Manhattan Myopia After World War II, Manhattan was suddenly the place to be. Between 1945-1975, some 110 million square feet of office space was constructed primarily in midtown. During that same period, Manhattan also witnessed the development of several major residential complexes, which were almost exclusively luxury and semi-luxury buildings. But it’s not over yet. This obsession with Manhattan still continues today. Manhattan is the ultimate borough. Everything is in Manhattan. Perhaps the most significant recent example of this trend was the development of the Javits Convention Center. Although the Center seems to be a useful and reasonably successful facility, it is unfortunately stuck in an impractical location. Actually, Queens would have made a far more sensible home for the Javits Center. If the Center had been built in the vicinity of the World’s Fairgrounds, for example, it would be more accessible to air transportation which is, of course, a major component for attracting large national and international conventions. Also, the network of highways in this area offers drivers easier and more varied travel routes than the West Side Highway. Furthermore, the downtown area of Queens could have benefited from the development of major hotels to support the convention facilities. This is only one example, but it should tell us that it is time to open our eyes, broaden our minds, and move beyond this "Manhattan Myopia". Consider further: if the millions of square feet of office space had been divided somewhat more equally amongst the other boroughs of New York City, the economic benefits would have been tremendous. For starters, real estate taxes would likely have been far more stable, the subway would have been safer, more efficient, and easier to maintain, and the school system would have been able to provide immediate job opportunities for graduates. The latest piece of Manhattan worship is Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s desire to uproot Yankee Stadium from the Bronx and replant it on the West Side of Manhattan. Hey, while they’re at it, why not put the Botanical Gardens in Manhattan? And how about the Bronx Zoo? Is Manhattan really the only borough? It’s time for some more intelligent planning.