Located at the southwestern tip of lower Manhattan, Battery Park City is a recent addition to the roster of New York City neighborhoods. Separated from the Financial District by West Street to the east, the area is surrounded by the tidal estuary of the Hudson River on three sides. The original intent of Battery Park City is rooted in the very soil from which it sprung – the neighborhood was built on the Hudson River using soil and rocks excavated during the construction of the World Trade Center, and was meant as housing for financial workers from nearby Wall Street and the World Financial Center. While the neighborhood suffered in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks, the area has recovered and is growing. Covered with new green parks, LEED-certified housing and the sleek shops and offices of the World Financial Center, Battery Park City is cutting-edge and international without sacrificing its family-oriented community.
With a growing number of modern luxury homes, playgrounds and parks, and a growing cultural scene, Battery Park City has become popular with affluent young families. The rich green spaces of Battery Park, The Battery Park Promenade, Castle Garden and the Hudson River Park, alongside the burgeoning environmentally-friendly housing scene, have turned Battery Park City into an oasis from the stark glass high-rises of the finance world. Battery Park City Ferry Terminal’s water taxis and boats meander along the coast. The neighborhood is also home to Stuyvesant High School, one of the three original specialized high schools of New York City, while the Winter Garden hosts screenings for the annual Tribeca Film Festival. Danny Meyer of Shake Shack fame is also planning to create several restaurants in Battery Park City, a sure sign that this beautifully-sculpted and modern sanctuary has a bright future.
