- Most businesses in New York City are closed, and residents have been ordered to stay home amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
- I ventured into Manhattan to see how these drastic measures are affecting one of the largest cities in the world.
- Landmarks like Grand Central Station, Times Square, and Bryant Park were eerily empty.
- Stores have boarded up windows and streets have no traffic.
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New York City is entering its second week of a government-ordered lockdown, closing restaurants, bars, theatres, and most small businesses.
I’ve been quarantined in my apartment in Brooklyn since March 11 and have not ventured into Manhattan since New York state’s stay-at-home order went into effect on March 22. To see how these measures have affected one of the largest cities in the world, I decided to take a trip into Manhattan during the busiest time of day: rush hour.
Armed with gloves, a face mask, and hand sanitizer, I took an Uber into Manhattan and took every precaution to minimize contact with other people. What I saw on my journey shocked me and showed me a different side to the city where I grew up.
My first stop was Grand Central Terminal, which was eerily empty.
I was in Grand Central between 3:30 and 4 p.m., which is typically the start of rush hour. At this time, Grand Central is usually bustling with people. In fact, 750,000 people walk through the terminal every day. But on the day of my visit, there were only a few people scattered about.
As it got closer and closer to rush hour, a few people trickled in, but it was still nothing compared to the usual crowds of Grand Central.
The people who did walk through the terminal all wore face masks and stood far apart from each other.
There were service advisory signs blinking around the terminal, reminding people of the dangers while traveling.
"Trains will operate at a reduced schedule for essential travel ONLY," the sign reads. "Spread out and stay healthy."
Downstairs, the food concourse was a complete ghost town.
On March 15, New York Mayor Bill De Blasio announced an executive order, forcing all restaurants, bars, and clubs to close in the city.
After walking through Grand Central, I took a stroll down 42nd Street and all the roads were desolate.
I spotted a few people going for a walk, but most sidewalks, crosswalks, and intersections were completely devoid of life.
My next stop was Bryant Park, which was almost unrecognizable.
Bryant Park is typically packed with people on their lunch breaks or decompressing after a long workday. But the empty benches and walkways felt eerie. The dirt area - which is in transition from the Christmas village to a grassy field - felt especially apocalyptic.
There were a few people enjoying the fresh air at tables in the park, but they were all keeping a safe distance from each other.
Other tables and chairs in the park were tied up, presumably to dissuade people from hanging out together in public spaces.
I was also able to walk in the middle of the streets near Bryant Park, which would have been impossible before.
New York City is known for its congested traffic, but this day, the streets were completely abandoned.
As I got closer to Times Square, I was expecting the streets to become busier, but it was the opposite.
Surprisingly, the streets were even more empty near Times Square. There was not a single car or bus driving down the streets, which is usually not the case during rush hour.
When I finally got to Times Square, I was shocked at how one of the world's busiest tourist destinations was utterly deserted.
As a native New Yorker, I understand how busy and crowded Times Square can get. This is not the Times Square I've known my whole life.
Strolling through Times Square felt like walking through an alternate reality.
It's usually impossible to walk down these streets, as you are shoulder to shoulder with some of the largest crowds. On any given day, Times Square has 380,000 tourists. On this day, however, I saw maybe 20 people in all.
All the stores in Times Square that typically service expensive meals and souvenirs to tourists were closed and dark.
The only place that I saw open in the area was McDonald's.
The famous red stairs in Times Square that people flock to and celebrities have filmed on were now closed off to the public.
Cops and security guards stood in front of the stairs to make sure no one climbed them.
For comparison, this is what the famous red staircase looks like on a normal day.
I went to Times Square last summer for a story for Insider, and it was a completely different scene compared to my most recent trip.
Leaving Times Square, I decided to check out the Broadway theatres, which all went dark earlier this month.
To further prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Broadway theatres closed down, although you can stream some of the shows for free.
Most of the Broadway theatres have turned off their lights.
"Six" is a new Broadway show that was becoming increasingly popular before the shutdown started. It was later learned that an usher at this theatre had tested positive for the coronavirus.
From there, I walked past several stores and restaurants with boarded-up windows.
Business owners around the city have boarded up their storefronts so that they remain secure while closed down for an extended period of time. Some people, like Mark Dicus, executive director of the Soho Broadway Initiative, are urging people not to do that.
"We're encouraging property owners and retailers to keep those storefronts untouched and to keep the lights on at night," Dicus told The Real Deal. "We want to maintain a sense of normalcy and make sure our neighborhoods are safe. We feel there are ways to take care of that without resorting to drastic measures like boarding up storefronts."
I ended my stroll through this new Manhattan by passing street after street of emptiness.
It's clear that the coronavirus and the lockdown have greatly changed New York City. The New York I know is filled with people and alive with culture. The New York I see today is completely devoid of any of that.
As the world tackles the coronavirus head-on, I look forward to the day that the city streets come alive again.
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