According to the New York Times, the completion of 11 Times Square next month will officially mark "the end of the long and tortuous redevelopment of Times Square, an effort that began 30 years ago." That's right, despite lawsuits, flippancy and the popularity of (sometimes) misplaced nostalgia, Times Square developers have been able to overcome adversity and give the area its very own Madame Tussaud's! And according to Jimmy Glenn of Jimmy's Corner bar, "Everybody loves Times Square now."
On our informal poll, almost 67% of readers said they much preferred the gritty, crime-ridden Times Square of old to the tourist-packed light show it's become, but many say that the theme restaurants and million dollar billboards are just a sign of a city functional enough to actually build something. Professor Lynne B. Sagalynn at Columbia University said, "Times Square is an example of how a city was able to think on a grand scale and carry it out," and Tim Tompkins of the Times Square Alliance said, “Its transformation is due more to government intervention than just about any other development in the country." So you can thank socialism for that Dave & Buster's!
In their interactive feature, the Times shows how 42nd Street's buildings have become obscured by ads and neon signs, with nary a peep-show to be found. But how will the area change now that this renaissance is complete? We can't wait for the cyclical degeneration, complete will full-on nostalgia for the squeaky clean streets of yesteryear.
