42.6 F
New York
Friday, March 29, 2024

The Outdoor Guide to Lower Manhattan

Related Articles

-Advertisement-

Must read

By: Rachael Roth

The bottom tip of Manhattan is characterized by colossal skyscrapers and unparalleled views of the Hudson and East rivers. A beacon for tourists looking to dig into the City’s past, this area is a magical place for locals to visit as well. Here you can experience remnants of a forgotten Manhattan. In the Seaport District alone, the City’s oldest architectural landmarks sit among signs of urban renewal. The arrival of ships to Ellis Island and the immigrants they brought with them are immortalized here in granite and bronze.

It’s always a good time to explore the neighborhood’s many parks and walkways. Learn about the history of Manhattan through public art, hang out in a scenic green space, see some public art and fall in love with the City all over again.

 

Brookfield Place

Brookfield Place is the height of luxury shopping, dining and cultural arts in downtown Manhattan. The complex is positioned just south of Tribeca along the Hudson River waterfront and home to international fashion houses including Hermès, Bottega Veneta and Burberry, and contemporary brands such as Paul Smith, Theory, Michael Kors, Vince and Lululemon. An 85,000-square-foot Saks Fifth Avenue opened in 2016. Best-in-class dining options include Hudson Eats, a collection of 14 chef-driven eateries; Le District, a 30,000-square-foot French-inspired marketplace; and eight signature restaurants including Del Frisco’s Grille and Parm.

 

Seaport District

Located along the East River with unparalleled views of the Brooklyn Bridge and the City skyline, the Seaport District is one of the most dynamic neighborhoods in New York City. The charming cobblestone streets and historic buildings that make up the City’s oldest waterfront neighborhood continue to bustle with commerce and culture; the Seaport is home to the South Street Seaport Museum as well as some of the city’s most innovative culinary, fashion and entertainment experiences that both locals and visitors can enjoy.

Located along the East River with unparalleled views of the Brooklyn Bridge and the City skyline, the Seaport District is one of the most dynamic neighborhoods in New York City. Photo Credit: Julienne Schaer

Pier 15, South Street Seaport

This once-neglected waterfront space has been revamped into a public pier, with two floors of observation decks, greenery, seats and benches offering spectacular views of the East River. The 50,000-square-foot structure—which also features an indoor seating and observation area— is part of the City’s revival of the East River Esplanade.

This once-neglected waterfront space has been revamped into a public pier, with two floors of observation decks, greenery, seats and benches offering spectacular views of the East River. Photo Credit: Julienne Schaer

 

African Burial Ground National Monument

Most New Yorkers have no idea that in the 17th and 18th centuries, hundreds of Africans were buried in a 6.6-acre burial ground in Lower Manhattan. When construction workers for a new federal building found the remains of more than 400 Africans in the early ’90s in this unmarked cemetery, the truth was uncovered, and in 1991, the African Burial Ground project, a memorial to this sacred site, was launched. Today, the site includes commissioned artwork and a respectful exterior memorial, where many tributes to the deceased and community events have since taken place. The Burial Ground’s new visitor center features exhibitions and a 40-seat theater.

 

Federal Hall National Memorial

Though few people associate NYC with America’s federal government, old Wall Street is in fact where it all began. Federal Hall served as the first US Capitol Building, the site of George Washington’s first inauguration and the place where the Bill of Rights was officially passed. Though the original building has since been demolished, the current structure—built as the US Customs House in 1842—today serves as a national memorial operated by the National Park Service. Brush up on your American History 101 at Federal Hall with a free tour (either on your own or with a guide); no reservations necessary.

 

Statue of Liberty National Monument

The Statue of Liberty is perhaps New York City’s most familiar landmark and the easiest one to overlook since it’s only accessible by boat. This historic monument has welcomed many generations of hopeful Americans to our shores.

 

Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park

The Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park, located on Roosevelt Island across from the United Nations, celebrates the life and legacy of President Roosevelt. In his 1941 State of the Union speech, FDR addressed four freedoms that he suggested should be the expectation of everyone, worldwide: freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want and freedom from fear. The park, opened in 2012, pays tribute to the significance of Roosevelt’s speech. Architect Louis Kahn (who died before the construction broke ground) designed the site in a triangular shape to draw focus toward the southern tip of the island, which is where a bronze bust of Roosevelt by American sculptor Jo Davidson is located. For more information, including how to travel to the park, visit www.fdrfourfreedomspark.org.

 

Wall Street

Centered at Wall and Broad Streets, the Financial District is Manhattan’s original neighborhood—here, historic sites and high finance sit side by side on narrow streets that hark back to Peter Stuyvesant and the City’s days as a Dutch outpost. Among its attractions are Trinity Church, the New York Stock Exchange and the Charging Bull sculpture, as well as Federal Hall, the first capitol of the United States of America and also where George Washington took his oath as the nation’s first president.

 

Outdoor Sculptures & Art

Lower Manhattan has plenty of outdoor art to behold. Across from the New York Stock Exchange building is Kristen Visbal’s 4-foot-tall bronze sculpture, Fearless Girl, installed just ahead of International Women’s Day in March 2017. The sculpture previously stood facing Arturo Di Modica’s famous Charging Bull sculpture at Bowling Green.

For lovers of abstract art, a visit to the Louise Nevelson Plaza is a must. The artist, who once caused a rift between Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera as she was Rivera’s mistress, is the first artist to have a public place in New York named after her. Her sculptures were inspired by the firewood she once collected to keep warm in New York during the Great Depression. Zuccotti Park, decimated during the 9/11 attacks and a gathering spot for protestors during Occupy Wall Street, is the site of several public artworks, including the Joie de Vivre sculpture by Mark di Suvero.

 

Staten Island Ferry

More than a means of transportation, the Staten Island Ferry is an attraction unto itself. For no charge, visitors can take a 25-minute voyage by water from Lower Manhattan to Staten Island and take in the Statue of Liberty and the stunning vistas of New York Harbor and the Manhattan skyline. The ferry docks at the St. George Ferry Terminal, just a short bus ride from the Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden. This cultural and entertainment destination (a former seamen’s retirement home) encompasses a number of institutions whose diverse offerings should appeal to all interests and ages. Among them are the Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art, the Noble Maritime Collection and the Staten Island Children’s Museum.

 

9/11 Memorial & Museum

The National September 11 Memorial and Museum remembers and honors those killed in the terrorist attacks of 9/11/2001 and 2/26/1993, those who risked their lives to save others, and all who demonstrated extraordinary compassion in the aftermath through commemoration, exhibitions and educational programs. The memorial consists of two reflecting pools set in the footprints of the Twin Towers, with names of the victims inscribed in bronze around the pools. The museum serves as the principal institution concerned with exploring the implications of the events of 9/11, documenting their impact and exploring 9/11’s continuing significance.

 

One World Trade Center

This 104-story, 1,776 foot-tall building is the Western hemisphere’s tallest skyscraper (and the fourth tallest in the world). Designed by David Childs of the august firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, One WTC starts at ground level with a traditional square base, but as it rises, the edges are pared away, yielding a distinctive eight-sided tower composed of a series of soaring isosceles triangles, and topped by a 408-foot spire. Built on the site of the original 6 World Trade Center, the structure formerly known as the “Freedom Tower” includes restaurants and One World Observatory for the public, as well as plenty of commercial office space.

             (www.nycgo.com)

balance of natureDonate

Latest article

- Advertisement -