Hell's Kitchen, also known as Clinton, or Midtown West on
real estate listings, is a neighborhood on the
West Side of
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan, serving as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Building, the ...
in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, New York. It is considered to be bordered by
34th Street 34th Street most commonly refers to 34th Street (Manhattan)
34th Street is a major crosstown street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It runs the width of Manhattan Island from the West Side Highway on the West Side to FDR Drive on t ...
(or 41st Street) to the south,
59th Street to the north,
Eighth Avenue to the east, and the
Hudson River
The Hudson River, historically the North River, is a river that flows from north to south largely through eastern New York (state), New York state. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake (New York), Henderson Lake in the ...
to the west.
Hell's Kitchen had long been a bastion of poor and working-class
Irish Americans
Irish Americans () are Irish ethnics who live within in the United States, whether immigrants from Ireland or Americans with full or partial Irish ancestry.
Irish immigration to the United States
From the 17th century to the mid-19th c ...
, and its gritty reputation has long held real-estate prices below those of most other areas of Manhattan. But by 1969, the City Planning Commission's ''Plan for New York City'' reported that development pressures related to its Midtown location were
driving people of modest means from the area.
Gentrification
Gentrification is the process whereby the character of a neighborhood changes through the influx of more Wealth, affluent residents (the "gentry") and investment. There is no agreed-upon definition of gentrification. In public discourse, it has ...
has accelerated since the early 1980s, and rents have risen rapidly.
In addition to its long-established Irish-American and Hispanic-American populations, Hell's Kitchen has a large
LGBTQ
LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, Gay men, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning (sexuality and gender), questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, Asexuality, asexual, ...
population and is home to many
LGBTQ bars and businesses. The neighborhood has long been a home to fledgling and working actors; it is the home of the
Actors Studio
The Actors Studio is a membership organization for professional actors, theatre directors and playwrights located on West 44th Street in Hell's Kitchen in New York City.
The studio is best known for its work refining and teaching method actin ...
training school and sits near
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences#-re, -er, American and British English spelling differences), many of the List of ...
s.
Hell's Kitchen is part of
Manhattan Community District 4.
It is patrolled by the 10th and Midtown North Precincts of the
New York City Police Department
The City of New York Police Department, also referred to as New York City Police Department (NYPD), is the primary law enforcement agency within New York City. Established on May 23, 1845, the NYPD is the largest, and one of the oldest, munic ...
. The area provides transport, medical, and warehouse-infrastructure support to the business district of Manhattan. It is known for its extensive selection of multiethnic, small, and relatively inexpensive restaurants, delicatessens,
bodegas, bars, and associated nightlife.
Boundaries
The name "Hell's Kitchen" generally refers to the area between
34th to the south and
59th Street to the north. Starting west of
Eighth Avenue and the north side of 43rd Street, city zoning regulations generally limit buildings to six stories. As a result, most of the buildings are older, and are often
walk-up apartment
An apartment (American English, Canadian English), flat (British English, Indian English, South African English), tenement (Scots English), or unit (Australian English) is a self-contained housing unit (a type of residential real estate) that ...
s. For the most part, the neighborhood encompasses the
ZIP Codes 10019 and 10036. The post office for 10019 is called Radio City Station, the original name for
Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commerce, commercial buildings covering between 48th Street (Manhattan), 48th Street and 51st Street (Manhattan), 51st Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. The 14 original Art De ...
on
Sixth Avenue
Sixth Avenue, also known as Avenue of the Americas, is a major thoroughfare in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The avenue is commercial for much of its length, and traffic runs northbound, or uptown.
Sixth Avenue begins four blocks b ...
.
[Benson, Michael R]
"Clinton frets over that gleam in developers' eyes"
, ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'', December 22, 1985. Accessed May 23, 2020. "Hell's Kitchen, which stretched from 40th to 59th Streets and from Eighth Avenue to the Hudson, is now called Clinton. The modern district reaches south to 34th Street."
The neighborhood overlaps
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and Neighborhoods in New York City, neighborhood in the Midtown Manhattan section of New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway (Manhattan), ...
and the
Theater District to the east at Eighth Avenue. On its southeast border, it overlaps the
Garment District also on Eighth Avenue. Two landmarks are located here – the
New Yorker Hotel at 481 Eighth Avenue, and the
Manhattan Center
The Manhattan Center is a building in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Built in 1906 and located at 311 West 34th Street, it houses Manhattan Center Studios, the location of two recording studios; its Grand Ballroom; and the Hammerstein Ballro ...
building at the northwest corner of 34th Street and Eighth Avenue. Included in the transition area on Eighth Avenue are the
Port Authority Bus Terminal
The Port Authority Bus Terminal (colloquially known as the Port Authority and by its acronym PABT) is a bus station, bus terminal located in Manhattan in New York City. It is the busiest bus terminal in the world by volume of traffic, serving ab ...
at
42nd Street, the Pride of Midtown fire station (from which an entire shift, 15 firefighters, died at the
World Trade Center), several theatres including
Studio 54
Studio 54 is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater and former nightclub at 254 West 54th Street (Manhattan), 54th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, New York, U.S. Opened as the Gallo Opera House in 1927, it served ...
, the original soup stand of ''
Seinfeld
''Seinfeld'' ( ) is an American television sitcom created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, with a total of nine seasons consisting of List of Seinfeld episodes, 180 episodes. It ...
''s "
The Soup Nazi", and the
Hearst Tower.
The northern edge of Hell's Kitchen borders the southern edge of the
Upper West Side
The Upper West Side (UWS) is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It is bounded by Central Park on the east, the Hudson River on the west, West 59th Street to the south, and West 110th Street to the north. The Upper We ...
, though the section west of
Ninth Avenue and south of
57th Street is also part of the
Columbus Circle
Columbus Circle is a traffic circle and heavily trafficked intersection in the New York City borough (New York City), borough of Manhattan, located at the intersection of Eighth Avenue (Manhattan), Eighth Avenue, Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway, ...
neighborhood. 57th Street was traditionally the boundary between the Upper West Side and Hell's Kitchen, but another interpretation puts the northern border at 59th Street, where the names of the north–south avenues change. Included between 57th and 59th Streets the
Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle;
Hudson Hotel;
Mount Sinai West, where
John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer-songwriter, musician and activist. He gained global fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. Lennon's ...
died in 1980 after being shot; and
John Jay College.
Beyond the southern boundary is
Chelsea. The
Hudson Yards neighborhood overlaps with Hell's Kitchen, and the areas are often lumped together as "West Midtown", given their proximity to the
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan, serving as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Building, the ...
business district. The traditional dividing line with Chelsea is 34th Street.
The area between the rail corridor at
Pennsylvania Station and the
West Side Yard and 42nd Street, and east of the
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, is also known as Hell's Kitchen South.
The western border of the neighborhood is the
Hudson River
The Hudson River, historically the North River, is a river that flows from north to south largely through eastern New York (state), New York state. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake (New York), Henderson Lake in the ...
at the
Hudson River Park and
West Side Highway.
Name

Several explanations exist for the origin of the neighborhood's current name. An early use of the phrase appears in a comment
Davy Crockett
Colonel (United States), Colonel David Crockett (August 17, 1786 – March 6, 1836) was an American politician, militia officer and frontiersman. Often referred to in popular culture as the "King of the Wild Frontier", he represented Tennesse ...
made about another notorious Irish slum in Manhattan,
Five Points. According to the Irish Cultural Society of the Garden City Area:
According to an article by Kirkley Greenwell, published online by the Hell's Kitchen Neighborhood Association:
Local historian Mary Clark explained the name thus:
The 1929 book ''Manna-Hatin: The Story of New York'' states that the
Panic of 1857 led to the formation of gangs "in the notorious '
Gas House District' at Twenty-First Street and the East River, or in 'Hell's Kitchen', in the West Thirties."
Hell's Kitchen is frequently used to name the neighborhood, although real estate developers designate the area as 'Clinton' and 'Midtown West'. The 'Clinton name', used by the municipality of New York City, originated in 1959 in an attempt to change the image of the neighborhood by linking the area to
DeWitt Clinton Park at 52nd and
Eleventh Avenue, named after the 19th century
New York governor, though ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' noted that those who live in the area "prefer Hell's Kitchen" as the name for the neighborhood.
