Fifth Avenue facts for kids

For other uses, see Fifth Avenue (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids
Fifth Avenue
Construction
Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan
Other name(s)	Museum Mile
Owner	City of New York
Maintained by	NYCDOT
Length	6.197 mi (9.973 km)
Location	Manhattan, New York City
South end	Washington Square North in Greenwich Village
Major junctions	Madison Square in Flatiron Grand Army Plaza in Midtown Duke Ellington Circle in East Harlem Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem Madison Avenue Bridge in Harlem Harlem River Drive in Harlem
North end	Harlem River Drive / 143rd Street in Harlem
East	University Place (south of 14th) Broadway (14th to 23rd) Madison Avenue (north of 23rd)
West	Sixth Avenue (south of 59th) Central Park-East Drive (59th to 110th) Lenox Avenue (north of 110th)
Commissioned	March 1811

Fifth Avenue is a very famous street in Manhattan, a part of New York City. It stretches from Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village all the way north to West 143rd Street in Harlem. This street is known as one of the most expensive shopping areas in the entire world!

Most of Fifth Avenue is a one-way street for traffic heading south. Before 1966, cars could drive both ways. A small part of the avenue, from 142nd to 135th Street, still has two-way traffic. Also, a section of Fifth Avenue is interrupted by Marcus Garvey Park. Southbound traffic has to go around the park.

Fifth Avenue is famous for its many exciting parades. Because of these events, the street is often closed to cars on Sundays. The part of Fifth Avenue south of Central Park was made wider in 1908 to handle more traffic.

The area between 34th and 59th Streets used to be mostly homes. But around the year 1900, it became a busy shopping area. The section of Fifth Avenue in the 50s is still one of the most expensive shopping streets anywhere.

The area between 59th and 96th Streets, next to Central Park, was called "Millionaire's Row" in the early 1900s. This was because so many rich people built huge mansions there. Another part of Fifth Avenue, from 82nd to 110th Streets, is known as Museum Mile. This is because it has many amazing museums.

History of Fifth Avenue

Early Beginnings

Fifth Avenue, especially the part between 42nd Street and Central Park South (59th Street), was not very developed in the late 1800s. This land was once part of New York City's common lands. The city gained control of these lands in 1686.

In 1785, the city council decided to sell off some of this land to make money. The land wasn't great for farming and was far from roads. So, they hired a surveyor named Casimir Goerck to divide the land into smaller plots. He also planned roads to reach these plots.

Goerck finished his first survey in December 1785. He created 140 plots and drew a street called Middle Road, which later became Fifth Avenue. The land was hilly, so people weren't very eager to buy the plots.

In 1794, as the city grew, the council hired Goerck again. He was asked to make the plots more even and rectangular. He also planned new roads to the west and east of Middle Road. These roads became Fourth and Sixth Avenues. Goerck's plans greatly influenced the famous Commissioners' Plan of 1811, which set up Manhattan's street grid.

Fifth Avenue in the 1800s

Robert L. Bracklow's photo of Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street in 1888.

In the early 1800s, some wealthy people and important organizations started buying land on Fifth Avenue in Midtown. By the mid-1800s, several institutions were located there. These included orphanages and hospitals. Some areas even remained as cattle farms until the 1860s.

After the American Civil War, the Midtown part of Fifth Avenue became a fancy place to live. One of the first to build grand homes was Mary Mason Jones. She built "Marble Row" between 57th and 58th Streets around 1868-1870.

The famous Vanderbilt family also built three huge mansions along Fifth Avenue between 51st and 59th Streets in the late 1870s. By the 1880s and 1890s, the ten blocks of Fifth Avenue south of Central Park were known as "Vanderbilt Row."

When the Vanderbilts moved their homes uptown, many businesses on Fifth Avenue also started moving north. The upper part of Fifth Avenue, facing the new Central Park, wasn't developed as quickly. This was because there weren't many buildings on the other side of the park yet.

Fifth Avenue in the Early 1900s

The Midtown blocks of Fifth Avenue were mostly homes until the early 1900s. Then, they began to change into commercial areas. By 1900, there was so much traffic that people suggested limiting cars on the avenue.

Starting in 1908, the section south of Central Park was made wider. This meant making the sidewalks smaller to fit more cars. Buildings like the Waldorf–Astoria hotel had to trim their fronts. By 1911, the avenue was wider south of 47th Street. When widening continued north of 47th Street, many mansions were cut back or torn down. Even parts of St. Patrick's Cathedral had to be moved!

