How many blocks from Penn Station to The Gershwin Theatre?

Answer 1

It's about 1 mile, maybe a little less. It is essentially 17 blocks straight north from Penn Station to the Gershwin Theatre, which is located at 222 West 51st Street.

In New York City, approximately 17 to 20 street blocks (north/south blocks) equals a mile, and approximately 5 to 10 avenue blocks (east/west blocks) equals a mile (the length of the avenue blocks varies considerably, depending on what neighborhood you're in. In Midtown, it's about 10 avenue blocks to a mile, but there are some avenue blocks on the Upper West Side that are close to half a mile long).

Penn Station is located at 33rd - 34th Street, from 8th to 7th Avenues. The address 222 West 51st Street is between 8th Avenue and Broadway.

Broadway runs in a diagonal line north/south through the city. Except for Lower Manhattan, the streets in Manhattan are arranged on a grid pattern, where each block is a little rectangle.

So, at 51st Street, Broadway actually cuts between 8th and 7th Avenue. If Broadway were not there, then 222 West 51st Street would be between 8th and 7th Avenues. But since Broadway cuts between them, 222 West 51st Street is between 8th Avenue and Broadway, not 8th Avenue and 7th Avenue.

My point is, even though 222 West 51st Street is between 8th Avenue and Broadway, not 8th Avenue and 7th Avenue, it is still essentially directly north of Penn Station. When you exit Penn Station (at either 8th or 7th Avenue, depending on which exit you use) you just need to travel straight north to 51st Street.

Then, make a right turn (if you're coming up 8th Avenue) or a left turn (if you're coming up 7th Avenue) onto 51st Street.

If you're coming up 8th, you'll take a right turn onto 51st, and your destination will be just a little bit down the block, between 8th and Broadway.

If you're coming up 7th, you'll make a left turn onto 51st. When you get to Broadway, cross it, and your destination will be just ahead, between Broadway and 8th.