Times square was a sh*t hole and getting panhandled at every corner of the city was annoying. They also should mention how Grand Central was homeless camp that had a train station in it...lol

I love old photos of Times Square. Anyone have any others on Flickr etc.? Post links here! Brings back lots of memories of the 1990s when I was going to college and had to take buses from the Port Authority.

There's virtually nothing of the "old" Times Square left, but if you look on 42nd between 6th and 7th there is one empty lot next to (or near) the "Pop Tarts" pop-up store and those few store fronts there are a bit run down. I'm sure that will disappear soon. Also, there are still some porn shops on 8th Avenue like the Playpen that I think is between 42nd and 43rd.

Where else could you have felt up a well-endowed Puerto Rican transvestite for a dollar...

Good times, indeed. Where else could you have felt up a well-endowed Puerto Rican chick for a dollar...

And gotten a STD so powerful that your privates would be in a painful hell afterwards. You were saying?

or finger one for a few dollars more.

I don't remember much of the Port authority pre-renovation except there was one hobby shop in there that sold gas model engines, the other shop was American's Hobby center.

I went to the PA shop to get some props, the PA was all plywood and areas blocked off during the renovation.

People who opine for the "old" Times Square I bet never even went there. There was ZERO reason to be in TS unless you were looking for sex or drugs. And, yes it was dangerous.

Totally not true. I went to high school at the old Performing Arts on 46th St, and spent lots of time in TS in the early & mid 80s. Never had any problems of note, with anyone.

I'll never forget those Saturday nights seeing double features at the Hollywood Twin on 8th Ave. You could even smoke in the theater...

The Playland arcades at 42nd and 47th streets, the arcade/billiard parlor at 49th street, the Nathan's at 43rd street, the revival movie house at 47th street, the legitimate and non-XXX movie theaters, the bars, restaurants, and the live theater.

This use to be my playground.

@NYDirk & Militant Conformist: Just as home video would eventually kill off the porn theaters, home video game systems & the Internet would eventually kill of arcades and arcade gaming. So the porn theaters and the arcades would have gone the way of the dodo anyway.

You and Militant!

Thank you!

+1

Obliviously you never played in any of the great video arcades or gone to any of the Karate Movie theaters in TS or you wouldn’t make such a statement.

The original Street Fighter, the first Mortal Kombat, along with Dungeon and Dragons were more than enough reason to go down there

would love to see pics of the old port authority terminal pre-renovation, anyone have some?

Even if Guiliani hadn't run off most of the porn shops, the internet would have.

Excellent point.

Man how I regret not checking out those 25¢ tittie shows! DAMN!!!

I prefer it the old way too. I was a kid back then and I grew up in the neighborhood.

It was kind of scuzzy but I never had any problems. It was still packed with tourists during the day but Disney ruined the neighborhood, IMO.

There are still crime problems here at night but mostly because of drunk people getting into fights.

At least The Deuce had some character to it.

1986 was the beginning of the end. No more live sex shows. what's even more grittier was the Port Authority bus terminal Pre renovation.

I don't why some say it was dangerous, you mind your own business. I'm wondering if those crime victim stats were from drug dealers, hookers, pimps, etc.

I prefer it the old way-no bullshit pedestrian plazas and bloated tourists stumbling around like zombies. I loved going bowling in the Port Authority as well. Sure it was scuzzy and dangerous, but it was always an adventure. Now you spend more time dodging idiots texting mindlessly