I finished the history portion of Empire City and now the last remaining parts dealing with the Guide to the Five Boroughs. I do not know if this was going to be a separate chapter, or if it was going to be part of the history chapter. I am going to treat this as being part of the history chapter.

Guide to the Five Boroughs

With a population of more than eight million, Empire City is the most densely populated city in the United States. Covering an area of 320 square miles, nearly 10,000 people per sq. mile cram the five boroughs. With such a small place, some would think Empire City is nothing but buildings. This is not true, and nearly 53,000 acres of parkland lie within the city.

Empire City began from humble beginnings. Originally occupying just the southern tip of Manhattan the Dutch settlement known as New Amsterdam was captured by the English in 1664. By the time of the American Revolution, the city would find itself at the center of the struggle, and would fall under British control until 1783.

It was during the 19th century that the city’s population swelled with increased immigration. The city grew so much that in 1811 the city street grid saw expansion to encompass the entire island of Manhattan. By 1835, Empire City passed Philadelphia in becoming the largest city in the Unite States.

The Empire City of today traces her beginning to 1898 with the inclusion of the City of Brooklyn. Before 1898, Empire City only consisted of Manhattan and The Bronx, while Brooklyn included Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. With the creation of the city charter in 1898, the five boroughs were set up and the city government became interlinked within herself.

Empire City’s five boroughs are also separate counties of Empire State. Though legally considered counties, none have their own country governments. Each borough elects a Borough President, but under the current city charter, their powers are limited. Each borough does have their own county courts, and some state offices like the district attorney are found there as well.

Manhattan

Manhattan is synonymous with Empire City, and the two are interchangeable. The borough is part of Empire City County, which boarders are the same of the borough, includes not only all of Manhattan Island, Roosevelt Island, a few smaller islands, and Marble Hill. 1,537,195 people live within the borough, and it is home to numerous museums, restaurants, theaters, and people.

Battery Park City

Battery Park City is a 90-acre planned community located on Manhattan’s southwestern tip. Named for adjacent Battery Park, the community is home to the World Financial Center, but numerous housing, commercial and retail buildings. Owned and managed by the Battery Park City Authority, the city does not fall under the control of Empire City, but is a in fact a public corporation.

The origins of the area lie in the 1950s when the once busy Manhattan Port stood nearly vacant. Architect Wallace K. Harrison envisioned a comprehensive community, including not only housing but industry and businesses. The Empire State Legislature voted in 1968 to create the Battery Park City Authority (BPCA) that would oversee the project’s development.

1976 saw the port’s exposed piers buried and the massive landfill project finished. Construction started in 1977, but stopped due to the city’s financial crisis. The land’s title was transferred to the BPCA in 1979, which then took charge of the entire project and eventually would oversee daily operations of the community once occupied.

Residential building began in 1980; quickly following this was the construction of the World Financial Center in 1981. By 1985 people began moving into newly built apartments and business began renting office spaces available in the World Financial Center. The 1990s saw a ramping up of building, and saw increased demand for many of the newly build places. By y the start of 2000 the entire are was finished off.

The tragedy of September 11, 20001, had a huge impact on the area. Gateway Plaza, which is located near World Financial Center, was struck by airplane debris, and the Winter Garden saw sever damage as well. Since the attacks, most of the damage is repaired, but many residents have not returned.

West Street cuts off Battery Park City from downtown Manhattan. The Hudson River cuts it off from the rest of the borough to the east, north and south. Battery Park City consists of five major sections: North Residential Neighborhood, World Financial Center Area, Gateway Plaza, Rector Place Residential Neighborhood, and the Battery Place Residential Neighborhood.

Carnegie Hall

West 57th and 7th Avenue

Since 1891, Carnegie Hall has been the pre-eminent spot musician and entertainers perform their very best work. Designed by William Barnet Tuthill, Andrew Carnegie financed the construction as a gift to the city he loved. On the hall’s opening night composer Tchaikovsky conducted the orchestra, and since then the world’s most famous orchestras and performers have appeared on the stage. The hall underwent extensive restoration in the 1980’s, but the stage and lobby underwent major renovations in 1997 after Officer Prometheus clashed with the villain Torque.

American Museum of Natural History

Central Park West at 79th Street

A staple of Empire City, the hallmark of the museum is the fourth floor housing three halls dealing with dinosaurs (Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs, Hall of Ornithischan Dinosaurs, and Hall of Vertebrate Origins). Another popular attraction is the extensive Rose Center for Earth and Space. This exhibit has various meteorites and moon rocks on display, but objects from the Dark Empire. The most recent exhibit, the Hall of the Hero, traces the history of the metahumans from the Frisco Flyer to the Guard. The centerpiece of the exhibit is the Elektro display, which consists of the mechanical man’s outer shell. Unlike the Koch Museum to the Hero, the Hall of the Hero has an international scope to their coverage and displays.

Metropolitan Museum of Art

5th Avenue and 82nd Street

The crown jewel of Empire City’s cultural institutions the Met houses over 3 million works of art from around the world. Founded in 1870, the original redbrick Victorian gothic building designed by Calvert Vaux, lies within complex the entire.

The majestic 5th Avenue entrance leads visitors into the building’s landmark—the Great Hall. From here visitors have access to the European painting galleries housing works by Botticelli, Rembrandt and Rodin. The American Wing houses an extensive collection of American Art by American masters. Also found are galleries dedicated to art from Greek, Roman, Asian artists.

The American Wing, which is located on the northwest side of the complex, houses not only the marble façade of the Wall Street branch of the US Bank, but Tiffany stained glass windows, rooms decorated with period furniture, and galleries devoted to American paintings.

Museum of Empire City

1220 5th Avenue and 103rd Street

Originally located in Gracie Mansion, the current home is in a building designed and built in 1932. Dedicated to preserving and maintaining the history of Empire City, the museums exhibits cover many aspects of city history. The Museum of Empire City’s real claim to fame is the its Broadway Exhibit and its’ display of one of the original study models of the Statue of Library.

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

107 5th Avenue

Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the Guggenheim opened in 1954. Since then the Guggenheim has been a leader in collecting and displaying modern art. Among its holdings are works by Vasily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Picasso and Robert Mapplethorpe. Recently the villain Bloody Mary used the circular layout of the Museum to open a gate to Hell. It took the timely intervention Caliburn, along with the Baron’s surprising appearance to put an end to her plans. Though none of the art saw any damage, the museum had to shut down for two weeks for cleaning.

The Whitney Museum of American Art

945 Madison Ave

After having her donation to the Met turned down, sculptor Gertrude Vanderbuilt Whitney opened her own museum in her studio galley in 1929. The current grey vault like structure standing off Madison Avenue opened in 1966. The eight galleries located on the five-floors houses a great survey of 20th century American art. The museum is more famous for sponsoring the Whitney Biennial.

Highlighting the important advancements in American art, the even is known to make many artists famous.

The last Biennial held in 2002 is famous for Green Ronin’s attempt to steal the holographic art Rose in the Screen, by renowned artist Ariana Fisch. Slipstream, who was attending the event, managed to stop Green Ronin in the act. Planning is already underway to ensure the 2004 Biennial is more secure.