The neighborhood near the Freedom Tower
What we love about this part of New York City
The Financial District (or as we New Yorkers call it, “FiDi”) is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Manhattan, and there is a certain square of it, just south of the former World Trade Center site, that is starting to boom. FiDi itself is s charming, with cobblestone streets dating back to colonial times, and dotted with landmarks, and this little section of it has some of the district’s oldest buildings, including Trinity Church, where Alexander Hamilton is buried.
It’s always been a bustling commercial district, and in the past decade has also become a very desirable place to live — for young professionals and even families. That’s because it’s a 24-hour neighborhood filled with good jobs, great schools, restaurants, shopping and lots of open spaces.
Here’s what we love about it:
Great Places to Work
The area is home to many major financial institutions including the New York Stock Exchange, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the New York Mercantile Exchange, the New York Board of Trade, the American Stock Exchange, and of course, Wall Street.
Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, and HSBC have their HQs in FiDi, but so do Gucci and Spotify, and many young companies which draw young professionals.
Interesting Things to See
Look up, and you’ll see the Freedom Tower (also known as One World Trade Center). You can’t miss it, it’s the tallest building in the U.S. The height of the building is 1,776 feet, a deliberate nod to the year The Declaration of Independence was signed. The Freedom Tower is breathtaking for so many reasons — the striking architecture coupled with all it symbolizes will leave you speechless. It is home to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, which honors the victims of the 2001 and 1993 attacks.
The Oculus is another architectural work of art, designed by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. It is a hub connecting major transportation lines and also houses the Westfield World Trade Center mall.
Just across the street from One World Trade is Brookfield Place, a shopping and office complex situated along the Hudson River. With high-end brands like Burberry and Bottega Veneta, along with trendy pop-ups looking out over a marina where yachts en route to Bermuda and the Caribbean dock.
Cultural Things to Do
The Ronald O. Perelman Performing Arts Center at the World Trade Center (PACWTC), set to open shortly, will be the newest edition to an already cultured neighborhood. It will provide a modern space for cutting-edge art, theatre, and entertainment.
Delicious Things to Eat
Eataly, a haven for high-end Italian eats, is a must-visit. It’s like Disney World for foodies.
A Nice Place to Live
Not only does the neighborhood have lots of places to venture to out-of-home, but the neighborhood has many open spaces, including multiple parks, and the piers and promenade at Battery Park.
The neighborhood boasts some of the city’s best public schools (acclaimed P.S. 150 is moving to the neighborhood in 2022) and the brand-new Peck Slip School, an offshoot of esteemed Tribeca’s P.S. 234, serves the northern end of the neighborhood. Private school Leman is also a big draw — and located nearby. The spacious apartments draw couples, but the great schools and the waterfront parks in Battery Park City keep the stroller set from moving to the suburbs, and so the area has become a bona fide family neighborhood — with condo prices on family-sized apartments inching toward Tribeca’s nosebleed prices as more families find the charming converted loft apartments in the area to be suitable places to raise a family.
Why We Love It
There are so many things to love about this little slice of New York City— the history, the architecture, the streets. But the cherry on top is that it is bordered by the East River and the Hudson River, with scenic views from nearly every building. Manhattan is one of the buzziest, action-packed places in the world, and this juxtaposition between the concrete jungle and the blues of the waters is something truly striking.
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Compound Asset Management, Inc. is a financial services and technology company and qualified opportunity zone business based in New York City. Compound is reimagining how the world invests in real estate using technology. Compound is led by an executive team with deep real estate, finance and technology experience.
