An unlikely swath of Midtown Manhattan is emerging as a new “fun” destination.
The blocks between West 30th and 42nd streets, and between Sixth and Eighth avenues, evolved over time into a more people-friendly environment than they once were, with myriad shopping, lodging, dining and entertainment options.
The changes were brought on by the city’s surging commercial energy, and accelerated by this year’s rezoning to allow apartment conversions where they were previously forbidden.
The district we’ll call 42BELOW isn’t a single neighborhood but a mosaic of several intersecting, disparate neighborhoods.
It encompasses Herald Square, Koreatown, the Garment District, Sixth Avenue north of the Ladies Mile, and what Vornado calls the “Penn District” for its redeveloped Seventh Avenue office buildings.
They all have different street vibes — from corporate headquarters on Sixth and Broadway near West 40th Street to innumerable funky venues to the south. What they have in common is extraordinary transit access and proximity to Bryant Park and Times Square.
The recent rezoning — known as the Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan — is expected to spawn 9,500 new apartments over the next few years. The new flexibility options helped to spur 27 building sales in 2025 totaling over $1 billion in the area, according to JLL.
Many buyers were developers eager to exploit the residential potential at underutilized locations previously restricted to apparel-making and other manufacturing uses despite the industries’ virtual disappearance.
Mighty Macy’s shares the retail landscape with the likes of Nordstrom Rack and Japanese bookstore Kinokuniya.
Large new retail leases were signed this year including for Primark’s first Manhattan store on West 34th Street. Trendy hotels such as the Moxy and Margaritaville will be joined soon by three new hotels in the pipeline.
The Garment District Alliance reports 28 new eating spots opened in its 20-block territory this year, more than 50% more than in 2024, while 45 existing ones renewed leases. Meanwhile, Koreatown’s 120-odd restaurants now extend north and east of their traditional West 32nd Street base and draw crowds to the area well into the wee hours.
Meridian Retail Leasing president James Famularo noted, “This unique area is remarkably balanced” among residential, commercial and tourism functions. “The diverse mix creates a vibrant atmosphere where people are constantly shopping and dining throughout the day.”
Ideally positioned to exploit the changed environment is 5 Times Square, the office tower on the south side of West 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue which is to be converted to mixed-use including up to 1,250 rental apartments. The project is a joint venture of development partner RXR, Apollo Global Management and SL Green.
Asked to comment on 42BELOW’s array of attractions and consumer services at its doorstep, RXR executive vice-president Whitney Arcaro said, “Midtown South rezoning has unlocked an exciting next chapter for this neighborhood, one where new housing is paired with a vibrant food-and-beverage scene and a renewed sense of place.
“This corridor is clearly evolving into a true Eat-Live-Play destination, and we’re thrilled to be contributing to that momentum.”
