West 39th Street

West 39th Street
Name	West 39th Street
Location	Manhattan, New York City
Length mi	1.0
Direction a	West
Terminus a	West Side Highway
Direction b	East
Terminus b	Queens–Midtown Tunnel
Boroughs	Manhattan

West 39th Street West 39th Street is a crosstown street on the West Side of Manhattan in New York City linking neighborhoods and serving as an axis for commerce, transportation, and culture. It spans from the Hudson River waterfront near the Lincoln Tunnel approaches eastward toward Midtown, intersecting major avenues and adjacent to landmarks that reflect Manhattan's 19th- and 20th-century growth. The street has been shaped by municipal planning, transit projects, and private development across eras linked to figures, firms, and institutions.

Route description

The street runs east–west between the Hudson River corridor and the Midtown core, crossing avenues including 12th Avenue, 11th Avenue, 10th Avenue, 9th Avenue, 8th Avenue, 7th Avenue, 6th Avenue, Broadway, Fifth Avenue, and Madison Avenue. Along its route it abuts districts such as Chelsea, Garment District, Hell's Kitchen, and Midtown Manhattan. Properties face institutions like Port Authority of New York and New Jersey facilities, corporate towers by firms such as Vornado Realty Trust and Tishman Speyer, and cultural sites connected to Carnegie Hall and Radio City Music Hall. The right-of-way includes sidewalks, bike lanes tied into the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway, loading zones serving distributors including FedEx and UPS, and access ramps used during events coordinated with New York City Police Department and Metropolitan Transportation Authority agencies.

History

The street's alignment dates to the Commissioners' Plan of 1811 and evolved as the city industrialized, with 19th-century warehouses tied to shipping firms like Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company and later converted by developers including Harry Macklowe and Donald Trump-era renovators. In the early 20th century the area became part of the Garment District logistics network alongside the New York Central Railroad freight terminals and later saw adaptive reuse by media companies such as Hearst Corporation and Time Inc.. Mid-century municipal projects by elected officials like Robert F. Wagner Jr. and planners from the New York City Planning Commission reshaped zoning, while late 20th-century revitalization involved entities such as Bloomberg L.P. and non-profits like The Municipal Art Society of New York.

Notable landmarks and buildings

Buildings along the street include 20th-century warehouses converted by architects from firms like Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and Robert A.M. Stern Architects for tenants including NBC, ViacomCBS, Penguin Random House, and Hachette Book Group USA. Adjacent cultural landmarks include Bryant Park-adjacent facilities, corporate headquarters such as Morgan Stanley towers, and hospitality venues tied to chains like Marriott International and Hilton Worldwide. Historic structures list preservation interests from Landmarks Preservation Commission appeals and civic battles involving groups like Historic Districts Council and developers including Related Companies.

Transportation and transit connections

The corridor is served by bus routes operated by MTA Regional Bus Operations and is within walking distance of subway stations on lines run by the New York City Subway including stops for the A, C, E, 1, 2, 3, N, Q, R, W, B, D, F, and pedestrian links to Pennsylvania Station and Grand Central Terminal. The street interfaces with regional transportation hubs including Port Authority Bus Terminal and access to John F. Kennedy International Airport via surface routes, coordinated with agencies such as Amtrak and New Jersey Transit.

Cultural significance and in popular media

The corridor has appeared in coverage by media outlets including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, New York Post, Time, and Vanity Fair, and has been used as a filming location for productions by studios such as Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, and Netflix. Artists, authors, and musicians linked to the area include Dorothy Parker, Truman Capote, Bob Dylan, Jay-Z, and visual artists associated with Chelsea galleries and institutions like the Museum of Modern Art. Festivals and events coordinated with MetLife Stadium-linked promoters and nonprofit organizations including Lincoln Center and The Public Theater have referenced the street in programming and logistics.

Urban development and zoning

Zoning overlays enacted by the New York City Department of City Planning and approvals by the New York City Council have influenced high-rise development by investors such as SL Green Realty Corp., Blackstone Group, and Goldman Sachs. Residential conversions and affordable housing proposals involved agencies like the New York City Housing Authority and developers who worked with tax tools like 421-a incentives and programs administered by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Streetscape improvements were funded in coordination with the NYCEDC and philanthropic partners such as the Ford Foundation.

Incidents and safety records

Incidents recorded by the New York City Police Department and documented in reports from agencies including the New York City Fire Department and the Federal Emergency Management Agency include traffic collisions, fire responses, and crowd-management events during parades and demonstrations organized around civic causes linked to groups such as Occupy Wall Street and labor unions including the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations. Historical safety reviews involved consultants from firms like Arup Group and WSP Global and compliance with regulations overseen by the Department of Buildings (New York City) and federal agencies such as the Department of Transportation (United States).

Category:Streets in Manhattan