56th Street (Manhattan)
West-east street in Manhattan, New York
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
56th Street is a crosstown street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It runs from the West Side Highway on the West Side to Sutton Place on the East Side.
NY 9A / West Side Highway Interactive map of 56th Street | |
| West end | NY 9A / West Side Highway |
|---|---|
| East end | Sutton Place |
Route description
As with numbered streets in Manhattan, Fifth Avenue separates 56th Street into "east" and "west" sections. 56th Street is one-way, one-lane eastbound for its entirety.
A section of West 56th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues is named as Wynn Handman Way in September 2022 to celebrate his recognition.[1]
Several buildings in Billionaires' Row touch 56th Street.
History
56th Street was created under the Commissioners' Plan of 1811 as one of the minor east-west streets across Manhattan.[2]
The block of 56th Street from Fifth to Sixth avenues contained rowhouses by 1871, many of which were recessed from the lot line and had entrance stoops. By the end of the 19th century, the area had many wealthy residents, and the houses in the area were either modified or rebuilt altogether.[3]: 1 That block of West 56th Street developed into a "bankers' row" with the residences of Frederick C. and Birdsall Otis Edey at number 10, Henry Seligman at number 30, Edward Wasserman at number 33, and Arthur Lehman at number 31.[3]: 2 Many of these houses persisted through the mid-20th century as part of a restaurant and retail strip.[4]
Transportation
No city buses run through 56th Street.[5] However, there are entrances to the New York City Subway's 57th Street station at Sixth Avenue.[6]
Notable buildings
From west to east:[7]
- Terminal 5 – Between Twelfth and Eleventh Avenue[7]
- High School for Environmental Studies – Between Tenth and Ninth Avenue[7]
- Hearst Tower – Between Ninth and Eighth Avenue[8]
- Random House Tower – Between Eighth Avenue and Broadway[7]
- Broadway Tabernacle – Formerly at northeast corner with Broadway[9]: 311
- 1740 Broadway – Southeast corner with Broadway[7]
- Park Central Hotel – Southwest corner with Seventh Avenue[7]
- 888 Seventh Avenue – Northwest corner with Seventh Avenue[7]
- Carnegie Hall – Northeast corner with Seventh Avenue, a New York City designated landmark[10][9]: 305
- Carnegie Hall Tower – Between Seventh and Sixth Avenue[11]
- CitySpire – Between Seventh and Sixth Avenue[12]
- Metropolitan Tower – Between Seventh and Sixth Avenue[13]
- New York City Center (rear facade) – Between Seventh and Sixth Avenue, a New York City designated landmark[10][9]: 305
- 120 West 56th Street – Between Seventh and Sixth Avenue[7]
- Thompson Central Park New York Hotel – Between Seventh and Sixth Avenue[14]
- 30 West 56th Street – Between Sixth and Fifth Avenue, a New York City designated landmark[10][9]: 336
- 26 West 56th Street – Between Sixth and Fifth Avenue, a New York City designated landmark[10]
- 17 West 56th Street – Between Sixth and Fifth Avenue, a New York City designated landmark[10]
- 12 West 56th Street – Between Sixth and Fifth Avenue, a New York City designated landmark[10][9]: 335
- 10 West 56th Street – Between Sixth and Fifth Avenue, a New York City designated landmark[10][9]: 335
- 712 Fifth Avenue – Southwest corner with Fifth Avenue[9]: 335
- Trump Tower – Northeast corner with Fifth Avenue[15][9]: 336
- 550 Madison Avenue – Northeast corner with Madison Avenue[9]: 336
- 590 Madison Avenue – Northwest corner with Madison Avenue[9]: 336
- Park Avenue Tower – Between Madison and Park Avenue[16]
- 432 Park Avenue – Between Madison and Park Avenue[17]
- 425 Park Avenue – Southeast corner with Park Avenue[18]
- Lombardy Hotel – Between Park and Lexington Avenue[19]