Manhattanization

Manhattanization is a neologism coined to describe the construction of many tall or densely situated buildings, which transforms the appearance and character of a city to what is similar to Manhattan, the most densely populated borough of New York City.^[1] It was a pejorative word used by critics of the highrise buildings built in San Francisco during the 1960s and 1970s, who claimed the skyscrapers would block views of the bay and the surrounding hills.^[2] With careful urban planning, the phenomenon became more accepted in time.^[3] The term also gained usage as a buzzword for high-density developments in Las Vegas,^[4][5] Los Angeles,^[6] Dubai,^[7] and Miami in the early 2000s^[8] and again in the 2010s.^[9] Another example is the high rise development in Toronto since 2007,^[10] as well as rapid development of skyscrapers in Hong Kong and Tokyo since the 1970s, eventually allowing Hong Kong to possess more skyscrapers than New York.^[11][12] The term has even been applied to many smaller US cities that have seen a large spike in downtown high rise rental buildings since the 21st century.^[13] Nonetheless, these cities would have to multiply their populations many times over to match the population density of Manhattan, though this is a biased comparison between a city and a district, as even the other four "outer boroughs" of New York City would have to nearly triple in population to match Manhattan's current density.^[14]

The island of Manhattan in New York City, United States, from which the term is derived

Frankfurt

See also: List of tallest buildings in Frankfurt

 

Skyline of Frankfurt, known as "Mainhattan"

"Mainhattan" is a term referring to Frankfurt's skyline, especially that of its central business district, the Bankenviertel. The word is a portmanteau of Main, the river on which Frankfurt lies, and Manhattan, a reference to the inner city area's visually impressive high rises and skyscrapers, a special feature for a European city.

The first tall buildings were built in the 1960s. Originally, the expression was sometimes used derisively, but the connotation has changed to a positive one.^[15][16]

Miami

See also: List of tallest buildings in Miami

 

High rise construction in a small portion of the Brickell district of Miami in 2015. Taken from one of the under construction Brickell City Center towers.

The term "Manhattanization" has been used to describe the 2003–2008 boom of real estate developments in Miami that brought the construction of more than 50 high-rise buildings throughout the city. As conditions in Latin America destabilized, many of Latin America's elites sought refuge in the city, especially in the Brickell area where Latin American money poured into the development of many of the urban center's condos. ^[17][18] A second housing market boom took place in Miami from 2012 to present (As of March 2024^[update]).^[19] Along with the over ten thousand residential units added, the downtown area saw a revitalization and an increased prevalence of walking and public transport usage,^[20][21] similar to Manhattan. Miami is sometimes likened to a "southern Manhattan" not only for its high rises, but for its large financial district.^[22] Miami is now the US city with the third most skyscrapers (behind New York City and Chicago).

San Francisco

See also: List of tallest buildings in San Francisco

 

Montgomery Street in Financial District, San Francisco

The term "Manhattanization" was initially used to describe the construction of large skyscrapers in San Francisco's Financial District in the 1970s. Since then, tall buildings have proliferated in San Francisco. This has expanded to the South of Market neighborhood. From 2000 to 2018, more than 15 buildings taller than 30 stories were built.^[23] There are now over 160 buildings taller than 73 metres (240 ft).

In the context of the California housing shortage, fears of "Manhattanization" have been used by NIMBYs to oppose housing construction. In response, YIMBYs in other states have warned of a "California-style housing crisis" to promote zoning reform.^[24]

Santiago

 

"Sanhattan", in Santiago, Chile

"Sanhattan" has been used as a portmanteau to describe the developed cluster of skyscrapers in Santiago, Chile.^[25][26]

Toronto

See also: List of tallest buildings in Toronto

 

View of Toronto's skyline in 2017 from the Toronto Islands

Downtown Toronto has experienced a construction boom since 2007, primarily in its development of condominiums and other high rise residential towers. In one week of 2014, Toronto's city council approved 755 stories of new development in the city's downtown core.^[27]

Bogotá

The capital city of Colombia has seen skyscraper growth primarily concentrated in the Centro Internacional de Bogotá and Chapinero areas. Bogotá has undergone a revitalization plan that aims to position the Colombian capital as a major hub for international business in Latin America. Bogotá's El Dorado International Airport already handles the largest cargo volume in Latin America with daily cargo and passenger flights from large cities in the region such as Lima, Santiago de Chile, Miami, Mexico City, etc. ^{[28] [29] [30]}