Fifth Avenue after a snow storm in 1905.

The first major commercial building on Fifth Avenue was built by Benjamin Altman in 1896. The B. Altman and Company Building opened between 1906 and 1914. This led to the creation of a high-end shopping district. Many fancy stores and fashionable women came to the area.

Other famous stores followed. The Lord & Taylor Building opened in 1914. The Saks Fifth Avenue Building opened in 1924. The Bergdorf Goodman Building opened in 1928-1929.

By the 1920s, Fifth Avenue was a very active place for new buildings in Midtown. Many office buildings were built, especially in 1926. This area became a major center for new development in Manhattan.

In the 1920s, special traffic towers helped control busy intersections on Fifth Avenue. These towers were first set up in 1920. They helped reduce travel time along the avenue. Later, in 1922, seven tall bronze traffic towers were added. These towers were designed by Joseph H. Freedlander. They were removed in 1929 because they got in the way of traffic. Newer, smaller bronze signals with statues of Mercury were then installed.

Fifth Avenue from Mid-1900s to Today

In 1954, with more traffic, there was a plan to allow only buses and taxis on Fifth Avenue. Then, on January 14, 1966, Fifth Avenue south of 135th Street became a one-way street, only for southbound traffic. Madison Avenue was changed to one-way northbound at the same time.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, many fancy stores on Fifth Avenue's Midtown section either moved or closed. A survey in 1971 showed that less than 60% of the building fronts were still stores. The rest were banks or airline offices. The section between 34th and 42nd Street, once a main shopping area, was declining.

In 1971, New York City Mayor John Lindsay suggested a special rule to protect Fifth Avenue's shopping character. This rule required new buildings to have a certain amount of retail space. It also encouraged buildings with stores, offices, and apartments. This rule was approved in April 1971.

In 1998, a special crosswalk was added south of 50th Street. This was an experiment to help cars turn without bothering pedestrians. Another similar crosswalk was added near 49th Street. Both were removed in 2019.

In December 2022, for three Sundays, the city closed Fifth Avenue between 48th and 57th Streets to all cars. This was the first time this part of Fifth Avenue was closed to traffic (besides parades) since the 1970s.

Exploring Fifth Avenue

Fifth Avenue starts at Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. It goes north through the center of Midtown Manhattan. It then runs along the east side of Central Park, marking the edge of the Upper East Side. Finally, it goes through Harlem and ends at the Harlem River at 142nd Street. Cars can cross the river on the Madison Avenue Bridge.

Fifth Avenue is important because it divides Manhattan into East and West streets. For example, it separates East 59th Street from West 59th Street. Avenues to the west of Fifth Avenue have higher numbers, like Sixth Avenue. Avenues to the east have lower numbers, like Third Avenue. Street addresses increase as you move away from Fifth Avenue.

The title "most expensive street in the world" for Fifth Avenue can change each year. This depends on money values and local economy. For many years in the 1990s, the shopping area between 49th and 57th Streets was the most expensive for retail space. In 2008, Forbes magazine called Fifth Avenue the most expensive street in the world. The fancy apartments at the top of buildings on Fifth Avenue are also very valuable.

The American Planning Association (APA) named Fifth Avenue one of the "2012 Great Places in America." This historic street has many famous museums, businesses, stores, parks, luxury apartments, and historical sites. These places show its long history and future vision.

Traffic and Parades on Fifth Avenue

Members of the Naval Reserve Center Bronx's color guard marching on Fifth Avenue during the St. Patrick's Day parade.

Fifth Avenue has two-way traffic from 142nd Street to 135th Street. South of 135th Street, it is a one-way street for southbound traffic. This change happened on January 14, 1966. At the same time, Madison Avenue became one-way northbound. From 124th Street to 120th Street, Fifth Avenue is cut off by Marcus Garvey Park. Southbound traffic goes around the park.

Fifth Avenue is the traditional route for many big parades in New York City. This means it is closed to cars on many Sundays when the weather is warm. The oldest parade is the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade. These parades are different from the "ticker-tape parades" on Broadway or the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Fifth Avenue parades usually go from south to north. However, the LGBT Pride March goes north to south, ending in Greenwich Village.