History
Early history and development

On the island of Manhattan when Europeans first saw it, the Great
Kill formed from three small streams that united near present-day Tenth Avenue and 40th Street, and then wound through the low-lying Reed Valley, renowned for fish and waterfowl, emptying into the
Hudson River
The Hudson River, historically the North River, is a river that flows from north to south largely through eastern New York (state), New York state. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake (New York), Henderson Lake in the ...
at a deep bay on the river at the present
42nd Street. The name was retained in a tiny hamlet called Great Kill, which became a center for carriage-making. The upland to the south and east became known as Longacre, the predecessor of
Longacre Square, now
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and Neighborhoods in New York City, neighborhood in the Midtown Manhattan section of New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway (Manhattan), ...
.
One of the large farms of the colonial era in this neighborhood was that of Andreas Hopper and his descendants, extending from today's 48th Street nearly to 59th Street and from the river east to what is now
Sixth Avenue
Sixth Avenue, also known as Avenue of the Americas, is a major thoroughfare in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The avenue is commercial for much of its length, and traffic runs northbound, or uptown.
Sixth Avenue begins four blocks b ...
. One of the Hopper farmhouses, built in 1752 for John Hopper the younger, stood near
53rd Street and Eleventh Avenue. Christened "Rosevale" for its extensive gardens, it was the home of the War of 1812 veteran, Gen. Garrit Hopper Striker, and lasted until 1896, when it was demolished.
The site was purchased for the city and naturalistically landscaped by Samuel Parsons Jr. as
DeWitt Clinton Park. In 1911,
New York Hospital bought a full city block largely of the Hopper property, between 54th and 55th Streets, Eleventh and
Twelfth Avenues. Beyond the railroad track, projecting into the river at 54th Street, was Mott's Point, with an 18th-century Mott family house surrounded by gardens, that was inhabited by members of the family until 1884 and survived until 1895.

A lone surviving structure from the time this area was open farmland and suburban villas is a pre-1800s carriage house that once belonged to a villa owned by former Vice President and New York State governor
George Clinton, now in a narrow court behind 422 West 46th Street. From 1811 until it was officially de-mapped in 1857, the diminutive Bloomingdale Square was part of the city's intended future. It extended from 53rd to 57th Streets between Eighth and Ninth Avenues. It was eliminated after the establishment of Central Park, and the name shifted to the junction of Broadway,
West End Avenue, and 106th Street, now
Straus Park __NOTOC__
Straus Park is a small landscaped park on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, at the intersection of Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway, West End Avenue, and 106th Street (Manhattan), 106th Street.
The most notable feature is a bronze 1913 ...
.
In 1825, the City purchased for $10 clear title to a right-of-way through John Leake Norton's farm, "The Hermitage", to lay out
42nd Street clear to the river. Before long, cattle ferried from
Weehawken
Weehawken is a Township (New Jersey), township in the North Hudson, New Jersey, northern part of Hudson County, New Jersey, Hudson County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is located on the Hudson Waterfront and Hudson Palisades overlooking ...
were being driven along the unpaved route to slaughterhouses on the East Side. Seventy acres of the Leakes', later the Nortons' property, extending north from 42nd to 46th Street and from Broadway to the river, were purchased before 1807 by
John Jacob Astor
John Jacob Astor (born Johann Jakob Astor; July 17, 1763 – March 29, 1848) was a German-born American businessman, merchant, real estate mogul, and investor. Astor made his fortune mainly in a fur trade monopoly, by exporting History of opiu ...
and
William Cutting, who held it before dividing it into building lots as the district became more suburban.
The West Side later had its own slaughterhouses, which went out of business in the middle 20th century.
Unity with the city and deterioration

There were multiple changes that helped Hell's Kitchen integrate with New York City proper. The first was construction of the
Hudson River Railroad, whose initial leg – the to
Peekskill – was completed on September 29, 1849, By the end of 1849, it stretched to
Poughkeepsie and in 1851 it extended to
Albany. The track ran at a steep grade up Eleventh Avenue, as far as
60th Street.
The formerly rural riverfront was industrialized by businesses, such as tanneries, that used the river for shipping products and dumping waste.
The neighborhood that would later be known as Hell's Kitchen started forming in the southern part of the 22nd Ward in the mid-19th century. Irish immigrants – mostly refugees from the
Great Famine – found work on the docks and railroad along the
Hudson River
The Hudson River, historically the North River, is a river that flows from north to south largely through eastern New York (state), New York state. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake (New York), Henderson Lake in the ...
and established
shantytowns there.

After the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
, there was an influx of people who moved to New York City. The tenements that were built became overcrowded quickly. Many who lived in this congested, poverty-stricken area turned to gang life. Following
Prohibition
Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic b ...
, implemented in 1919, the district's many warehouses were ideal locations for bootleg distilleries for the
rumrunners who controlled illicit liquor. At the start of the 20th century, the neighborhood was controlled by gangs, including the violent
Gopher Gang led by One Lung Curran and later by
Owney Madden.
Early gangs, like the Hell's Kitchen Gang, transformed into organized crime entities, around the same time that Owney Madden became one of the most powerful mobsters in New York. It became known as the "most dangerous area on the American Continent".
By the 1930s, when the
McGraw-Hill Building was constructed in Hell's Kitchen, the surrounding area was still largely tenements. After the
repeal of Prohibition, many of the organized crime elements moved into other rackets, such as illegal gambling and union shakedowns. The postwar era was characterized by a flourishing waterfront, and longshoreman work was plentiful.
By the end of the 1970s, the implementation of
containerized shipping led to the decline of the
West Side piers and many longshoremen found themselves out of work. In addition, construction of the
Lincoln Tunnel in the 1930s, Lincoln Tunnel access roads, and the
Port Authority Bus Terminal
The Port Authority Bus Terminal (colloquially known as the Port Authority and by its acronym PABT) is a bus station, bus terminal located in Manhattan in New York City. It is the busiest bus terminal in the world by volume of traffic, serving ab ...
and ramps starting in 1950 destroyed much of Hell's Kitchen south of 41st Street.
In 1959, an aborted rumble between rival Irish and Puerto Rican gangs led to the notorious "
Capeman" murders in which two innocent teenagers, mistaken for rival gang members, were killed. By 1965, Hell's Kitchen was the home base of the
Westies, an
Irish mob aligned with the
Gambino crime family
The Gambino crime family (pronounced ) is an Italian American Mafia crime family and one of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the American Mafia. ...
. In the early 1980s widespread
gentrification
Gentrification is the process whereby the character of a neighborhood changes through the influx of more Wealth, affluent residents (the "gentry") and investment. There is no agreed-upon definition of gentrification. In public discourse, it has ...
began to alter the demographics of the longtime working-class
Irish American
Irish Americans () are Irish ethnics who live within in the United States, whether immigrants from Ireland or Americans with full or partial Irish ancestry.
Irish immigration to the United States
From the 17th century to the mid-19th c ...
neighborhood. The 1980s saw an end to the Westies' reign of terror, when the gang lost all of its power after the
RICO
The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act is a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization.
RICO was ...
convictions of most of its principals in 1986.
First wave of gentrification
Special Clinton zoning district

Although the neighborhood is immediately west of New York's main business district, large-scale redevelopment has been kept in check for more than 40 years by strict zoning rules in a Special Clinton District designed to protect the neighborhood's residents and its low-rise character.
In part to qualify for federal aid, New York developed a comprehensive ''Plan for New York City'' in 1969–70. While for almost all neighborhoods, the master plan contained few proposals, it was very explicit about the bright future of Hell's Kitchen. The plan called for 2,000 to 3,000 new hotel rooms, 25,000 apartments, of office space, a new super liner terminal, a subway along 48th Street, and a convention center to replace what the plan described as "blocks of antiquated and deteriorating structures of every sort." However, outrage at the massive residential displacement that this development project would have caused, and the failure of the City to complete any replacement housing, led to opposition to the first project – a new convention center to replace the
New York Coliseum.
To prevent the convention center from sparking a development boom that would beget the rest of the master plan with its consequent displacement, the Clinton Planning Council and Daniel Gutman, their environmental planner, proposed that the convention center and all major development be located south of 42nd Street, where public policy had already left tracts of vacant land.
Nevertheless, in 1973, the
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center was approved for a 44th Street site that would replace piers 84 and 86. But in exchange, and after the defeat of a bond issue that would have funded a 48th Street "people mover", the City first abandoned the rest of the 1969–70 master plan and then gave the neighborhood a special zoning district to restrict further redevelopment. Since then, limited new development has filled in the many empty lots and rejuvenated existing buildings. Later, in 1978, when the city could not afford the higher cost of constructing the 44th Street convention center over water, the Mayor and Governor chose the rail yard site originally proposed by the local community.
