Author Archives: Tim Ahmed

New York City is the quintessential example of a busy city.  Inhabitants may say that New York is the hardest working city in the world.  There is a reason why it’s called the city that never sleeps.  The streets are crammed with passing vehicles and pedestrians.  It seems as if people in the city don’t have the time to cool off.   Luckily, the city is filled with spaces for the public to sit, relax, and enjoy the scenery.  Here are three of the most scenic public spaces found in Manhattan:

Public space inside the Trump Tower. Photo by: Tim Ahmed

The Atrium on Lexington Avenue. Photo Credit: businesswire.com

The Trump Tower on Fifth avenue hold one of the largest indoor ground-level public spaces.  Sculptures and plants  completes the serene atmosphere.   There is also indoor access to the Nike store, Starbucks, a restaurant  and to the offices in Tower.  It’s across the street from a muchsmaller plaza inside the Sony building.

The Atrium on Lexington Ave is a very  convenient two-story indoor hub for commuters and office workers.  You can find shops, a food court, an entrance to the subway station on Lexington Ave and 53rd street , and an outdoor public space by the fountain.  Unlike most public spaces in the city, the Atrium includes an array of restaurants to choose from and a sitting area positioned in the middle of the plaza.

The tropical-themed lobby of the Deutsche Bank Building.     Photo Credit: thenation.com

The most lavish of public spaces in New York is located inside the Deutsche Bank Building.  Walking inside the public spaces is like entering another world.  The space is designed like a tropical hideout.  Seats and tables are surrounded by palm trees and the beige tiling throughout the space.

What was once home to trains running up and down the elevated track on the west side until the 1960s is now a place for pedestrians to roam around and enjoy the views of the city.

The High Line above 19th street. Photo by: Tim Ahmed

The High Line opened a mile to pedestrians in 2009, and expects to complete the entire 1.45 mile by 2014.

According to the High Line’s official website, the original railway was first built on street level in 1847.  This was not safe in Manhattan during the early era of the automobile. Collisions between freight trains and automobiles were frequent in the West Side.  The city hired men on horses to direct traffic.

In 1929, the city and the New York Central Railroad decided to elevate the entire railway on the west side, making automobile traffic more convenient and safer.

Relaxing on the elevated public space on the high line.   Photo by: Tim Ahmed

Thirty years after the project, the southern part of the railway was demolished due to the increase of interstate trucking.  Freight trains were no longer used in Manhattan.  The track from Gansevoort Street to 30th Street was abandoned.  In 1999, residents in the neighborhood advocated for the transformation of the High Line into a pedestrian walkway.  Ten years later,  the high line was finally open to the public.

The Empire State Building fills the skyline from the west.  Photo by: Tim Ahmed

Some compare the walkway to Paris’ Promenade Plantée, coined as the first elevated park in world.   The High Line is a modern approach to the classical and elegant Promenade.  This is a great place for visitors and even residents of the city.  Pedestrians are able to view the city from a different perspective.  During the winter season, the high line is bare without their colorful flora, but the sightseeing is still breathtaking.  If you ever wondered what it felt like to walk on an elevated train track, this is your chance.  Only this time, you can admire the skyline and walk safely.