Did you know that New York can easily top the list of the greatest cities in the world? It is all because of a number of reasons. Of course, for those who live in NYC, your reason for preferring the city over others may not appear in those provided here. Don’t worry. It’s for lack of space, not malice.
Here are some of the reasons that make NYC the greatest city in the world:
An iconic skyline
Throughout the 20th-century, New York had (and still has) the most iconic skyline in the entire world. A walk to midtown Manhattan reveals a number of skyscrapers such as the Chrysler and the Empire State Buildings. It is not prudent to leave out the Twin Towers (the One World Trade Center is rising in its place) and the Woolworth Building. Also defining the iconic NYC skyline is the Skyscraper Museum which is devoted to tall towers. Lower Manhattan has Changed Since 9/11
In 1811, The Commissioners’ Plan set the foundation for NYC’s pattern of numbered streets and avenues. Apart from making Manhattan easy to navigate, this system enabled the packaging of real estate in easy-to-sell units. For most New Yorkers, it is hard to go meandering on the streets. That’s owing to the fact that the avenues in Manhattan run straight for miles ahead. This has come to define the fast-paced lives of the locals.
New Yorkers live longer
The life-expectancy in New York stood at 80.9 years in the 2010 census. Incidentally, the national average falls just two years short of that. For some reason, life in this city is not only easier but also lengthier.
Rent-stabilized apartments
It is easy to find a rent-stabilized apartment in New York than anywhere else in America. That’s thanks to a 1969 program created to shield tenants from steep rises in rents due to the greediness of some landlords. It is estimated that there are about 1 million living spaces that fall in the rent-stabilized category. If you are leasing one of these houses, then you are further protected by a 2011 state law. It is only when the monthly rent goes higher than $2,500 that is will be deregulated.
New Yorkers invented hip-hop
It is thought that hip-hop was born in a recording room on 1520 Sedgwick Avenue by MC Coke La Rock and Clive “DJ Kool Herc” Campbell. The two were experimenting with Jamaican beats and break meats when they came up with a mash-up that worked more than 40 years ago. That’s how the genre that has since dominated popular music was invented. As for rap, its evolution has largely taken place in the five boroughs of New York. Talk about the Beastie Boys, Big Daddy Kane, Run-D.M.C, Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, Notorious BIG, De La Soul, and LL Cool J. Even today, New Yorkers such as A$AP Rocky, Jay-Z, and Nicki Minaj continue to dominate the hip-hop scene.
Clearly, the reasons to live in New York are many. Which one is yours?