I believe that most of us are aware of Time’s Square’s past reputation for being seedy and dangerous, but the reading this week went farther in-depth, and really explained the gradual changes that have taken place and the changing role of the square as the city developed. It changed from a residential area into theaters and other businesses became crime and pornography ridden, and then was slowly and forcibly “renewed”. To be honest, I did not expect there to be much controversy regarding this. But in the second reading, the author argued that interaction between people became limited and that not all of the so-called “shady” industries in Time’s Square had been bad.
I pass by Times Square at least twice a week nowadays. I have late-night dance rehearsals on 38th street. I suppose in some ways, I could be considered a member of the modern Times Square demographic. I even know a girl who plays the violin sometimes on the streets to get some spending money. Walking around this past Wednesday night, I thought about what it must have been like in the past, according to the reading. I probably would have gotten some serious looks for saying I had to go to Time’s Square because I danced.
However, as much as we would like to see Times Square as a prime example of urban renewal, it’s still not the safest place in my opinion, despite the police presence (and honestly, I don’t even see the police that often). My mother always tells me how she used to be scared to walk though the area, especially at night, and you can see how she still doesn’t quite trust it by the way she clutches her bag extra tightly and constantly looks around her. It’s definitely a contrast to me, plowing through tourists with single-minded determination while rolling my eyes when they insist on walking far too slowly for my liking. I’m definitely more comfortable than she is. But I don’t particularly trust anyone either.
In that way, I disagree with the second reading. I feel that New Yorkers in general tend to avoid interaction with strangers as much as possible. I don’t think that the changes that occurred in Times Square created that. There might be a lot of tourists, but that doesn’t mean I never run into anyone I know. And I would never talk to a stranger regardless of where I am. That kind of interaction is just unsafe, especially considering I’m a rather small person practically begging to be robbed or harassed. There is no way I would ever talk to someone to give him or her advice about what to do with a body.
There are always those costumed people asking for money and other street performers whose intentions I question. Also, the many topless women wandering around always made me rather uncomfortable. I understand that it’s legal to be topless, but in my opinion, there are some things that I don’t want to see, or that parents don’t want their children to see, especially considering the large number of tourist families that pass through. The battle of what is OK and not OK in Times Square is still ongoing. Way back when, the city had trouble removing the sex industry from the square because it was against people’s rights (Stern 1999). So they decided to condemn buildings known for it instead for economic blight. Nowadays, the same issue is happening with the street performers. An article from CNN explains how they are legally allowed to be there. However, many see them as causing trouble or ruining Times Square’s family-friendly atmosphere. Occasionally, costumes characters are arrested, and not being able to see any of their faces adds a level of suspicion on top of it (Louis 2015). The Revlon “Kiss Cam” must now be shut off because the distraction encourages crime. And even half a block from where I have dance rehearsal, there is a rather shady looking place advertising young attractive belly dancers inside.
In my opinion, Times Square hasn’t been “fixed” really. Tourism has increased, and as traffic increases, the area further becomes a target. Not only is it a terrorist target, but one for thieves and people aggressively selling things on the street. Times Square has always had this central location, and no matter how many times the ownership of the buildings change, it will always attract people, both good and bad. Crime rates may have gone down, but it will always be an area of concern. The “cleaner” the square gets, the more attractive it is for foreign tourists. The more tourists, the more attractive the area is for thieves and con people. It’s a self-perpetuating cycle that will probably never be able to be stopped. Yes, the crime level is certainly not as bad as 30-40 years ago. But even with increased policing and rebuilding in the area, it still hasn’t reached the level of safety and comfort some would have liked.
Bibliography (Sources)
Louis, Errol. Should topless women be banned in Times Square? August 24, 2015. http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/23/opinions/louis-times-square-naked-women/ (accessed March 2016).
Stern, William J. The Unexpected Lessons of Times Square’s Comeback. 1999. http://www.city-journal.org/html/unexpected-lessons-times-square%E2%80%99s-comeback-12235.html (accessed March 2016).
~~~ Samantha
