57th Street is easily one of the most busy and diverse streets in Manhattan, and walking down the street, one can notice a multitude of different people from a variety of backgrounds. Therefore, it is difficult to pinpoint an exact population size or a single demographic of people. Historically, the street was extremely residential, often home to some of the most attractive real estate in Manhattan. In general, the street offered fairly affordable housing, but as the street has advanced and commercialized, there has been an incredible raise in real estate prices. This is largely due to the influx of extremely trendy and high-end retail stores that have occupied 57th street, such as Tiffany and Co. and Coach. According to the doorman in Addison Hall, a residential building on 10th Avenue, the opening of a Starbucks on the corner of the block is representative of this commercialization. These stores have also drastically changed the population demographics of the area, attracting a wider range of people.
On the extreme east and west sides of the street, the population mostly consists of native New Yorkers who live in those areas. Walking in these parts, one can often see elements of a traditional residential area, such as people walking their dogs or running along the Hudson or East rivers. However, moving towards sixth and seventh avenues, the population becomes more of a business tourist demographic, meaning that most of the people are tourists, and in the area for some upscale or business reason. This can be correlated with the presence of Carnegie Hall and the Russian Tea Room, both of which are extremely upscale and posh destinations. Finally, moving farther east into the “shopping district,” the population demographic shifts drastically to typical New York City tourists, complete with shopping bags and cameras. These tourists are attracted to the area because of the multitude of high-end shopping options that are available, which has only become a part of the street recently. It is clear that the gradual change in “scenery” on 57th street and the replacement of residence buildings with tourist-oriented destinations has drastically increased the variability of the demographic of the population in the area.
