Midtown Manhattan Landmarks

Times Square in Midtown Manhattan

Times Square is the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue and West 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan, and the hub of the Theater District. The bowtie-shaped plaza runs five blocks from 42nd to 47th Streets and is known for its lit signs and the New Year's Eve ball drop.

Times Square at dusk, lit by giant screens and neon signs — Photo: Francisco Diez · CC BY 2.0 · Source

Quick facts

Where: Broadway and Seventh Avenue between West 42nd and West 47th Streets, with Duffy Square forming the northern triangle
Former name: Longacre Square, named around 1872 after London's Long Acre
Renamed: April 8, 1904, after The New York Times moved to a new skyscraper there
New Year's Eve ball drop: first held December 31, 1907
Pedestrian plazas: Broadway was closed to cars between 42nd and 47th Streets as a trial starting Memorial Day 2009; the plazas were made permanent in 2010
TKTS booth: operating at the site since June 25, 1973, with red bleacher-style steps since 2008
Signs: since 1987, zoning rules have required building owners to display illuminated signs

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History

The area was called Longacre Square from around 1872. It was renamed Times Square on April 8, 1904, after The New York Times moved its operations to a new skyscraper there. The Times's publisher, Adolph S. Ochs, also persuaded the mayor to build a subway station at the site.

The New Year's Eve ball drop began on December 31, 1907. It was suspended in 1942 and 1943 during World War II, when a moment of silence and chimes replaced it. Roughly one million people attend the celebration each year.

A 1987 zoning change required building owners in the district to display illuminated signs, and it set aside about 5 percent of the space in large new developments for entertainment uses. The large signs are known as "spectaculars."

On February 26, 2009, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that Broadway would be closed to cars between 42nd and 47th Streets, starting Memorial Day 2009 as a trial. On February 11, 2010, he announced that the pedestrian plazas would become permanent. The whole project was completed just before New Year's Eve 2016.

What to look for

The large illuminated signs on the surrounding buildings
The red steps above the TKTS booth
Theater marquees along the nearby streets
The pedestrian plazas where Broadway used to carry traffic

Visiting Times Square

The pedestrian plazas are open to people on foot and draw large crowds. Times Square is the hub of the Theater District, where most Broadway theaters are located. To see Midtown by pedicab, see our tours.