The SCD was originally split into four areas:
*Preservation Area: 43rd to 56th Streets between Eighth and Tenth Avenues. R-7 density, 6-story height limit on new buildings, suggested average apartment size of two bedrooms. This was a response to the fact that between 1960 and 1970 developers had torn down 2,300 family-sized units and replaced them with 1,500 smaller units.
*Perimeter Area: Eighth Avenue, 42nd and 57th Streets. Bulkier development permitted to counterbalance the downzoning in the preservation area.
*Mixed Use Area: Tenth and Eleventh Avenues between 43rd and 50th Streets. Mixed residential and manufacturing. New residential development only permitted in conjunction with manufacturing areas. Later combined into "Other Areas".
*Other Areas: West of Eleventh Avenue. Industrial and waterfront uses. Later combined with "Mixed Use Area"
Special permits are required for all demolition and construction in the SCD, including demolition of "any sound housing in the District" and any rehabilitation that increases the number of dwellings in a structure. In the original provisions, no building could be demolished unless it was unsound. New developments, conversions, or alterations that create new units or zero bedroom units must contain at least 20% two bedroom apartments with a minimum room size of .
Alterations that reduce the percentage of two-bedroom units are not permitted unless the resulting building meets the 20% two-bedroom requirement. Building height in the Preservation Area cannot exceed or seven stories, whichever is less.
Windermere

As the gentrification pace increased, there were numerous reports of problems between landlords and tenants. The most extreme example was the eight-story Windermere Apartments complex at the southwest corner of Ninth Avenue and 57th Street. Built in 1881, it is the second-oldest large apartment house in Manhattan.
In 1980, the owner, Alan B. Weissman, tried to empty the building of its tenants. According to former tenants and court papers, rooms were ransacked, doors were ripped out, prostitutes were moved in, and tenants received death threats in the campaign to empty the building. All the major New York newspapers covered the trials that sent the Windermere's managers to jail. Although Weissman was never linked to the harassment, he and his wife made top billing in the 1985 edition of ''
The Village Voice
''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture publication based in Greenwich Village, New York City, known for being the country's first Alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, ...
'' annual list, "The Dirty Dozen: New York's Worst Landlords."
Most of the tenants eventually settled and moved out of the building. In May 2006, seven tenants remained and court orders protecting the tenants and the building allowed it to remain in a derelict condition even as the surrounding neighborhood was experiencing a dramatic burst of demolition and redevelopment. In September 2007, the fire department evacuated the remaining seven residents from the building, citing dangerous conditions, and padlocked the front door. In 2008, the
New York Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the superior court in the Judiciary of New York. It is vested with unlimited civil and criminal jurisdiction, although in many counties outside New York City it acts primarily as a court of civil ju ...
ruled that the owners of the building, who include the
TOA Construction Corporation of Japan, must repair it.
Failed rezoning attempts

By the 1980s, the area south of 42nd Street was in decline. Both the state and the city hoped that the
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center would renew the area.
Hotels, restaurants, apartment buildings, and television studios were proposed.
[Lyons, Richard]
"Glittering Javits Center Kindles Dreams For West Side."
''The New York Times''. New York. April 6, 1986. Section B, page 7, column 1. One proposal included apartments and hotels on a pier jutting out onto Hudson River, which included a
marina
A marina (from Spanish , Portuguese and Italian : "related to the sea") is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.
A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo ...
,
ferry slip, stores, restaurants, and a
performing arts center
Performing arts center/centre (see spelling differences), often abbreviated as PAC, is usually a complex housing performance spaces for various performing arts, including dance, music, and theatre. In some cases it refers to a single multi-use s ...
. At Ninth Avenue and 33rd Street, a 32-story office tower would be built. Hotels, apartment buildings, and a
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as the Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh and Eighth Avenue (Manhattan), Eig ...
would be built over the tracks west of
Pennsylvania Station. North of the Javits Center, a "Television City" would be developed by
Larry Silverstein in conjunction with
NBC.
[
One impediment to development was the lack of mass transit in the area, which is far from Penn Station, and none of the proposals for a link to Penn Station was pursued successfully, for example, the ill-fated West Side Transitway. No changes to the zoning policy happened until 1990, when the city rezoned a small segment of 11th Avenue near the Javits Center. In 1993, part of 9th Avenue between 35th and 41st Streets was also rezoned. However, neither of these rezonings was particularly significant, as most of the area was still zoned as a manufacturing district with low-rise apartment buildings.
By the early 1990s, there was a recession, which scuttled plans for rezoning and severely reduced the amount of development in the area. After the recession was over, developers invested in areas like ]Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and Neighborhoods in New York City, neighborhood in the Midtown Manhattan section of New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway (Manhattan), ...
, eastern Hell's Kitchen, and Chelsea, but mostly skipped the Far West Side.
September 11, 2001
While most fire stations in Manhattan lost firefighters in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks
The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing the first two into ...
, the station with the greatest loss of firefighters was Engine Co. 54/Ladder Co. 4/Battalion 9 at 48th Street and Eighth Avenue, which lost 15 firefighters, an entire shift on duty. Given its proximity to Midtown, the station specializes in skyscraper fires and rescues. In 2007, it was the second-busiest firehouse in New York City, with 9,685 runs between the two companies.
Its patch reads "Pride of Midtown" and "Never Missed a Performance". Memorials dot the station's exterior walls and a granite memorial is in a park to its north. Ladder 21, the "Pride of Hell's Kitchen", located on 38th Street between Ninth and Tenth Avenues, and stationed with Engine Co. 34, lost seven firefighters on September 11. In addition, on September 11, Engine Co. 26 was temporarily stationed with Engine Co. 34/Ladder Co. 21 and lost many firefighters themselves.
Redevelopment and second wave of gentrification
Hell's Kitchen has become an increasingly upscale neighborhood of affluent young professionals as well as residents from the "old days", with rents in the neighborhood having increased dramatically above the average in Manhattan. It has also acquired a large and diverse community as residents have moved north from Chelsea. Zoning
In urban planning, zoning is a method in which a municipality or other tier of government divides land into land-use "zones", each of which has a set of regulations for new development that differs from other zones. Zones may be defined for ...
has long restricted the extension of Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan, serving as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Building, the ...
's skyscraper development into Hell's Kitchen, at least north of 42nd Street.
In 1989, the David Childs
David Magie Childs (April 1, 1941 – March 26, 2025) was an American architect and chairman of the architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. He was the architect of record for One World Trade Center in New York City, which became the Wes ...
- and Frank Williams-designed Worldwide Plaza established a beachhead when it was built at the former Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as the Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh and Eighth Avenue (Manhattan), Eig ...
site, a full city block between 49th and 50th Streets and between Eighth and Ninth Avenues that was exempt from special district zoning rules. This project led a real-estate building boom on Eighth Avenue, including the Hearst Tower at 56th Street and Eighth Avenue.
An indication of how fast real estate prices rose in the neighborhood was a 2004 transaction involving the Howard Johnson's
Howard Johnson by Wyndham, still commonly referred to as Howard Johnson's, is an American hotel brand with over 200 hotels in 15 countries. It was also formerly a Chain store, restaurant chain, which at one time was the largest in the U.S., wit ...
Motel at 52nd Street and Eighth Avenue. In June, Vikram Chatwal's Hampshire Hotel Group bought the motel and adjoining Studio Instrument Rental building for $9 million. In August, they sold the property to Elad Properties
The El-Ad Group is an Israel-based United States, American real estate development company. The group controls many subsidiaries including El-Ad Properties, which is based in New York City, El-Ad National, which is based in Boca Raton, and El-Ad C ...
for about $43 million. Elad, which formerly owned the Plaza Hotel, built The Link, a luxury 44-story building, at that location.
Silverstein Properties
Silverstein Properties Inc. is an American family-held, full-service real estate development, investment and management firm based in New York City. Founded in 1957 by Chairman Larry Silverstein, the company specializes in developing, acquiri ...
and Greenwood Gaming & Entertainment are bidding for a downstate New York casino license and hope to develop a resort and casino in the neighborhood if they secure a license. They have proposed The Avenir, which would be a resort with 1,000 hotel rooms, an eight story casino and a 1,000 seat performance venue. 100 affordable housing units would also be built.
