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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Virus Turns Midtown Into a Ghost Town, Causing an Economic Crisis
New York TimesEditors and account managers at the Time & Life Building in Midtown Manhattan could once walk out through the modernist lobby and into a thriving ecosystem that existed in support of the offices above. They could shop for designer shirts or shoes, slide into a steakhouse corner booth for lunch and then return to their desks without ever crossing the street.
To approach this block today is like visiting a relative in the hospital. The building, rebranded a few years ago and renovated to fit 8,000 workers, now has just 500 a day showing up. The steakhouse dining rooms are dark.
On a sidewalk once lined with food carts, a lone hot-dog vendor stood one recent Friday on a corner below the building. His name is Ahmed Ahmed, and he said he used to sell 400 hot dogs a day.
How many now? Maybe 10.
MANative
(4,105 posts)Working primarily from home, but on the few occasions I've ventured into the office (39th and Broadway), it's been deserted. Used to have to wait a few minutes to get space in an elevator during morning and evening rush. Now, you get a private ride. Social distancing unnecessary because there's no one else around.
We're thinking about moving to a smaller space because more than a quarter of our employees are fully WFH, and the rest are only going in two days per week. I wouldn't want to be in the NYC real estate business right now.
CurtEastPoint
(18,553 posts)But seriously, it is a sea change all over the US. BECAUSE of him.
Botany
(70,292 posts)All across America things are gonna change and or close*. I have heard that 25%
of all restaurants are going to go under. And none of this would be happening if
Hillary hadn't had the Presidency stolen from her.
* I think Macy's is in real trouble.
Blues Heron
(5,899 posts)fuck spreaders. Look in the mirror Ahmed - your spreading behavior plus a zillion other spreaders like you is why your customers won't be coming back any time soon to nosh on your boiled cow lips.
Botany
(70,292 posts)n/t