34th Street (Manhattan)

34th Street (Manhattan) 34th Street is a major crosstown thoroughfare on the island of Manhattan in New York City. Running east–west from the Hudson River to the East River, the street traverses multiple neighborhoods and connects major transit hubs, commercial districts, and high-density residential areas. It functions as a spine for transportation and retail activity, intersecting with prominent avenues such as Twelfth Avenue, Eighth Avenue, Broadway, Fifth Avenue, and First Avenue.

Route description

34th Street begins at the West Side with the Hudson Yards area along Twelfth Avenue near the West Side Highway and proceeds east through Chelsea into the Garment District. East of Broadway the street bisects Herald Square adjacent to Penn Station and the Macy's Herald Square flagship. Continuing past Fifth Avenue, 34th Street passes the Empire State Building and enters Koreatown near Madison Avenue before crossing into Murray Hill and ultimately terminating at the FDR Drive and the East River at Kips Bay. The street includes a mix of one-way and two-way segments, bicycle lanes near Hudson Yards, and curbside loading zones serving fashion wholesalers, retailers, and shipping facilities.

History

The corridor that became 34th Street was laid out in the Commissioners' Plan of 1811 that established Manhattan's street grid. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries the avenue evolved with the construction of terminals such as the original Penn Station and hotels serving travelers to Herald Square. The growth of department stores like Macy's and the rise of skyscrapers exemplified by the Empire State Building transformed the block into a commercial axis. Postwar developments included the demolition of the original Penn Station and subsequent construction of the current Penn Station complex and Madison Square Garden, prompting preservation movements tied to organizations such as the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. In the 21st century, large-scale real estate projects like Hudson Yards and platform construction over the West Side Rail Yards reshaped the western terminus, while rezoning and retail shifts affected the Garment District and Koreatown stretches.

Landmarks and notable buildings

Notable sites along 34th Street include the Chelsea Piers complex near the Hudson, the rebuilt Penn Station and the Moynihan Train Hall conversion adjacent to Farley Post Office, the massive Macy's Herald Square at Herald Square, and the iconic Empire State Building at Fifth Avenue. The street also hosts Koreatown restaurants and businesses, the New York Public Library branches near nearby avenues, and commercial properties tied to the garment trade. Other structures of interest include hotels that historically served rail travelers, office towers linked to Madison Square Garden operations, and newer mixed-use developments connected to Hudson Yards and the High Line corridor.

Transportation and transit connections

34th Street is a major transit node. Penn Station provides regional rail service via Amtrak, New Jersey Transit and Long Island Rail Road. Subway lines serving or adjacent to 34th Street include the New York City Subway routes at 34th Street–Herald Square (serving the BMT Broadway Line and IND Sixth Avenue Line trains), 34th Street–Penn Station (IND Eighth Avenue Line), and 34th Street–Penn Station (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line). Bus routes operated by the MTA run crosstown and along avenues, while commuter connections link to Port Authority Bus Terminal and regional airports via New Jersey Transit and airport shuttles. Bicycle infrastructure and pedestrian plazas near Hudson Yards and Herald Square support multimodal access, and vehicular tunnels and bridges such as connections to the FDR Drive and West Side arterial roads tie the street into citywide traffic networks.

Cultural significance and in popular media

34th Street figures prominently in American retail culture and holiday tradition through Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade staging and window displays that draw national attention. The street and its landmarks appear in films and television series that feature Empire State Building vistas, Madison Square Garden events, and urban travel sequences centered on rail terminals. Literary and photographic works documenting Manhattan urbanism, the fashion industry, and postwar preservation campaigns reference the street as emblematic of New York City's commercial and architectural evolution. Public events, parades, and demonstrations routinely use 34th Street for assembly and movement, linking institutions such as NYC DOT initiatives, transit agencies, and cultural organizations in the city's civic life.

Category:Streets in Manhattan