Hudson Yards
In 2003, the New York City Department of City Planning
The Department of City Planning (DCP) is the department of the government of New York City responsible for setting the framework of city's physical and socioeconomic planning. The department is responsible for land use and environmental review, p ...
issued a master plan that envisioned the creation of of commercial and residential development, two corridors of open space. Dubbed the Hudson Yards Master Plan, the area covered is bordered on the east by Seventh and Eighth Avenues, on the south by West 28th and 30th Streets, on the north by West 43rd Street, and on the west by Hudson River Park and the Hudson River
The Hudson River, historically the North River, is a river that flows from north to south largely through eastern New York (state), New York state. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake (New York), Henderson Lake in the ...
. The City's plan was similar to a neighborhood plan produced by architect Meta Brunzema and environmental planner Daniel Gutman for the Hell's Kitchen Neighborhood Association (HKNA). The main concept of the HKNA plan was to allow major new development while protecting the existing residential core area between Ninth and Tenth avenues.
As plans developed, they included a mixed-use real estate development by Related Companies and Oxford Properties
Oxford Properties is a Canadian multinational corporation, with operations in real estate investment, development and property management. Its portfolio includes office, retail, industrial, multi-residential, life sciences and hotel assets. Establ ...
over the MTA's West Side Yard; a renovation of the Javits Convention Center; and the 7 Subway Extension to the 34th Street–Hudson Yards station at 34th Street 34th Street most commonly refers to 34th Street (Manhattan)
34th Street is a major crosstown street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It runs the width of Manhattan Island from the West Side Highway on the West Side to FDR Drive on t ...
and 11th Avenue, which opened on September 13, 2015. The first phase of the Related project, completed in March 2019, comprises The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards, a public space centered around the ''Vessel'' structure, the Shed arts center, and several skyscrapers. By the 2010s, the neighborhood had become home to young Wall Street
Wall Street is a street in the Financial District, Manhattan, Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It runs eight city blocks between Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway in the west and South Street (Manhattan), South Str ...
financiers.
Demographics
Based on data from the 2020 United States census, the population of Hell's Kitchen (Clinton) was 49,758, an increase of 3,874 (8.4%) from the 45,884 counted in 2010
The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
. Covering an area of 0.841 sq mi (2.18 km2), the neighborhood had a population density of 59,165/sq. mi (22,825/sq. km).[Demographics by Neighborhood Tabulation Area (NTA)](_blank)
, New York City Department for the Aging, November 2020. Accessed February 28, 2023. The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 52.8% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 5.5% African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 21.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, and 3.2% from other races.[
The entirety of Community District 4, which comprises Hell's Kitchen and Chelsea, had 122,119 inhabitants as of NYC Health's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 83.1 years.] This was higher than the 2016 median life expectancy of 81.2 for all New York City neighborhoods. In 2018, most inhabitants were adults: a plurality (45%) were between the ages of 25–44. 26% were aged between 45–64, and 13% were 65 or older. The ratio of youth and college-aged residents was lower, at 9% and 8% respectively.
In 2017, the median household income
Household income is a measure of income received by the household sector. It includes every form of cash income, e.g., salaries and wages, retirement income, investment income and cash transfers from the government. It may include near-cash gover ...
in Community Districts 4 and 5 was $101,981. In 2018, an estimated 11% of Hell's Kitchen and Chelsea residents lived in poverty, compared to 14% in all of Manhattan and 20% in all of New York City. One in twenty residents (5%) was unemployed, compared to 7% in Manhattan and 9% in New York City. Rent burden, or the percentage of residents who have difficulty paying their rent, is 41% in Hell's Kitchen and Chelsea, compared to the boroughwide and citywide rates of 45% and 51% respectively. Based on this calculation, , Hell's Kitchen and Chelsea are considered to be high-income relative to the rest of the city and not gentrifying.
Culture
Entertainment industry
Hell's Kitchen's gritty reputation had made its housing prices lower than elsewhere in Manhattan. Given the lower costs in the past and its proximity to Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences#-re, -er, American and British English spelling differences), many of the List of ...
s, the neighborhood is a haven for aspiring actors. Many famous actors and entertainers have resided there, including Burt Reynolds
Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. (February 11, 1936 – September 6, 2018) was an American actor most famous during the 1970s and 1980s. He became well known in television series such as ''Gunsmoke'' (1962–1965), '' Hawk'' (1966) and '' Dan Augus ...
, Rip Torn, Timothée Chalamet
Timothée Hal Chalamet ( ; born December 27, 1995) is an American and French actor. List of awards and nominations received by Timothée Chalamet, His accolades include a Screen Actors Guild Awards, Screen Actors Guild Award, in addition to ...
, Bob Hope
Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, entertainer and producer with a career that spanned nearly 80 years and achievements in vaudeville, network radio, television, and USO Tours. He appeared ...
, Charlton Heston
Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter; October 4, 1923 – April 5, 2008) was an American actor. He gained stardom for his leading man roles in numerous Cinema of the United States, Hollywood films including biblical epics, science-fiction f ...
, James Dean
James Byron Dean (February 8, 1931September 30, 1955) was an American actor. He became one of the most influential figures in Hollywood in the 1950s, despite a career that lasted only five years. His impact on cinema and popular culture was p ...
, Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...
, Jerry Seinfeld
Jerome Allen Seinfeld ( ; born April 29, 1954) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer. As a stand-up comedian, Seinfeld specializes in observational comedy. Seinfeld gained stardom playing a semi-fictionalized version ...
, Larry David
Lawrence Gene David (born July 2, 1947) is an American comedian, writer, actor, and television producer. He is known for his dry wit, portrayals of awkward social situations, and brutally honest takes on everyday life. He has received two Prim ...
, Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer and songwriter. A classically trained pianist, Keys began composing songs at the age of 12 and was signed by Columbia Records at 15. After d ...
, and Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Gardenzio "Sly" Stallone (; born July 6, 1946) is an American actor and filmmaker. In a Sylvester Stallone filmography, film career spanning more than fifty years, Stallone has received List of awards and nominations received by Syl ...
. This is due in large part to the Actors Studio
The Actors Studio is a membership organization for professional actors, theatre directors and playwrights located on West 44th Street in Hell's Kitchen in New York City.
The studio is best known for its work refining and teaching method actin ...
on West 44th at which Lee Strasberg
Lee Strasberg (born Israel Strassberg; November 17, 1901 – February 17, 1982) was an American acting coach and actor. He co-founded, with theatre directors Harold Clurman and Cheryl Crawford, the Group Theatre in 1931, which was hailed ...
taught and developed method acting
Method acting, known as the Method, is a range of rehearsal techniques, as formulated by a number of different theatre practitioners, that seeks to encourage sincere and expressive performances through identifying with, understanding, and expe ...
.
With the opening of the original Improv
Improv may refer to:
*Improvisation, an act of spontaneous invention
**Improvisational theatre (includes improvisational comedy)
**Musical improvisation
Musical improvisation (also known as musical extemporization) is the creative activity of im ...
by Budd Friedman in 1963, the club became a hangout for singers to perform and quickly attracted comedians as well, turning it into the reigning comedy club of its time. Once located at 358 West 44th Street and Ninth Avenue, it has since closed.
Manhattan Plaza at 43rd Street between Ninth and Tenth Avenues was built in the 1970s to house artists. It consists of two 46-story towers with 70% of the apartments set aside for rent discounts for those who work in the arts. The Actors' Temple and St. Malachy Roman Catholic Church with its Actors' Chapel also testify to the long-time presence of show business people.
The neighborhood is also home to a number of broadcast and music-recording studios, including the CBS Broadcast Center
The CBS Broadcast Center is a television and radio production facility located on the West Side of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is CBS's main East Coast of the United States, East Coast production hub, similar to Radford Studio Cen ...
at 524 West 57th Street, where the CBS television network records many of its news and sports programs such as ''60 Minutes
''60 Minutes'' is an American television news magazine broadcast on the CBS television network. Debuting in 1968, the program was created by Don Hewitt and Bill Leonard, who distinguished it from other news programs by using a unique style o ...
'' and '' The NFL Today''; the former Sony Music Studios at 460 West 54th Street, which closed in 2007; Manhattan Center Studios at 311 West 34th Street; and Right Track Recording's Studio A509 orchestral recording facility at West 38th Street and Tenth Avenue.
The syndicated '' Montel Williams Show'' was taped at the Unitel Studios, 433 West 53rd Street, between Ninth and Tenth Avenues. The Power Station
A power station, also referred to as a power plant and sometimes generating station or generating plant, is an industrial facility for the electricity generation, generation of electric power. Power stations are generally connected to an electr ...
recording studios are located near the intersection of 57th Street and Ninth Avenue in Hell's Kitchen. In 2016, singer and songwriter
A songwriter is a person who creates musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music genre and film scoring. ...
