Downtown walking tours resumed.Three weeks after terrorists turned lower Manhattan Lower Manhattan is the southernmost part of the island of Manhattan, the main island and center of business and government of the City of New York. Lower Manhattan is generally defined as the area delineated on the north by Chambers Street, on the west by the Hudson River (North into a crime scene, the Downtown Alliance has reinstated its walking tours of Wall Street. There's one site that is specifically not included in this tour, however -- Ground Zero. "It appears that New Yorkers are feeling the need to embrace and connect with the proud heritage and resilience of lower Manhattan," said Valerie Lewis, assistant vice president of the Downtown Alliance. "We began doing these tours two years ago. We're glad to be offering them now as downtown gets back on its feet," said Lewis. The Downtown Alliance is a $14 million Business Improvement District, the largest of its kind in New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. , established with the express purpose of revitalizing re·vi·tal·ize tr.v. re·vi·tal·ized, re·vi·tal·iz·ing, re·vi·tal·iz·es To impart new life or vigor to: plans to revitalize inner-city neighborhoods; tried to revitalize a flagging economy. lower Manhattan. While the Downtown Alliance provides traditional services, such as sanitation sanitation: see plumbing; sanitary science. and security, it also promotes the economic development of the area, improves tourist services and addresses transportation needs as well as other issues. The alliance's 90-minute tour features stops at various sites including Stone Street Historic District, the New York Stock Exchange New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) World's largest marketplace for securities. The exchange began as an informal meeting of 24 men in 1792 on what is now Wall Street in New York City. , and Federal Hall. Armed national guards and checkpoints are also part of the tour now. The Downtown Alliance reinstated the tours earlier than planned over what they termed an "overwhelming number of requests" from people eager to take the tour. Whether or not these people had any inkling in·kling n. 1. A slight hint or indication. 2. A slight understanding or vague idea or notion. [Probably alteration of Middle English (a) ningkiling, to take the tour prior to Sept. 11 is debatable de·bat·a·ble adj. 1. Being such that formal argument or discussion is possible. 2. Open to dispute; questionable. 3. In dispute, as land or territory claimed by more than one country. . But few areas have been in the news as much as lower Manhattan over the past three weeks, and there is a renewed interest in touring the Wall Street area. Mayor Giuliani has stressed how important it is for the downtown businesses affected by the events to start operating as usual. That has been easier said than done for several downtown businesses whose power was only recently restored. Several of the municipal buildings on Centre Street are still working without computers, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. published reports. Only blocks east of the court houses, the South Street Seaport The South Street Seaport is a historic area in the New York City borough of Manhattan, located where Fulton Street meets the East River, and adjacent to the Financial District. The Seaport is usually considered a historical district, distinct from the neighboring Financial District. Museum reopened on Sept. 22, only four days after their power was restored. According to Madeline Rogers, a spokesman for the Seaport Museum, they normally host three times as many visitors this time of year, and for now they are waiving the admission fee. The Museum, located at 209 Water St., also hosts walking tours though the seaport district. Rogers said that the World Trade Center and the Seaport Museum had an interesting connection. "They thought about building the towers over here on the East Side. The Lower Manhattan Plan of 1966 was eying our site as a site for the project," said Rogers. In certain ways, the World Trade Center eventually came to rest here, in the form of dust. But that dust has been "cleaned up around our waterfront," said Rogers. The Wall Street Walking Tour is offered every Thursday and Saturday at noon, rain or shine. |
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