Tucked away on the western edge of the Financial District and surrounded by the Hudson River, Battery Park City is a mixed-use planned community where thousands of New Yorkers live and work. As with the neighboring Financial District, Battery Park City has become a trendy place to live and work in recent years and has finally begun to shed its 9-to-5 image.
Overview
One of New York City’s newer neighborhoods, Battery Park City dint exist until the end of the 20th century. Originally a collection of commercial wharves and docks, the area fell into decline shortly after World War II. In 1966, the state of New York announced a new mixed-use project to be built adjacent to the Financial District of Lower Manhattan, constructed largely on top of landfill from the World Trade Center project underway nearby. The Battery Park City Authority was soon formed and an entirely new neighborhood built from a master-plan mostly in the 1980s and 1990s.
The neighborhood today borders the Financial District to the east and the Hudson River to the west. It’s home to modern office buildings, residential buildings, hotels and retail establishments and also features abundant parkland. Transportation options include numerous subway stations in the neighboring Financial District, PATH and river ferry services.
Advantages
The neighborhood features some of the most modern office space in the city at the Brookfield Place complex, formerly known as the World Financial Center. This makes it a great deal for companies seeking contemporary spaces and all the amenities that come with them. It’s also very convenient for employees in most areas of Manhattan and Brooklyn and enjoys excellent transportation options courtesy of numerous subway stops nearby, PATH and river ferry services. The community also features a number of excellent lunch places nearby like the Hudson Eats food hall, Shake Shack and the North End Grill as well as abundant public space to relax after work or on lunch break.
Disadvantages
The community, while becoming trendier thanks in large part to the Brookfield Place renovation, isn’t particularly known as hip place to work, making it somewhat harder to woo younger talent to the area. Shopping, dining and cultural options are somewhat limited and the neighborhood also lacks direct access to regional transportation hubs like Grand Central Terminal, Penn Station and the Port Authority Bus Terminal, making it a rather poor choice for companies with large suburban workforces.
Verdict
In spite of its shortcomings, Battery Park City is still an excellent choice for all sorts of businesses, from finance to tech to media and just about everything else in between. It’s mix of modern office space and easy access to Lower Manhattan’s transit options make it a great choice for companies of all sizes and sectors.
