Garment District

The Garment District is filled with history being the home of New York's once busy garment industry. has a rich historical is bordered by Times Square to the north and Herald Square to the east. Both areas are tow of the busiest tourist spots in all of the city so that the streets are always packed.

The Garment District is not the cleanest and brightest area of the city by far. About the best that can be said for it is that it is a great area or catch a train or grab some fast food to satisfy that hunger pang. It is also a bit of a sketchy area at night with many homeless sleeping in doorways. Some of the old buildings have large, loft-like apartments, great for artists.

Yet, the Garment District is all about garments and if you are in the fashion industry this is the place to be. It is the home base for those who love fashion and consider it an art form. There are many design studios in the area, as well as sewing and millinery shops. You also go to the garment district if you need clothing accessories such as a zipper, buttons, trims, and sewing supplies. One of the larger stores is Mood (form Project runway) which has aisle after aisle of embroiders, brocaded, and lace fabrics from all over the world. There are also the small stores on nearly every street that are dark and dirty and where you get in make your purchase and exit, stage left.

For most people the Garment District is a place to pass through on their way to somewhere else. However, if you are interested in clothes and clothing design, this is a good to shop. The area is also home to the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Because the crowds are mostly made up people who work in the Garment District, there are many fast-food restaurants such as White Castle, McDonald's, and Pax for sandwiches and soup. The area offers nothing in terms of culture, fun, or sightseeing opportunities. But, if you lose a button on your sweater, it will be no problem t find a replacement.

The Garment District aka the Fashion District of Manhattan is not my favorite neighborhood. I lived in the area in the 80s when I worked in the district, which means that I could walk to work. But that's the only reason to live there, if you ask me. It's certainly a centrally located area, but much of it is very crowded and commercial. Depending on where you live, it can be difficult to find a decent grocery store because it just isn't that residential. 34th Street is miserable for walking due to the crowds. If you want to shop and visit Macy's, you'll definitely go there, but if you're a local, you'll avoid it like the plague.

That said, it's certainly in the middle of everything, and it borders the theater district and Times Square. Madison Square Garden and Penn Station are in the neighborhood, so if you take the train to Long Island or New Jersey a lot, you're all set if you live nearby. And if fashion is your life, this may be a perfect place for you to live because you'll be right in the center. It certainly isn't a cheap neighborhood for apartments, but it isn't the most expensive area in the city either. I also think the Garment District is better suited to single people and couples than for families.

Crowded, cramped, chaotic. A million different languages spoken at break-neck speed all around you, people shoving fliers at you while others shove their stores’ items in your face as you pass while shouting a three-second sales pitch. The only reason you would ever need or want to be in the Garment District is if you work there or if you need supplies for making clothes. In other words, this is a neighborhood full of union sewers, fashion industry types and FIT and Parsons students. Many of the side streets offer up little more than studios, warehouse-type spaces and workrooms. But then there are the side streets – 39th between Eighth and Ninth Avenues, for example – that are a long row of wholesale stores hawking fabric, buttons, trims and sewing supplies. Some of the fabric stores are sort of magical, if you’re into that kind of thing. (But then if you weren’t, why would you be in the Garment District?) You can get lost in Mood, a fabric store frequented by the pros (you’ll recognize it from seasons of Project Runway), where aisle after aisle is jam-packed with all things embroidered, patterned, beaded and brocaded. M& J Trims is a hot-pink-painted wonderland of glitzy embellishments, one-of-a-kind buttons and decadent trim with lace, fringe, tassels and more. Then there are the dirty, gray stores where you get in, get your needles and pin cushions and get out.

It doesn’t help that the Garment District is bordered by Times Square and includes Herald Square – two of the most bustling tourist spots in the city. While Macy’s might have what you need for family and friends at Christmas and 34th Street in general is as convenient as an outdoor strip mall can be, the general result is overcrowding. With heavy shopping traffic at one side and heavy photo-taking traffic at the other, the streets of this neighborhood stay packed. Because most of the Garment District crowd are there to work, the food is fast, cheap (well, relatively) and easy. Think Pax and Bread Market – soups, sandwiches and salads that are ready to go. That’s pretty much the modus operandus in these parts: fast, efficient, affordable. Nothing much to see or do in the way of fun or culture, no extras, no frills – unless you’re looking for actual frills. Those you’ll find wholesale here.

