Times Square: Not a Building, but a Crossroads of History

A Place, Not a Structure

Times Square is not a building—it's a public plaza and intersection in Midtown Manhattan, formed by the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street. Its "construction" was the gradual convergence of theaters, transit, and commerce.

Name Origin

Originally Longacre Square (carriage district). In 1904, The New York Times moved its headquarters to the newly built Times Tower (One Times Square) at 42nd & Broadway. The city renamed the square "Times Square" April 8, 1904. The Times stayed until 1913; the name stuck.

Evolution

• 1910s–30s: Theater District boom. "Great White Way" electric signs.
• 1940s–50s: Peak neon, newsreel theaters, recruitment centers.
• 1960s–80s: Decline: X-rated theaters, crime, grit.
• 1990s–present: Disney-led revitalization, pedestrian plazas (2009), LED spectacle, tourist magnet (50M+/yr).

Key Structures in Times Square

• One Times Square (former Times Tower) — NYE Ball drop.
• TKTS Booth (discount theater tickets).
• Red Steps (Duffy Square) — seating, views.
• Numerous theaters (Lyric, New Amsterdam, Palace, etc.).
• Subway complex (Times Sq–42 St / 42 St–Port Authority) — busiest in system.

Bottom Line

Times Square wasn't "built" on a single date. It emerged, was named, declined, and was reborn—a living intersection reflecting New York's soul.