Sting recorded his album entitled '' 57th & 9th'' there. The progressive metal band Dream Theater recorded their fourth studio album Falling into Infinity at the studio. Their song "Hell's Kitchen" is named after this area.
The Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American Cable television in the United States, cable television channel, channel owned by Paramount Global through its Paramount Media Networks, network division's Paramount Media Networks#MTV Entertainment Group, MTV Ente ...
satirical news program ''The Daily Show
''The Daily Show'' is an American late-night talk show, late-night talk and news satire television program. It airs each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central in the United States, with extended episodes released shortly after on Paramount+ ...
'' was taped in Hell's Kitchen since its debut until late 2021 when it moved to Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and Neighborhoods in New York City, neighborhood in the Midtown Manhattan section of New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway (Manhattan), ...
. In 2005, it moved from its quarters at 54th Street and Tenth Avenue to a new studio in the neighborhood, at 733 Eleventh Avenue, between 51st and 52nd Streets. The 54th and 10th location was used for ''The Colbert Report
''The Colbert Report'' ( ) is an American late night television, late-night Late-night talk show, talk and news satire television program hosted by Stephen Colbert that aired four days a week on Comedy Central from October 17, 2005, to December ...
'' throughout its entire run from 2005 until 2014. Until its cancellation, the studio was used for '' The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore'', following Stephen Colbert
Stephen Tyrone Colbert ( ; born May 13, 1964) is an American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. He is best known for hosting the satirical Comedy Central program ''The Colbert Report'' from 2005 to ...
's departure from Comedy Central. The studio was later used for '' Tha God's Honest Truth'', produced by Colbert. Next door at 511 West 54th Street is Ars Nova
''Ars nova'' ()Fallows, David. (2001). "Ars nova". ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', second edition, edited by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell. London: Macmillan. refers to a musical style which flourished in the Kingdom of ...
theater, home to emerging artists Joe Iconis and breakout star Jesse Eisenberg, among others.
The headquarters of Troma
Troma Entertainment is an American independent film production and distribution company founded by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz in 1974. They are the longest running independent film studio in the world. The company produces low-budget inde ...
studios was located in Hell's Kitchen before their move to Long Island City in Queens
Queens is the largest by area of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is bordered by the ...
. The Baryshnikov Arts Center
The Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) is a foundation and arts complex opened by Mikhail Baryshnikov in 2005 at 450 West 37th Street between Ninth and Tenth Avenues in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. The top three fl ...
opened at 37 Arts on 37th Street in 2005, the Orchestra of St. Luke's opened the DiMenna Center for Classical Music in the same building in 2011. The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater opened at 55th Street and Ninth Avenue in 2006. The Metropolitan Community Church of New York, geared toward an LGBTQ membership, is located in Hell's Kitchen.
Food
Ninth Avenue is noted for its many ethnic restaurants. The Ninth Avenue Association's International Food Festival stretches through Hell's Kitchen from 42nd to 57th Streets every May, usually on the third weekend of the month. It has been going on since 1974 and is one of the oldest street fairs in the city. There are Caribbean
The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...
, Chinese, French, German, Greek
Greek may refer to:
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
, Italian, Irish, Mexican, and Thai restaurants as well as multiple Afghan, Argentine
Argentines, Argentinians or Argentineans are people from Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical, or cultural. For most Argentines, several (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their ...
, Ethiopian
Ethiopians are the native inhabitants of Ethiopia, as well as the global diaspora of Ethiopia. Ethiopians constitute several component ethnic groups, many of which are closely related to ethnic groups in neighboring Eritrea and other parts of ...
, Peruvian
Peruvians (''/peruanas'') are the citizens of Peru. What is now Peru has been inhabited for several millennia by cultures such as the Caral before the Spanish conquest in the 16th century. Peruvian population decreased from an estimated 5–9 ...
, Turkish, Indian, Pakistani
Pakistanis (, ) are the citizens and nationals of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Pakistan is the fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the second-largest Muslim population as of 2023. As much as ...
, and Vietnamese restaurants.
Restaurant Row, so-called because of the abundance of restaurants, is located on West 46th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues. There are more restaurants and food carts and trucks
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport freight, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame construction ...
on Tenth Avenue between 43rd and 47th Streets.
USS ''Intrepid'' Museum
The ''Intrepid'' Sea, Air & Space Museum is located at Hudson River Pier 86, 46th Street. Besides the aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and hangar facilities for supporting, arming, deploying and recovering carrier-based aircraft, shipborne aircraft. Typically it is the ...
, the museum exhibits the cruise missile submarine
A cruise missile submarine is a submarine that carries and launches cruise missiles (Submarine-launched cruise missile, SLCMs consisting of land-attack cruise missiles and anti-ship missiles) as its primary armament. Missiles greatly enhance a w ...
, a Concorde
Concorde () is a retired Anglo-French supersonic airliner jointly developed and manufactured by Sud Aviation and the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC).
Studies started in 1954, and France and the United Kingdom signed a treaty establishin ...
SST, a Lockheed A-12 supersonic reconnaissance plane, the Space Shuttle ''Enterprise'', a Soyuz
Soyuz is a transliteration of the Cyrillic text Союз (Russian language, Russian and Ukrainian language, Ukrainian, 'Union'). It can refer to any union, such as a trade union (''profsoyuz'') or the Soviet Union, Union of Soviet Socialist Republi ...
descent module, and other items.
Parks and recreation
Hell's Kitchen's side streets are mostly lined with trees. The neighborhood does not have many parks or recreational areas, though smaller plots have been converted into green spaces.
One such park is DeWitt Clinton Park on Eleventh Avenue between 52nd and 54th Streets. It is across the West Side Highway from Clinton Cove Park. Another is Hell's Kitchen Park, built in the 1970s on a former parking lot on 10th Avenue between 47th and 48th Streets.
A newer park in Hell's Kitchen is the Hudson Park and Boulevard, which is part of the Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project.
The Clinton Community Garden is located on West 48th Street between Ninth and Tenth Avenues, and consists of 108 plots. Previously a haven for illegal activity, in 1978 the West 48th Street Block Association joined with the Green Guerillas to secure a lease for the site to renovate it for community use. When the city put it up for auction in 1981, residents formed the Committee to Save Clinton Community Garden, through appeals to Mayor Ed Koch
Edward Irving Koch ( ; December 12, 1924February 1, 2013) was an American politician. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1977 and was mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989.
Koch was a lifelong Democrat who ...
and unsuccessful efforts to purchase the site.
In 1984, one month before the auction, the garden was transferred to the city's Parks Department, making it the first community garden to become parkland. It is open from dawn to dusk. Over 2,000 residents have keys to the park, which is used by an average of 500–600 people, including over 100 children, during the warm months. Recreational events include an annual Summer Solstice event, art shows, chamber music picnics, gardening seminars, and dance recitals. Residents have held weddings in the park, and photographers have used it for photo shoots.
Police and crime
Hell's Kitchen is patrolled by two precincts of the NYPD
The City of New York Police Department, also referred to as New York City Police Department (NYPD), is the primary law enforcement agency within New York City. Established on May 23, 1845, the NYPD is the largest, and one of the oldest, munic ...
. The area south of 42nd Street is patrolled by the 10th Precinct of the NYPD
The City of New York Police Department, also referred to as New York City Police Department (NYPD), is the primary law enforcement agency within New York City. Established on May 23, 1845, the NYPD is the largest, and one of the oldest, munic ...
, located at 230 West 20th Street in Chelsea. The area north of 42nd Street is patrolled by the 18th (Midtown North) Precinct, located at 306 West 54th Street. In 2010, the 10th Precinct ranked 61st safest out of 69 NYC patrol areas for per-capita crime, while the Midtown North and Midtown South precincts ranked 69th safest out of 69 patrol areas for per-capita crime. , with a non-fatal assault rate was 34 per 100,000 people, Hell's Kitchen and Chelsea's rate of violent crime
A violent crime, violent felony, crime of violence or crime of a violent nature is a crime in which an offender or perpetrator uses or threatens to use harmful Force (law), force upon a victim. This entails both crimes in which the violence, vio ...
s per capita was less than the city average. The incarceration rate of 313 per 100,000 people was lower than the city average.
