Manhattanization Facts for Kids

The island of Manhattan in New York City, United States, from which the term is derived

Manhattanization is a word used to describe when a city builds many tall buildings close together. This makes the city's look and feel similar to Manhattan, which is a very crowded part of New York City.

The word was first used in a negative way by people who didn't like the tall buildings being built in San Francisco during the 1960s and 1970s. They thought the skyscrapers would block views of the bay and hills. But with good urban planning (city planning), people started to accept the idea more.

The term also became popular for new, dense building projects in places like Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Dubai, and Miami. For example, Toronto has seen many tall buildings since 2007. Also, Hong Kong and Tokyo have built so many skyscrapers since the 1990s that they now have more than New York City! Even smaller cities in the US have seen a big increase in tall apartment buildings downtown. However, these cities would need many more people to be as crowded as Manhattan.

Cities with a "Manhattan" Look
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Cities with a "Manhattan" Look

Frankfurt: "Mainhattan"

Skyline of Frankfurt, known as "Mainhattan"

"Mainhattan" is a nickname for the skyline of Frankfurt, Germany. It's especially used for its main business area. The name combines "Main," which is the river Frankfurt is on, and "Manhattan." This name refers to the city's impressive tall buildings and skyscrapers. Having so many tall buildings is quite special for a European city.

The first tall buildings in Frankfurt were built in the 1960s. At first, some people used the name "Mainhattan" to make fun of the city. But over time, the meaning changed, and now it's seen as a positive and cool nickname.

Miami: A Southern Manhattan

High rise construction in a small portion of the Brickell district of Miami in 2015. Taken from one of the under construction Brickell City Center towers.

The term "Manhattanization" has been used to describe a big building boom in Miami. From 2003 to 2008, more than 50 tall buildings were constructed across the city. Another big building period started in Miami in 2012.

Along with thousands of new homes, the downtown area became more lively. More people started walking and using public transportation, much like in Manhattan. Miami is sometimes called a "southern Manhattan" not just because of its tall buildings, but also because it has a large financial district. Miami now has the third most skyscrapers in the US, after New York City and Chicago.

San Francisco: The Original "Manhattanization"

Montgomery Street in Financial District, San Francisco

The word "Manhattanization" was first used to talk about the large skyscrapers built in San Francisco's Financial District in the 1970s. Since then, many more tall buildings have appeared in San Francisco. This growth has spread to the South of Market neighborhood.

Between 2000 and 2018, more than 15 buildings taller than 30 stories were built. Now, there are over 160 buildings taller than 240 feet (73 meters). This can be a concern because many of these skyscrapers are in an area where the ground could become very soft during an earthquake.

Santiago: "Sanhattan"

"Sanhattan", in Santiago, Chile

"Sanhattan" is a fun name used to describe the group of skyscrapers in Santiago, Chile. It's a mix of "Santiago" and "Manhattan."

Toronto: A Building Boom

View of Toronto's skyline in 2017 from the Toronto Islands

Downtown Toronto has seen a huge construction boom since 2007. Most of these new buildings are tall apartment towers. In just one week in 2014, Toronto's city council approved plans for 755 new stories of buildings in the downtown area.