Gallery

•  
  First Manhattanization of downtown Miami, 2007
•  
  "Panhattan", the skyline of Panama City, the capital of Panama
•  
  MIBC, Moscow, Russia
•  
  Donau City, Vienna, Austria
•  
  Shinjuku as a symbol of the Manhattanization of Tokyo, known as "Kyohattan"
•  
  "Dubaihattan" the skyline of Dubai, the urban area of the emirate
•  
  The Dubai Marina, Dubai's other manhattan with access to the gulf coast, a residential playground for the super rich

See also

• Urban canyon
• Vancouverism

References

Footnotes

1. . Archived from the original on May 7, 2009. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
2. "Skyscrapers Soaring in San Francisco". The Washington Post. June 29, 1969. p. H6. The high-rises, said University of California architectural critic Allan Temko, 'cause the hills to lose their impact and they interfere with the view of the bay.'
3. Nolte, Carl (April 19, 2014). "Manhattanization revisited". SF Gate. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
4. Smith, Hubble (May 28, 2010). "Problems continue in high-rise condo market". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
5. Las Vegas High Rise Condo Magazine - High Rise, Midrise, and Loft Projects 2006-04-27 at the Wayback Machine
6. Kotkin, Joel (August 12, 2007). "Why rush to Manhattanize L.A.?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
7. Emerald Group Publishing (2013), p. xx.
8. Greenspan, Elizabeth (October 23, 2013). "How to Manhattanize a city". The New Yorker. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
9. Adams, David; Fagenson, Zachary (November 12, 2015). "Traffic gridlock in Miami spurs search for transit solutions". Reuters. Retrieved December 2, 2015.
10. Alcoba, Natalie (August 27, 2014). "Toronto's 'Manhattanization': Downtown development growing at 'mind blowing' rate". National Post. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
11. "Living the high life: Hong Kong tops world charts for skyscrapers - and most of them are residential". South China Morning Post. 2015-12-31. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
12. Shu‐Ki, Tsang (2007-04-27). "The Hong Kong economy: Opportunities out of the crisis?". Journal of Contemporary China. 8:20 (29–45): 29–45. doi:10.1080/10670569908724334.
13. Dougherty, Conor (April 25, 2014). "High-Rise Apartment Buildings Sprout in Downtowns Nationwide". The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
14. Phillips, Shane (April 14, 2015). "Is your city Manhattanizing? Probably not within the next few hundred years. (CHARTS)". Urban One. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
15. Der Spiegel: Mainhattan: Frankfurt feiert seine Wolkenkratzer. Retrieved June 25, 2016.
16. Evening Standard: Business. An expanding Europe welcomes 'Mainhattan'. Retrieved June 25, 2016
17. . Archived from the original on August 16, 2009. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
18. . Archived from the original on August 28, 2008. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
19. "Erectile resumption". The Economist. April 5, 2014. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
20. "Ridership Technical Reports". Miami-Dade County. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
21. . American Public Transportation Association. Archived from the original on December 13, 2011. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
22. Macias, Amanda; Lopez, Linette (February 24, 2014). "Miami Is Wall Street South — Here's Why". Business Insider. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
23. "The Manhattanization of SF: How the city's skyline has changed in the last two decades". 22 January 2019.
24. "The YIMBY Answer to America's Housing Crunch". City Journal. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
25. Antonio Skarmeta (2011-02-27). "Antonio Skármeta Reflects on Santiago". Newsweek. IBT Media. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
26. ""Sanhattan" Symbolizes New Chile". Millward Brown. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
27. "Toronto is experiencing a 'Manhattanization' of its downtown core".
28. "Five mega developments that will transform Bogota". 16 October 2015.
29. "Colombia's crowdfunded skyscraper becomes its tallest building". 7 September 2015.
30. "A political overhaul can't shake Colombia's tech boom". 16 March 2022.

Bibliography

• Gerardo del Cerro Santamaría (2013). Urban Megaprojects: A Worldwide View. Emerald Group Publishing. p. xx. ISBN 9781781905937. Retrieved November 16, 2015 – via Google Books.