The 10th Precinct has a lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 69.3% between 1990 and 2023. The precinct reported no murders, 9 rapes, 135 robberies, 159 felony assaults, 137 burglaries, 759 grand larcenies, and 77 grand larcenies auto in 2023. The 18th Precinct also has a lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 83.6% between 1990 and 2023. The precinct reported 3 murders, 9 rapes, 137 robberies, 184 felony assaults, 130 burglaries, 1,979 grand larcenies, and 83 grand larcenies auto in 2023.
Fire safety
Hell's Kitchen is served by four New York City Fire Department
The New York City Fire Department, officially the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) is the full-service fire department of New York City, serving all Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs. The FDNY is responsible for providing Fi ...
(FDNY) fire stations:
*Rescue 1 – 530 West 43rd Street
*Engine Company 26 – 222 West 37th Street
*Engine Company 34/Ladder Company 21 – 440 West 38th Street
*Engine Company 54/Ladder Company 4/Battalion 9 – 782 8th Avenue
Health
, preterm birth
Preterm birth, also known as premature birth, is the Childbirth, birth of a baby at fewer than 37 weeks Gestational age (obstetrics), gestational age, as opposed to full-term delivery at approximately 40 weeks. Extreme preterm is less than 28 ...
s in Hell's Kitchen and Chelsea are the same as the city average, though births to teenage mothers are less common. In Hell's Kitchen and Chelsea, there were 87 preterm births per 1,000 live births (compared to 87 per 1,000 citywide), and 9.9 births to teenage mothers per 1,000 live births (compared to 19.3 per 1,000 citywide). Hell's Kitchen and Chelsea have a low population of residents who are uninsured. In 2018, this population of uninsured residents was estimated to be 11%, slightly less than the citywide rate of 12%.
In 2018, the concentration of fine particulate matter, the deadliest type of air pollutant
Air pollution is the presence of substances in the air that are harmful to humans, other living beings or the environment. Pollutants can be gases like ozone or nitrogen oxides or small particles like soot and dust. It affects both outdoor ...
, in Hell's Kitchen and Chelsea is , was more than the city average. Eleven percent of Hell's Kitchen and Chelsea residents were smokers in 2018, less than the city average of 14% of residents being smokers. In Hell's Kitchen and Chelsea, 10% of residents were obese in 2018, 5% were diabetic
Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a group of common endocrine diseases characterized by sustained high blood sugar levels. Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough of the hormone insulin, or the cells of th ...
, and 18% had high blood pressure
Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms itself. It is, however, a major ri ...
—compared to the citywide averages of 24%, 11%, and 28% respectively. In 2018, 14% of children were obese, compared to the citywide average of 20%.
Ninety-one percent of residents eat some fruits and vegetables every day, which is higher than the city's average of 87%. In 2018, 86% of residents described their health as "good", "very good", or "excellent", more than the city's average of 78%. For every supermarket in Hell's Kitchen and Chelsea, there are 7 bodegas.
The nearest major hospitals are Mount Sinai West in Hell's Kitchen, Bellevue Hospital Center and NYU Langone Medical Center
NYU Langone Health is an integrated Health system, academic health system located in New York City, New York, United States. The health system consists of the New York University Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine and NY ...
in Kips Bay, and NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital
The NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital (abbreviated as NYP) is a nonprofit academic medical center in New York City. It is the primary teaching hospital for Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. The hospi ...
on the Upper East Side
The Upper East Side, sometimes abbreviated UES, is a neighborhood in the boroughs of New York City, borough of Manhattan in New York City. It is bounded approximately by 96th Street (Manhattan), 96th Street to the north, the East River to the e ...
.
Post offices and ZIP Codes
Hell's Kitchen is located within three primary ZIP Codes. From north to south they are 10018 between 34th and 41st Streets, 10036 between 41st and 48th Streets, and 10019 between 48th and 59th Streets. The United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...
operates three post offices in Hell's Kitchen:
*Radio City Station – 322 West 52nd Street
*RCU Annex Station – 340 West 42nd Street
*Midtown Station – 223 West 38th Street
The James A. Farley Station, the main post office for New York City, is located at 421 8th Avenue.
Education
In 2018, Hell's Kitchen and Chelsea generally had a higher rate of college-educated residents than the rest of the city. In 2018, a majority of residents age 25 and older (78%) had a college education or higher, while 6% had less than a high school education. 17% were high school graduates or have some college education. By contrast, in 2018, 64% of Manhattan residents and 43% of city residents had a college education or higher. The percentage of Hell's Kitchen and Chelsea students excelling in math rose from 61% in 2000 to 80% in 2011, and reading achievement increased from 66% to 68% during the same time period.
In 2016, Hell's Kitchen and Chelsea's rate of elementary school student absenteeism was lower than the rest of New York City. In Hell's Kitchen and Chelsea, 16% of elementary school students missed twenty or more days per school year
An academic year, or school year, is a period that schools, colleges and universities use to measure the duration of studies for a given educational level. Academic years are often divided into academic terms. Students attend classes and do rel ...
, less than the citywide average of 20%. In 2018, 81% of high school students in Hell's Kitchen and Chelsea graduated on time, more than the citywide average of 75%.
Schools
The New York City Department of Education operates the following public elementary schools in Hell's Kitchen as part of Community School District 2:
*P.S. 35 (grades K, 2-12)
*P.S. 51 Elias Howe (grades PK-5)
*P.S. 111 Adolph S Ochs (grades PK-5, 7-8)
The following high schools are located in Hell's Kitchen, serving grades 9-12 unless otherwise indicated:
*Business of Sports School
*Facing History School
*Food and Finance High School
* High School for Environmental Studies
*High School of Hospitality Management
*Independence High School
*Manhattan Bridges High School
* Professional Performing Arts School (grades 6-12)
*Urban Assembly Gateway School For Technology
*Urban Assembly School of Design and Construction
* The Beacon School
The Success Academy Charter Schools group opened an elementary school, Success Academy Hell's Kitchen, in the High School of Graphic Communication Arts building in 2013.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York operates Catholic schools in Manhattan. The Holy Cross School served the Hells Kitchen/Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and Neighborhoods in New York City, neighborhood in the Midtown Manhattan section of New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway (Manhattan), ...
area. In 2011, it had about 300 students. Some students originated from areas outside of New York City and outside New York State. In 2013 the archdiocese announced that the school was to close. The school had the possibility of remaining open if $720,000 in pledges to the school were obtained, and the school community almost got to the number. However, the school was closed anyway.
Library
The New York Public Library
The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second-largest public library in the United States behind the Library of Congress a ...
(NYPL) operates the Columbus branch at 742 10th Avenue. The Columbus branch was founded in 1901 as the Columbus Catholic Club's collection, and it became an NYPL branch in 1905. The current Carnegie library building opened in 1909 and was renovated in 2004–2005.
Transportation
Public transport
Hell's Kitchen is bounded on the east by the New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system in New York City serving the New York City boroughs, boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. It is owned by the government of New York City and leased to the New York City Tr ...
's IND Eighth Avenue Line (). The MTA built the 7 Subway Extension () for the aforementioned Hudson Yards development. The extension to 34th Street–Hudson Yards opened on September 13, 2015, making the IRT Flushing Line the westernmost New York City Subway line within Midtown.
Several New York City Bus routes, namely the , as well as express bus routes, service the area.
Ferry operations in the neighborhood include Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises at West 42nd Street. NY Waterway service is available at the West Midtown Ferry Terminal at 38th Street. Service on the St. George route of the NYC Ferry
NYC Ferry is a public network of ferry routes in New York City operated by Hornblower Cruises. , there are six routes, as well as one seasonal route, connecting 25 ferry piers across all five boroughs. NYC Ferry has the largest passenger fleet ...
system will also begin serving 38th Street in 2020.
Private transport
The Lincoln Tunnel connects New York City to New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
. The tunnel consists of three vehicular tubes of varying lengths, with two traffic lanes in each tube. The center tube contains reversible lane
A reversible lane, also known as variable lane, dynamic lane, and tidal flow, is a managed lane in which traffic may travel in either direction, depending on certain conditions. Typically, it is meant to improve traffic flow during rush hours, b ...
s.
Parking lots dot the neighborhood, but are dwindling in quantity as developments are being built. Eleventh Avenue is lined with car dealerships, many of which claim to have the highest volume among all dealerships for their brands in the country.