Bicycling on Fifth Avenue

Bicycling on Fifth Avenue varies a lot. South of 23rd Street, there is a separate bike lane. Along Central Park, it's very scenic. But through Midtown, it can be dangerous with heavy traffic during busy hours. Most of Fifth Avenue does not have a special bike lane. A protected bike lane south of 23rd Street was added in 2017. Another protected lane for bikes going both ways between 110th and 120th Streets was announced in 2020.

In 1987, New York City Mayor Ed Koch suggested banning bikes on Fifth, Park, and Madison Avenues during weekdays. Many bicyclists protested, and the ban was stopped. A bike lane on Fifth Avenue between 59th and 42nd Streets was suggested in late 2022.

Public Transportation on Fifth Avenue

Bus Service

Fifth Avenue is one of the few main streets in Manhattan that never had streetcars. Instead, transportation was first provided by horse-drawn buses from 1885 to 1896. Then, the Fifth Avenue Coach company took over with motor buses. Double-decker buses ran until 1953 and again from 1976 to 1978.

In 1982, a special bus lane for Fifth Avenue in Midtown was announced. It opened in June 1983 and was only for buses on weekdays. In June 2020, Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city would try out busways on Fifth Avenue.

Today, local bus service on Fifth Avenue is provided by the MTA's M1, M2, M3, and M4 buses. The M5 and Q32 also use Fifth Avenue in Midtown. Many express buses from Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Staten Island also travel along Fifth Avenue.

Subway Stations

The New York City Subway has never built a line directly under Fifth Avenue. This is likely because wealthy residents might have objected. However, there are several subway stations on streets that cross Fifth Avenue:

N, R, and W at Fifth Avenue–59th Street
E and M at Fifth Avenue/53rd Street
7 <7> at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street
R and W at Fifth Avenue and 23rd Street

Famous Sections and Nicknames

Millionaire's Row: Upper Fifth Avenue

1026–1028 Fifth Avenue, one of the few remaining mansions on Millionaire's Row.

In the late 1800s, New York's richest people started building huge mansions along Fifth Avenue. This section was between 59th Street and 96th Street, facing Central Park. By the early 1900s, this area was known as "Millionaire's Row." It had grand homes like the Mrs. William B. Astor House.

A big change happened in 1916. The mansion at 72nd Street and Fifth Avenue was the first private home on Fifth Avenue above 59th Street to be torn down. It was replaced by a large apartment building. This started a trend.

In 1922, the city tried to stop the mansions from being replaced by apartment buildings. They limited the height of new buildings to about 75 feet. But an architect named J. E. R. Carpenter sued and won in 1923. He argued that fancy apartments would actually make the avenue look better. So, old mansions were quickly replaced with new apartment buildings.

This area now has many famous apartment buildings. Most were built in the 1920s. One unique building is the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum between 88th and 89th Streets. It stands out from the other limestone buildings.

Museum Mile: A Cultural Journey

The Museum Mile street sign.

The famous Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Museum Mile is the name for a section of Fifth Avenue from 82nd to 110th Streets. This area is sometimes called Upper Carnegie Hill. It's actually a bit longer than one mile (1.6 km). This "Mile" has one of the largest collections of cultural places in the world. Nine museums are located along this part of Fifth Avenue. A ninth museum, the Museum for African Art, joined in 2009. Its new building opened in late 2012.

The museums work together for the yearly Museum Mile Festival. This event helps promote the museums and get more people to visit. The festival usually happens on the second Tuesday in June, from 6 to 9 p.m. It started in 1979 to make people more aware of the museums and support the arts in New York City. During the festival, Fifth Avenue is closed to cars. All nine museums are free to enter that evening. Many museums offer outdoor art activities for kids, live music, and street performers.

Museums on the Mile include:

110th Street – The Africa Center
105th Street – El Museo del Barrio
103rd Street – Museum of the City of New York
92nd Street – The Jewish Museum
91st Street – Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum (part of the Smithsonian Institution)
89th Street – National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts
88th Street – Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
86th Street – Neue Galerie New York
82nd Street – The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Further south, at Fifth Avenue and 70th Street, you can find the Henry Clay Frick House. This building houses the Frick Collection.

Important Landmarks on Fifth Avenue

Fifth Avenue has many buildings with special landmark designations. These designations help protect their historical importance.

