Only 8% of Manhattan Office Workers Have Returned in-person 5 Days per Week

According to a survey by the Partnership for NYC, 62% of Manhattan office workers are working remotely on a typical day and only 8% are working in person five days a week. Which pretty much aligns with my firm’s experience – only a very small number of people want to commute five days a week, though I think that on any given day more than half will be in the office in Manhattan. And not because of crime or homelessness, as the companies surveyed think – because it is a better way to work.

“The longer people worked remotely, the longer they wanted to continue to work remotely,” said Kathy Wylde, the CEO of the Partnership for New York City

Wylde is absolutely right, though obviously she thinks this is a bad thing. Not mentioned is what the rest of the New York City looks like – judging by street and restaurant traffic in Williamsburg, a lot of people do seem to be very happy working remote or hybrid. Maybe instead of making Manhattan the way it was we should figure out what it could be?

The Death and Life of a Great American Building

Fascinating look at the history of the former St. Denis Hotel on East 11th Street. Jeremiah Moss’ attention to the detail of the history of the building (his office, for a short time longer) is exquisite, as is the history that lies behind the banal pink walls. And speaking of exquisite – that staircase!

Corner Store: 1937

1028 third ave

1028 Third Avenue, 1937
Photo: via Shorpy

Great Shorpy photo of an Italian grocery on Third Avenue, circa 1937 (as always with Shorpy, click through to see the high resolution version in all its glory). The building still stands, stripped of its decoration and given the dreaded styrofoam stucco treatment (in sea foam green, no less).


1028 today

1028 Third Avenue, 2012
Photo: Google street views