Many of the horse-drawn carriages from Central Park
Central Park is an urban park between the Upper West Side and Upper East Side neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City, and the first landscaped park in the United States. It is the List of parks in New York City, sixth-largest park in the ...
stay in stables just off the West Side Highway. It is not uncommon to hear the sound of horses in the neighborhood. There have been calls for banning horse-drawn carriages, especially from Mayor of New York City
The mayor of New York City, officially mayor of the City of New York, is head of the executive branch of the government of New York City and the chief executive of New York City. The Mayoralty in the United States, mayor's office administers all ...
Bill de Blasio
Bill de Blasio (; born Warren Wilhelm Jr., May 8, 1961; later Warren de Blasio-Wilhelm) is an American politician who was the List of mayors of New York City, 109th mayor of New York City, mayor of New York City from 2014 to 2021. A member of t ...
following a handful of collisions between cars and carriages. The carriage horses live in stables originally built in the 19th century, but today contain modern design features such as fans, misting systems, box stalls, and sprinkler systems. The carriage horses live upstairs in their stables while the carriages are parked below on the ground floor.
Intercity and long-distance transport
The massive Port Authority Bus Terminal
The Port Authority Bus Terminal (colloquially known as the Port Authority and by its acronym PABT) is a bus station, bus terminal located in Manhattan in New York City. It is the busiest bus terminal in the world by volume of traffic, serving ab ...
is between 40th and 42nd Streets and Eighth and Ninth Avenues. It serves numerous commuter and intercity routes, as well as airport shuttles and tour buses.
Cruise ship
Cruise ships are large passenger ships used mainly for vacationing. Unlike ocean liners, which are used for transport, cruise ships typically embark on round-trip voyages to various ports of call, where passengers may go on Tourism, tours k ...
s frequently dock at the New York Passenger Ship Terminal in the 48th to 52nd Street piers, respectively numbered Piers 88, 90, and 92. The piers originally built in 1930 are now considered small, and some cruise traffic uses other locations.
Located just southeast of Hell's Kitchen is Penn Station. It is the busiest railroad station in North America, with 600,000 Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road , or LIRR, is a Rail transport, railroad in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, stretching from Manhattan to the eastern tip of Suffolk County, New York, Suffolk County on Long Islan ...
, NJ Transit Rail, and Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
passengers using the station on an average weekday . One railroad line to Penn Station runs through the neighborhood, the Empire Connection, which is located in the sunken West Side Line west of Tenth Avenue. Parts of the trench have been covered over.
In popular culture
Comics
*''The Kitchen'', an eight-issue Vertigo Comics
DC Vertigo, also known as Vertigo Comics or simply Vertigo, is an Imprint (trade name), imprint of the American comic book publisher DC Comics. Vertigo publishes comics with adult comics, adult content, such as nudity, drug use, profanity, and ...
miniseries, is a female-driven crime drama set in Hell's Kitchen.
*The Marvel
Marvel may refer to:
Business
* Marvel Entertainment, an American entertainment company
** Marvel Comics, the primary imprint of Marvel Entertainment
** Marvel Universe, a fictional shared universe
** Marvel Music, an imprint of Marvel Comics ...
superhero Matt Murdock / Daredevil was born and raised in Hell's Kitchen; further, most of the comic's run takes place in the area.
Books
*The character Gail Wynand in Ayn Rand
Alice O'Connor (born Alisa Zinovyevna Rosenbaum; , 1905March 6, 1982), better known by her pen name Ayn Rand (), was a Russian-born American writer and philosopher. She is known for her fiction and for developing a philosophical system which s ...
's 1943 novel ''The Fountainhead
''The Fountainhead'' is a 1943 novel by Russian-American author Ayn Rand, her first major literary success. The novel's protagonist, Howard Roark, is an intransigent young architect who battles against conventional standards and refuses to com ...
'' grew up in Hell's Kitchen. Several chapters in the book are extensive flashbacks to his childhood and youth there. At the end of the book, he buys up several blocks of Hell's Kitchen, in which to build the world's tallest skyscraper.
*Apollo, the protagonist from Rick Riordan
Richard Russell Riordan Jr. ( ; born June 5, 1964) is an American author, best known for writing the ''Percy Jackson & the Olympians'' series. Riordan's books have been translated into forty-two languages and sold more than thirty million cop ...
's 2016 novel '' The Hidden Oracle'', crashes in a Hell's Kitchen dumpster after being turned mortal, and meets and is saved from muggers by his companion Meg McCaffrey there.
*The titular character in Taylor Jenkins Reid
Taylor Jenkins Reid (born December 20, 1983) is an American author best known for her novels '' The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo'', '' Daisy Jones & the Six'', ''One True Loves'', '' Malibu Rising'', ''Carrie Soto Is Back'', and ''Atmosphere''.
...
's 2017 novel '' The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo'' was born in Hell's Kitchen.
*''City of Girls'' (2019) by Elizabeth Gilbert is set in Hell's Kitchen in the 1940s.
*Patrick Bateman in Bret Easton Ellis' ''American Psycho
''American Psycho'' is a black comedy horror novel by American writer Bret Easton Ellis, published in 1991. The story is told in the First-person narrative, first-person by Patrick Bateman, a wealthy, narcissistic, and vain Manhattan investmen ...
'' (1991) regularly disposed of his victims in Hell's Kitchen, as well as picking up several prostitutes, such as the returning character Christie.
Television
*'' Route 66'' (1960–63), TV show – Buz Murdock, one of the lead characters, grew up in Hell's Kitchen.
*'' Daredevil'' and '' Daredevil: Born Again'', adaptations of the comic series and character of the same name, are set in Hell's Kitchen. Matt Murdock's alter ego as a secretive and intimidating vigilante is first known to the public and various crime organizations as "The Man in Black" and later "The Devil of Hell's Kitchen" before his official branding as "Daredevil".
*''Criminal Minds
''Criminal Minds'' is an American police procedural crime drama television series created by Jeff Davis that premiered on CBS on September 22, 2005. It follows a group of criminal profilers who work for the FBI as members of its Behavioral ...
'', In season one, episode 17, a victim of the latest Unsub was found dead in his art studio in Hell's Kitchen.
Film
*'' The Devil's Party'' (1938), a film by Ray McCarey
Raymond Benedict McCarey (September 6, 1904 – December 1, 1948) was an American film director, brother of director Leo McCarey.
Biography
McCarey began working at Hal Roach Studios, where he did work on short films with Our Gang and Laure ...
based on the novel ''Hell's Kitchen Has a Pantry'' by Borden Chase, is set in Hell's Kitchen.
*'' Fail Safe'' (1964), film by Sidney Lumet
Sidney Arthur Lumet ( ; June 25, 1924 – April 9, 2011) was an American film director. Lumet started his career in theatre before moving to film, where he gained a reputation for making realistic and gritty New York City, New York dramas w ...
.
*''Taxi Driver
''Taxi Driver'' is a 1976 American neo-noir psychological drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Paul Schrader. Set in a morally decaying New York City following the Vietnam War, it stars Robert De Niro as veteran Marine and ...
'' (1976), film by Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November17, 1942) is an American filmmaker. One of the major figures of the New Hollywood era, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Martin Scorsese, many accolades, including an Academ ...
, filmed and set largely in Hell's Kitchen.
*'' State of Grace'' (1990), film by Phil Joanou
Phil Joanou (born November 20, 1961) is an American director of film, music videos, and television programs. He is known for his collaborations with the rock band U2, for whom he directed music videos and their 1988 documentary film ''Rattle a ...
set in Hell's Kitchen
*'' Sleepers'' (1996), film by Barry Levinson
Barry Lee Levinson (born April 6, 1942) is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Levinson won the Academy Award for Best Director for '' Rain Man'' (1988). His other best-known works are ''Diner'' (1982), '' The Natural'' (1984 ...
based on Lorenzo Carcaterra's 1995 novel of the same name.
*'' In America'' (2002), film by Jim Sheridan
Jim Sheridan (born 6 February 1949) is an Irish people, Irish playwright and filmmaker. Between 1989 and 1993, Sheridan directed three critically acclaimed films set in Ireland, ''My Left Foot'' (1989), ''The Field (1990 film), The Field'' (19 ...
, set in 1985. The family settles in Hell's Kitchen.
*''Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting in many Western Christian denominations. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and marks the first day of Lent: the seven weeks of Christian prayer, prayer, Religious fasting#Christianity, fasting and ...
'' (2002), by Edward Burns, set in the Hell's Kitchen of the early 1980s
*'' The Kitchen'' (2019), by Andrea Berloff, set in the Hell's Kitchen of the late 1970s.
Video games
*'' Deus Ex'' (2000) features a level set in Hell's Kitchen.