The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (NYCL) identifies and protects city landmarks.
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the U.S. government's official list of important historical sites.
The National Historic Landmark (NHL) focuses on places of major importance in American history or culture. All NHL sites are also on the NRHP.
World Heritage Sites are chosen by UNESCO for their global cultural or historical value.

Individual Landmarks You Can See

Here is a list of some famous historical sites on Fifth Avenue, from north to south:

Name	Address	Cross-street	NHL	NRHP	NYCL	Notes
369th Regiment Armory	2366 Fifth Avenue	142nd–143rd Streets		Yes	exterior
St. Andrew's Church	2067 Fifth Avenue	127th Street		Yes	exterior
Harlem Fire Watchtower	Marcus Garvey Park	122nd Street		Yes	exterior
Central Park	N/A	60th–110th Streets	Yes	Yes	scenic landmark
Museum of the City of New York	1220–1227 Fifth Avenue	103rd-104th Streets			exterior
Willard D. Straight House	1130 Fifth Avenue	94th Street			exterior
Felix M. Warburg House	1109 Fifth Avenue	92nd Street		Yes	exterior
Otto H. Kahn House	1100 Fifth Avenue (corner of)	1 East 91st Street			exterior
Andrew Carnegie Mansion	2 East 91st Street	91st Street		Yes	exterior
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum	1009 Fifth Avenue	82nd Street	Yes	Yes	exterior and interior	Also designated as WHS
Duke Residence	1009 Fifth Avenue	82nd Street		Yes	exterior
Metropolitan Museum of Art	1000 Fifth Avenue	80th–84th Streets	Yes	Yes	exterior and interior
998 Fifth Avenue	998 Fifth Avenue	81st Street			exterior
Harry F. Sinclair House	2 East 79th Street	79th Street	Yes	Yes
Payne Whitney House	972 Fifth Avenue	78th–79th Streets, midblock			exterior
James B. Duke House	1 East 78th Street	78th Street		Yes	exterior
Edward S. Harkness House	1 East 75th Street	75th Street			exterior
Henry Clay Frick House	1 East 70th Street	70th Street	Yes	Yes	exterior
Robert Livingston Beeckman House	854 Fifth Avenue	66th–67th Streets, midblock			exterior
Knickerbocker Club	2 East 62nd Street	62nd Street			exterior
The Metropolitan Club	2 East 60th Street	60th Street			exterior
Grand Army Plaza		58th–60th Streets			scenic landmark
The Sherry-Netherland Sidewalk Clock	783 Fifth Avenue	59th Street		Yes
Plaza Hotel	768 Fifth Avenue	58th–59th Streets	Yes	Yes	exterior and interior
Bergdorf Goodman	754 Fifth Avenue	57th–58th Streets			exterior
Coty Building	714 Fifth Avenue	55th–56th Streets, midblock			exterior
712 Fifth Avenue	712 Fifth Avenue	55th–56th Streets, midblock			exterior
The Peninsula New York	696 Fifth Avenue	55th Street			exterior
St. Regis New York	693 Fifth Avenue	55th Street			exterior
Aeolian Building	689 Fifth Avenue	54th Street			exterior
University Club of New York	1 West 54th Street	54th Street			exterior
Saint Thomas Church	Corner	1 West 53rd Street			exterior
Morton F. Plant & Edward Holbrook House	653 Fifth Avenue	52nd Street		Yes	exterior
George W. Vanderbilt Residence	647 Fifth Avenue	52nd Street		Yes	exterior
Rockefeller Center (including British Empire Building, La Maison Francaise, International Building)	1–75 Rockefeller Plaza	49th–51st Streets	Yes	Yes	complex
St. Patrick's Cathedral	460 Madison Avenue	50th–51st Streets	Yes	Yes	exterior
Saks Fifth Avenue Building	611 Fifth Avenue	49th–50th Streets			exterior
Goelet (Swiss Center) Building	608 Fifth Avenue	49th–50th Streets			exterior and interior
Charles Scribner's Sons Building	597 Fifth Avenue	48th Street			exterior and interior
Fred F. French Building	551 Fifth Avenue	45th Street		Yes	exterior and interior
Sidewalk Clock, 522 Fifth Avenue	522 Fifth Avenue	44th Street		Yes	object
Manufacturers Trust Company Building	510 Fifth Avenue	43rd Street			exterior and partial interior
500 Fifth Avenue	500 Fifth Avenue	42nd Street			exterior
New York Public Library Main Branch	476 Fifth Avenue	40th–42nd Streets	Yes	Yes	exterior and partial interior
Knox Building	452 Fifth Avenue	40th Street		Yes	exterior
Lord & Taylor Building	424 Fifth Avenue	38th Street			exterior
Stewart & Company Building	402 Fifth Avenue	37th Street			exterior
Tiffany and Company Building	401 Fifth Avenue	37th Street		Yes	exterior
390 Fifth Avenue	390 Fifth Avenue	36th Street			exterior
B. Altman and Company Building	355–371 Fifth Avenue	34th–35th Streets			Yes
Empire State Building	350 Fifth Avenue	33rd–34th Streets	Yes	Yes	exterior and partial interior
The Wilbraham	284 Fifth Avenue	30th Street		Yes	exterior
Marble Collegiate Church	272 Fifth Avenue	29th Street		Yes	exterior
Sidewalk Clock, 200 Fifth Avenue	200 Fifth Avenue	24th Street		Yes	object
Flatiron Building	173–185 Fifth Avenue	22nd–23rd Streets	Yes	Yes	exterior
Scribner Building	153–157 Fifth Avenue	21st–22nd Streets, midblock		Yes	exterior
Salmagundi Club	47 Fifth Avenue	11th–12th Streets, midblock		Yes	exterior

