The Flatiron District is a small area in the Midtown area of the
New York City borough of Manhattan, and is named after the Flatiron Building. The Flatiron
Building, while now not as impressive in height as some of its neighbors, is notable for its triangular shape. This design was
necessitated by the angle of the land that is created by the intersection of Fifth
Avenue and Broadway.
Area features
- Prior to being renamed, the same general area had been referred to as the "Photo District" due to the large number of
photographers' studios and associated businesses located there.
- Baruch College of the City University
of New York, is located on E. 23rd Street and Lexington Avenue. The College sits on the former site of the Free Academy (now
City College of New York), which was founded in 1847 and was the first institution of free public higher education in the United States. Baruch's Newman Vertical
Campus as well as the Zicklin School of Business, the largest collegiate
school of business in the United States, are also located on 24th and 25th Streets between Third and Lexington Avenues.
- Madison Square Park, a small green area with an old-fashioned shake & burger
stand known as the Shake Shack, is located in this district between Fifth Avenue and
Madison Avenue on 23rd
Street. Madison Avenue begins in the Flatiron District at 23rd Street and runs north towards its famous Midtown
section.
- The "Toy District" is also located in this area. A number of toy manufacturers have trade showrooms in buildings across from
Madison Square Park, and the headquarters of the Toy Industry Association which
puts on the American International Toy Fair yearly are located here as
well.
- Giving this area a bit of color are the Museum of Sex and the Gershwin Hotel, both
located on 27th Street. The Gershwin is a tribute to the late pop artist Andy Warhol, and
features some of his art and memorabilia throughout the hotel.
- There are also many stores around the area, such as Ann Taylor,
Victoria's Secret, Club Monaco, and
Origins.
Context
Flatiron is more or less the "gap" between Midtown East and the East Village. It is
mostly commercial, but is not technically located in the bustling Midtown commercial zone.
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