26 Empire State Buildings Could Fit Into New York’s Empty Office Space. That’s a Sign.

NYT OPINION: 26 Empire State Buildings Could Fit Into New York’s Empty Office Space. That’s a Sign.
By Edward L. Glaeser and Carlo Ratti
Section: Opinion
Source: New York Times
Published Date: May 10, 2023 at 03:00AM

As urban offices continue to empty out, great cities must embrace a shift from vocation to recreation.

New York is undergoing a metamorphosis from a city dedicated to productivity to one built around pleasure. Many office buildings still feel eerily empty, with occupancy around 50 percent of prepandemic levels, harming landlords and the local economy. But 56 million people visited New York last year, making Fifth Avenue in December feel as crowded as Ipanema Beach during Carnival. The economic future of the city that never sleeps depends on embracing this shift from vocation to recreation and ensuring that New Yorkers with a wide range of talents want to spend their nights downtown, even if they are spending their days on Zoom. We are witnessing the dawn of a new kind of urban area: the Playground City.

Read more at: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/05/10/opinion/nyc-office-vacancy-playground-city.html