Normally these steps at the Crossroads of the World would be jammed with tourists. But these are not normal times.A lonely walker crosses 42nd Street. Pre-pandemic times would force her to fight for space on the crosswalk.Tables at Times Square for people to enjoy. But they remain empty during the pandemicA woman walks past a sign designed to control the flow of pedestrian traffic in what was once an always-jammed Times SquareNo hustle, no bustle at the Times Square subway station. Some areas are so desolate one must worry about one’s safety. The NYPD says while the number of felonies is down, misdemeanor assaults, harassment and groping incidents have increased on the subway system since the pandemic hit and ridership took a dramatic downturn.This previously bustling Times Square diner that catered to tourists is one of scores that are closed. As of this posting, indoor dining isn’t permitted in New York City. The Partnership for New York City reports that 230,000 small businesses have shuttered their doors since the middle of March.A moving van emptying another Manhattan business. Moving vans are an unfortunate common site on the streets of Manhattan. All leaving loaded. The Partnership for New York says half-a-million people have fled the city. Many of them are professionals who are working remotely. Office space, once at a premium, is readily available in the city’s iconic skyscrapers. Cushman and Wakefield MarketBeat reports Manhattan’s overall vacancy rate is at a 26-year high of more than 15 percent.