Okay. First of all, not every place in New York can be glowing and clean all the time. Up until a few decades ago, most places weren’t glowing and clean. The Garment District is not a fantastic place to live, that’s for sure. It’s a great place to catch a train or to get something you need. It’s also dirty and kind of sketchy at night.

But it has its uses. Unlike other descriptively named neighborhoods (I’m looking at you, Meatpacking District), this place still does what it says it does. It’s about garments. If you are really in the fashion industry, this is a great place to be. It’s not for fashionistas, who like to strap of sexy heals and wear fur vests. No, it’s for people who really love fashion as an art and as an industry. There are major design studios located here, and more sewing and millinery and shoe-design supplies than anywhere else in the city.

If you need a coat quilted, you go to the Garment District. If you need a copper zipper, you go to the Garment District. If you need a leather skirt to be hand stitched, you go to the Garment District. If you need a Parisian cornflower toile, you go to the Garment District.

So this is very much the kind of working neighborhood New York used to be comprised of. The people who don’t like the Garment District are those who don’t have a use for it. If you do have a use for it, you’ll be grateful it’s still there.

My girlfriend lived on W 52nd St (between 8th and 9th) so by association I sort of lived there too.

It turned out to be a fun neighborhood. The block itself doesn't have much to offer - it has a Starbucks, a nice Italian restaurant (Osteria Pepe Rosso) and a large space for the post office. But the flash in the pan are two classy and happening gay bars in the middle of the block adding a splash of color to the otherwise plain block.

The overall saving grace was that the avenues had a lot to offer - 8th ave has the classy Thalia, and the Russian Vodka room around the corner. 9th Ave has several restaurants (Queen of Sheba) and restaurant row (46th St) is an easy Sunday brunch walk away. 9th Ave also has miscellaneous delis and utility shops if you need to run down and get something. Times Sq and theaters are not too far either, if you're new enough to NYC to care about those.

It's well connected with the 50th St subway not too far. The street is very clean, and feels residential unlike the horrors of my garment district dwelling.

Overall a quiet street and block with a few hidden gems, not too far from the well endowed avenues in that area.

Fashion finds its home in the fabulous Garment District, which shows great potential to be the next big thing in terms of Manhattan living. Located in the heart of Manhattan, this sprawling neighborhood is the epicenter of fashion in New York and arguably the United States, and is a great place to either live or to visit.

Running along Fifth and Eighth Avenues and from 34th Street to Times Square located at 42nd Street, the Garment District, or Fashion Center, is a hard area to avoid when visiting the city. In this neighborhood, you’ll find more retail stores than one could ever imagine, and something to suit the tastes of any member of the family.

Fashion is the major industry in New York and in this neighborhood as some of the most renown designers produce their looks in this neighborhood. The look of the neighborhood is dominated by somewhat imposing warehouses, filled with fabric and creativity. Originally mainly a manufacturing district, The Garment District today is the heart of fashion in New York City, with many designers also housing their show rooms throughout the neighborhood.

Walking through this bustling neighborhood is quite amazing, as it is home to Macy’s, the world’s largest department store. Spanning one New York City block and with 9 floors of shopping ranging from a home supplies store in the basement to the famous Holiday Lane as featured in the classic Miracle on 34th Street on the top floor during the holiday season, this store is described by many as magical. On any given day, anything can happen, ranging from a Calvin Klein fashion show to the unveiling of the Swarovsky crystal ball used to mark the coming of the new year at Times Square.

Also in the Garment District is the renown Empire State Building, located across the street from Macy’s. From its top floor, one can get views of the entire city, almost the same view King Kong would have had scaling up to the top.

Real Estate in the neighborhood is improving, though is somewhat limited to large buildings lacking the distinct personality of homes in neighborhoods nearby. With time, this area has seen an increase in development and namely in upscale exclusive high rise apartment buildings.