City & State takes Manhattan

The island of Manhattan is roughly 33 and a half square miles and home to more than 1.6 million people. That makes it one of the most densely populated places in the country.

So it’s not surprising that elected officials in the borough are concerned about space. Many of the lawmakers who responded to our question about the one thing that would make the borough better highlighted the lack of open space, the need to rethink land use, and the struggles that come with packing more and more people onto an island that can only expand upward.

Manhattan is always changing, but not so much that it ever becomes unrecognizable. You can leave the city for five or 10 years and when you return you are struck with a magical sense that things are new, but also the comforting knowledge that you still know where you are. In this special issue we delve into the changes that are taking place across the borough.

Commentary:

• Gale Brewer: Plotting a course for Manhattan
• Sam Schwartz: Congestion pricing plan could ease gridlock
• Views of Manhattan: Elected officials on making the borough better

Articles:

• The plush pols of “City & State Takes Manhattan”
• Towers for transit: Could Midtown East’s rezoning be new standard?
• Proposals seek to protect small businesses amid skyrocketing rents
• Harlem after Rangel: Will it remain a political powerhouse?
• Then & Now: the evolution of Manhattan’s parks
• Subway ridership: the happeningest stations in Manhattan
• Manhattan pride: A look at LGBT landmarks
• Baring it all: A Q&A with the Naked Cowboy