Historic Districts Along Fifth Avenue

Fifth Avenue also passes through several historic districts. These are areas with many important buildings. From north to south, they include:

The Carnegie Hill Historic District: This city landmark district covers about 400 buildings. It's mainly along Fifth Avenue from 86th to 98th Street.
The Metropolitan Museum Historic District: This city landmark district includes properties on Fifth Avenue between 79th and 86th Streets, near the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The Upper East Side Historic District: This is both a city and a national historic district. It runs from 59th to 78th Streets along Fifth Avenue.
The Madison Square North Historic District: This city landmark district covers 96 buildings. It's around 25th to 29th Streets, near Broadway and Fifth Avenue.
The Ladies' Mile Historic District: This city landmark district includes 440 buildings. It's roughly from 15th Street to 24th Street.
The Greenwich Village Historic District: This city landmark district covers most of Greenwich Village. It includes almost all buildings on Fifth Avenue south of 12th Street.

In the 1980s, there was a plan for a historic district on Fifth Avenue between 48th and 58th Streets. Some buildings there were already landmarks, like St. Patrick's Cathedral. But others, like Rockefeller Center, did not have protection yet.

Economy and Shopping

Fifth Avenue looking north from 51st Street, showing many luxury stores.

Between 49th Street and 60th Street, Fifth Avenue is famous for its fancy shops and flagship stores. It is always ranked among the most expensive shopping streets in the world.

Many luxury brands, fashion designers, and sports companies have stores on Fifth Avenue. These include Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co. (whose main store is at 57th Street), Gucci, Prada, Armani, Tommy Hilfiger, Cartier, Omega, Chanel, Harry Winston, Salvatore Ferragamo, Nike, Escada, Rolex, Bvlgari, Emilio Pucci, Ermenegildo Zegna, Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister Co., De Beers, Emanuel Ungaro, Gap, Versace, Lindt Chocolate Shop, Henri Bendel, NBA Store, Oxxford Clothes, Microsoft Store, Sephora, Tourneau, and Wempe.

Luxury department stores like Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman are also on Fifth Avenue. You can also find an Apple Store there.

In the past, many airlines had ticket offices along Fifth Avenue. But by 1992, fewer airlines had offices there. Some airlines went out of business or moved their offices to other parts of Midtown.

Images for kids

Robert L. Bracklow's photo of Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street in 1888.
Fifth Avenue after a snow storm in 1905.
1026–1028 Fifth Avenue, one of the few remaining mansions on Millionaire's Row.
The Museum Mile street sign.
The famous Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Members of the Naval Reserve Center Bronx's color guard marching on Fifth Avenue during the St. Patrick's Day parade.

Bird's-eye view looking north from 51st St. c. 1893
Street view looking north from 51st St. c. 1895
The same shot in March 2015

Christmas on Fifth Avenue in 1896
Fifth Avenue, 1918

Fifth Avenue begins at the Washington Square Arch in Washington Square Park
Memorial to New York architect Richard Morris Hunt, Fifth Avenue between 70th and 71st Streets
The Plaza Hotel, c.1907