Another hundred people.

New York City is not a city that loses people. Even if people leave they are quickly replaced, outpaced even, by the number of new people coming in.
Most of the newcomers stay.

I think about the fact that the isle of Manhattan is (mostly) a finite amount of space. “Undesirable” neighborhoods do not stay that way for very long because the people need to go somewhere. The Hell’s Kitchen that I was introduced to a mere ten years ago (though considerably different from it’s identity in the 70s) is nearly unrecognizable. The Meatpacking District still felt vaguely threatening 7 years ago. Now, just about the only threatening thing about it is how much you’ll spend while in the shiny, Spartan-chic stores holding the labels that let everyone know just how wealthy you are. Bridge and Tunnel yuppies make it their bachelor and bachelorette party destination spots.

Condos and high-rises go upupup as do the prices and still there’s a housing shortage.

The City just doesn’t lose people. And those people have to go somewhere.

I find myself thinking about whether or not there’s going to come a time in the City’s life, in Manhattan-proper specifically, when there’s no where else for the people to go. I wonder when that breaking point will be.
I wonder about the amount of stress the buildings exert on the structure of tunnels beneath our feet and how long the steel girders and carefully spaced arches will hold up.

Or will we simply begin to build down?