated the park in the 1990s and it has now re-emerged as a lively area in the center of a revitalized business district where residents and people who work nearby come to relax (Madison Square Park). Though the park is bordered by numerous office buildings, restaurants, and retail stores like Union Square, I find the area to have a more laid-back vibe and decide to sit down on one of the many benches that line the pathway running through the park. On the bench next to mine a man reads a book while enjoying the summer weather. A number of people pass by with their dogs on their way to the dog park. Children run around on the playground to my left. Couples stroll aimlessly but contently down the pavement. At the far end, I spot a line that wraps around an entire side of the park waiting for a burger or shake at the Shake Shack, a permanent food stand that is never without a line. In front of me is a large sculpture of a face, a temporary piece of work by Jaume Piensa entitled “Echo”, the only thing that left me feeling a little unsettled because of its enormity (NBC New York). Though businesses largely border the area, the lively yet tranquil and friendly energy of the park has drawn an increasing residential crowd.
Circling back to 5th Avenue, I trace my steps back to Union Square. The Greenmarket is gone now and a group of salsa dancers have taken is place. Though people and events come and go, the steady hum of cars and chatter continue and the steps of the square remain populated. My walking tour was only one mile in length but was packed with numerous attractions pulling me in every direction. I know I could have walked the same path again and encounter a completely different and exciting experience.
glad you're sharing this with the world. it's fantastic!
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