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Explore life downtown

Whether you’re making the most of a weekend getaway or looking to mix up your lunch break, Lower Manhattan has all the shopping, dining and entertainment you could want. From City Hall to the Battery, savor unique flavors, discover awe-inspiring museums, catch a show and so much more.

When one square mile contains infinite possibility, you never know what’s next. So get going, and see what’s happening in downtown New York.

Come Visit Downtown

Downtown has been changing

Managing the Downtown-Lower Manhattan Business Improvement District (BID), the Downtown Alliance is your first and best business resource. Whether you’re dreaming of a grand opening or big-time growth, we’re here to help in more ways than one.

Happy Pi Day! We secured a fresh-baked slice of blueberry from our friends at @fultonstallmarket in celebration 🫐Shout out to Archimedes of Syracuse of ancient Greece for being the first mathematician to calculate pi. Little did he know that thousands of years later we’d use his groundbreaking discovery to indulge in sweet, sweet circular treats 🥧
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At the start of January, the culinary magazine @food52 predicted that the paper plane, a modern classic invented in 2008 by bartender Sam Ross (and named after the popular song by M.I.A.) would be the cocktail of the year. Though the paper plane isn’t exactly new, it’s about time for another trendy beverage to hit the bar scene. After all, we’re all kind of tired of ordering espresso martinis – and bartenders are tired of making them. So we headed out into Lower Manhattan in pursuit of one.Learn more about the cocktail, its history and our quest to find one in the neighborhood at the link in our bio. Cheers! ✈️
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On this #InternationalWomensDay, we present to you: The Women-Owned Downtown Matrix!From legacy establishments to plucky start-ups, fine dining eateries to beloved watering holes, specialized services to general stores – women are at the helm of businesses large and small in Lower Manhattan. Starting on the left side of the matrix will introduce you to places you can visit for specific or special occasions – bridal shops, fine jewelers, upscale dining and bespoke experiences. Starting on the right, you’ll find establishments that fit into an everyday routine – coffee shops, neighborhood bars, retail stores and more. The top and bottom ends of the Goods/Services axis speak for themselves, but wander towards the middle and you’ll find places like The Little Shop – a bar that’s nestled behind a bodega-type store – and Barclay Rex, a cigar shop that also has a member’s only smoking lounge. All of the businesses featured on the matrix are either fully or partly owned by women, and this is by no means an exhaustive list. Lower Manhattan is the proud home of many women-owned enterprises without brick and mortar storefronts, such as financial and legal practices, e-commerce businesses, design and architecture firms, and more. We hope you frequent one of these amazing downtown spots today, or bookmark this post for your future shopping needs. Happy Women’s History Month!
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Today may be the last day of Black History Month, but in the prescient words of the Institute of Black Imagination founder Dario Calmese, “the time is always now.” The IBI’s storefront in the Oculus, Space 001, is the living embodiment of that idea: “What this space really offers us is a lens into contemporary Black aesthetics,” Calmese muses. “Informed by the past, deeply rooted in our history. But it’s now.” A retail experience and reference library, Space 001 “represents a tangible manifestation of IBI’s mission to create environments that celebrate and amplify the richness of Black creativity and thought.” Inside, you’ll find rare books once belonging to cultural giants Geoffrey Holder and Andre Leon Talley, as well as clothing and goods crafted by emerging Black designers. Learn more about the IBI and Space 001 at the link in our bio.#blackhistorymonth #nyc 🎥: @davidfamous
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A cultural hub for Black creatives is flourishing in Lower Manhattan.The Institute of Black Imagination is the brainchild of photographer, artist, writer and director Dario Calmese. Like its founder, the IBI, which is nestled in the South Concourse of Lower Manhattan’s Oculus, is also a multi-hyphenate: a brick-and-mortar library, a digital archive, an event space, a podcast production studio and retail store Space 001, which showcases curated products from up-and-coming Black designers and brands. The Downtown Alliance sat down with Calmese to learn more about how the Institute of Black Imagination grew from a 2018 acquisition of books from the personal archives of artist Geoffrey Holder to the all-encompassing creative enterprise it is today. With the potential of Black creativity as its driving force, the IBI is a unique, ambitious addition to Lower Manhattan’s ever-growing arts and culture scene.Full video on YouTube at the link in our bio 💫🎥: David Fagbenro @davidfamous
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What a privilege to celebrate 30 years of the Downtown Alliance by ringing the opening bell at the @nyse this morning! It’s been an honor to serve our Lower Manhattan neighbors for the past three decades and we’re looking forward to continuing our work for years to come. The future is bright downtown!
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Who is the downtown alliance

Our mission at the Alliance for Downtown New York is to provide service, advocacy, research and information to enhance the quality of life in Lower Manhattan and advance the vibrant neighborhood as a global model of a 21st century Central Business District. By supporting economic development, public safety, sanitation, transportation and more, we strive to make Lower Manhattan an exciting, clean and safe place to live, work and play.

About the Alliance