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Edited by: TJVNews.com
Times Square, once hailed as the “Crossroads of the World,” has been undergoing a concerning transformation that is leaving residents, tourists, and city officials dismayed, as was reported by the New York Post. The area, known for its vibrant lights and lively atmosphere, has recently been marred by the return of vice, disorder, and lawlessness that was reminiscent of its darker days. As vagrants, drug users, and migrants occupy its streets, the debate surrounding its future intensifies, with both nostalgia for its revitalization and concerns about its current state taking center stage, the Post report added.
The history of Times Square is marked by a striking contrast between its infamous past and its triumphant revitalization. The Post reported that during the 1960s, the area was synonymous with crime, depravity, and adult entertainment establishments. However, the tide began to turn in the mid-90s, as then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani embarked on an ambitious cleanup campaign that curtailed crime and shuttered notorious adult venues, the Post report added. The subsequent redevelopment efforts, driven by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, turned Times Square into a family-friendly destination and a symbol of New York’s resurgence.
In recent years, however, Times Square has experienced a troubling regression. Reports of drug use, vagrancy, and public disturbances have become alarmingly common, according to the Post report. Visitors to the area have been greeted with scenes that sharply contrast with the pristine images seen on TV and in movies. The post-pandemic era has exacerbated the problem, with major crimes in the NYPD’s Midtown South precinct surging by 50% within just two years, as was reported by the Post. The increase in lawlessness has left New Yorkers and tourists alike questioning the safety and allure of the iconic location.
Several factors have contributed to the deteriorating conditions in Times Square. According to former NYPD Commissioner William Bratton, a lack of collaboration among various elements of government plays a significant role, the Post report said. The criminal justice system that was instrumental in the area’s transformation decades ago seems to lack the unity and determination seen in the past. The report said that criticism has been directed at the district attorneys’ reluctance to address the “broken windows” signs of social disorder, which are believed to contribute to rising crime rates.
On three separate days over the past week, The Post saw junkies brazenly smoking crack pipes on West 43rd Street, drug dealers peddling their wares within eyeshot of cops, hobos conked out wherever they can find a spot, and scores of aimless migrants loitering the day away, the paper reported.
“A lot of people are worried about Times Square collapsing. And unless they start getting it together for a rebuild, it might actually collapse,” said Bratton, the NYPD commissioner who helped then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani clean up the area in the 1990s.
“We had a lot more to work with than the current commissioner and the mayor have in 2023,” Bratton added, according to the Post report. “There was a lot more of a criminal justice system back then. The courts, district attorneys, and the police were pretty much united about doing something about crime in Times Square. So you had a collaboration that is not in place today.”
By contrast, “we now have a number of district attorneys not wanting to deal with a lot of … the so-called ‘broken windows’,” signs of social disorganization and lead to crime, he explained — referring to the far-left, soft-on-crime Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who critics say is pushing “reforms” which favor criminals instead of victims, as was reported by the Post.
“Until we get better collaboration between various elements of government, we’re not going to see it improve dramatically,” Bratton warned.
Adding to the challenges are the thousands of migrants currently housed in nearby hotels-turned-shelters. Their presence has led to concerns about loitering, public disturbances, and sanitation issues, according to a doorman at the New Amsterdam Theater on West 42nd Street, the Post reported.
“All of the drinking and delinquency out here, all of these immigrants, they’re changing things. Their trash is everywhere,” he griped.
The Candler Building on West 42nd Street, the Row Hotel on Eighth Avenue, and Hotel Mela on West 44th Street are all now being used to house migrants as they flood into the city, the Post report said.
The Post also reported that the clash between the city’s efforts to provide shelter and the maintenance of a safe and welcoming environment for residents and tourists has become a complex conundrum.
The nonprofit organization responsible for the upkeep and enhancement of Times Square, the Times Square Alliance, has advocated for increased security measures around nearby migrant shelters and for better maintenance practices to ensure the cleanliness of the area, the Post report added.
Speaking to the Post, Tom Harris, president of the Times Square Alliance said, “We’ve been working with NYC Health + Hospitals — the folks that manage [The Candler Building] — and been trying to make sure they increase their outdoor patrols of the area, which I’ve heard from several businesses in the area that they have.”
Also speaking with the Post was Long Island native and Lower East Side resident Joe Massaro, 39, who summed up the current state of Times Square by saying: “It’s a sh-thole around here.”
As discussions about its future continue, finding a balance between compassion for those in need and the preservation of a safe and vibrant environment will be crucial in shaping the fate of this iconic location.