Music
*The album '' Falling into Infinity'' by Dream Theater contains an instrumental named "Hell's Kitchen".
Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Hell's Kitchen include:
* Michael Alig (1966–2020), founder of the Club Kids, lived at Riverbank West, at 11th Avenue, which he described as "the place where I lived as part of my salary at Limelight
Limelight (also known as Drummond light or calcium light)James R. Smith (2004). ''San Francisco's Lost Landmarks'', Quill Driver Books. is a non-electric type of stage lighting that was once used in theatres and music halls. An intense illum ...
"; it was the address where he and his roommate, Robert "Freeze" Riggs, killed Andre "Angel" Melendez
* Carmelo Anthony (born 1984), basketball player
* Benjamin Appel (1907–1977), crime novelist
* Lewis Black
Lewis Niles Black (born August 30, 1948) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. His comedy routines often escalate into angry rants about history, politics, religion and cultural trends.
He hosted the Comedy Central series ''Lewis Black's ...
(born 1948), comedian
* Anthony Bourdain
Anthony Michael Bourdain ( ; June 25, 1956 – June 8, 2018) was an American celebrity chef, author and Travel documentary, travel documentarian. He starred in programs focusing on the exploration of international culture, cuisine, and the huma ...
(1956–2018), chef and author
* James J. Braddock (" Cinderella Man"), boxer, lived on West 48th Street
* James Cagney
James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor and dancer. On stage and in film, he was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He won acclaim and maj ...
(1899–1986), actor
* George Cain (1943–2010), author of ''Blueschild Baby''
* Yvette Calderon, Professor of Emergency Medicine
* Lorenzo Carcaterra (born 1954), author, born and raised in Hell's Kitchen, which is featured in his autobiographical story "A Safe Place" as well as the novel and later film '' Sleepers''
* Vanessa Carlton (born 1980), singer-songwriter
* Paul Cavonis (born 1937), actor
* Timothée Chalamet
Timothée Hal Chalamet ( ; born December 27, 1995) is an American and French actor. List of awards and nominations received by Timothée Chalamet, His accolades include a Screen Actors Guild Awards, Screen Actors Guild Award, in addition to ...
(born 1995), actor, born and raised in Hell's Kitchen
* Richard Christy (born 1974), comedian, radio personality, and musician
* James Coonan (born 1946), mobster
* Marlon Craft
Marlon Craft is an American rapper and songwriter from Manhattan, New York. He released his debut studio album, ''Funhouse Mirror'', in June 2019. He had also previously released numerous EPs and mixtapes.
Early life and education
Marlon Craft ...
(born 1993), rapper
* Larry David
Lawrence Gene David (born July 2, 1947) is an American comedian, writer, actor, and television producer. He is known for his dry wit, portrayals of awkward social situations, and brutally honest takes on everyday life. He has received two Prim ...
(born 1947), actor, producer of ''Seinfeld
''Seinfeld'' ( ) is an American television sitcom created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, with a total of nine seasons consisting of List of Seinfeld episodes, 180 episodes. It ...
'' and ''Curb Your Enthusiasm
''Curb Your Enthusiasm'', also known colloquially simply as ''Curb'', is an American television comedy of manners created by Larry David that premiered on HBO with an hour-long special in October 17, 1999, followed by 12 seasons broadcast from Oc ...
''[McShane, Larry]
"The real Kramer says actor no racist: But Richards is 'paranoid,' 'very wound-up'"
''Chicago Sun-Times
The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily nonprofit newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has long held the second largest circulation among Chicago newspaper ...
'', November 26, 2006. Accessed August 11, 2009. "The real Kramer lived for 10 years in a Hell's Kitchen apartment across the hall from ''Seinfeld'' co-creator Larry David, and his life became the framework for Richards' quirky, bumbling Seinfeld sidekick."
* Marcelo Gomes (born 1979), Brazilian ballet dancer
* Tom Gorman (1919–1986), Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
umpire
* Charlton Heston
Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter; October 4, 1923 – April 5, 2008) was an American actor. He gained stardom for his leading man roles in numerous Cinema of the United States, Hollywood films including biblical epics, science-fiction f ...
, (1923-2008), Academy Award Winning Actor
* Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer and songwriter. A classically trained pianist, Keys began composing songs at the age of 12 and was signed by Columbia Records at 15. After d ...
(born 1981), singer and pianist
* Mako Komuro and Kei, former Japanese Imperial family and her husband
* Kenny Kramer (born 1943), comedian, lived in a Hell's Kitchen apartment across the hall from Larry David
Lawrence Gene David (born July 2, 1947) is an American comedian, writer, actor, and television producer. He is known for his dry wit, portrayals of awkward social situations, and brutally honest takes on everyday life. He has received two Prim ...
and became the inspiration for the Cosmo Kramer
Cosmo Kramer, usually referred to simply by his surname, is a fictional character in the American television sitcom ''Seinfeld'' (1989–1998) played by Michael Richards.
The character is loosely based on comedian Kenny Kramer, Larry David' ...
character on ''Seinfeld
''Seinfeld'' ( ) is an American television sitcom created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, with a total of nine seasons consisting of List of Seinfeld episodes, 180 episodes. It ...
''.[
* Stanley Kramer (1913–2001), film director and producer
* ]Hasan Minhaj
Hasan Minhaj ( ; born September 23, 1985) is an American comedian, writer, producer, actor, and television host. Much of his comedy involves Culture of India, Indian culture and the modern American political landscape through the use of satire, ...
(born 1985) comedian, writer, and political commentator
* Robert Mitchum (1917–1997), actor
* Daniel Patrick Moynihan
Daniel Patrick Moynihan (; March 16, 1927 – March 26, 2003) was an American politician, diplomat and social scientist. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he represented New York (state), New York in the ...
(1927–2003), politician, sociologist, and diplomat
* Brian Mullen (born 1962), NHL hockey player[Allen, Kevin]
"Mullen brothers come long way from Hell's Kitchen"
''USA Today
''USA Today'' (often stylized in all caps) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth in 1980 and launched on September 14, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headq ...
'', February 7, 1989. Accessed August 11, 2009.
* Joe Mullen (born 1957), NHL hockey player
* Joakim Noah (born 1985), NBA basketball player
* Trevor Noah (born 1984), comedian & actor
* Paul O'Neill (1956–2017), producer and founder of Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) is an American rock band founded in 1996 by producer, composer, and lyricist Paul O'Neill (producer), Paul O'Neill, who brought together Jon Oliva and Al Pitrelli (both members of Savatage) and keyboardist and co-pr ...
* Jerry Orbach (1935–2004), actor. Kept an apartment on Eighth Avenue between 53rd and 54th Streets
* Tony Orlando
Michael Anthony Orlando Cassavitis (born April 3, 1944), known professionally as Tony Orlando, is an American Pop music, pop/Rock music, rock singer, songwriter, and music executive whose career spans nearly seven decades. He is best known for h ...
(born 1944), singer
* Ilka Tanya Payán (1943–1996), actress and AIDS activist
* Josh Peck
Joshua Michael Peck (born November 10, 1986) is an American actor, comedian, and YouTuber. Peck began his career as a child actor, appearing in the film Snow Day (2000 film), ''Snow Day'' (2000) and the Nickelodeon sketch comedy series ''The Ama ...
(born 1986), actor, was born and raised in Hell's Kitchen
* Mario Puzo
Mario Francis Puzo (; ; October 15, 1920 – July 2, 1999) was an American author and screenwriter. He wrote crime novels about the Italian-American Mafia and Sicilian Mafia, most notably ''The Godfather (novel), The Godfather'' (1969), which h ...
(1920–1999), author of ''The Godfather
''The Godfather'' is a 1972 American Epic film, epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who co-wrote the screenplay with Mario Puzo, based on Puzo's best-selling The Godfather (novel), 1969 novel. The film stars an ensemble cast inc ...
''
* George Raft
George Raft (né Ranft; September 26, 1901 – November 24, 1980) was an American film actor and dancer identified with portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s. A stylish leading man in dozens of movies, Raft is remembe ...
(1901–1980), actor
* John Reed (born 1969), author
* Mickey Rourke (born 1953), actor
* Richie Scheinblum (1942–2021), Major League Baseball player
* Max Schneider
Maxwell George Schneider (born June 21, 1992), also known by his mononym Max (stylized in all caps), is an American singer and actor. He is best known for his 2016 single " Lights Down Low" (featuring gnash), which peaked within the top 20 of ...
(born 1992), singer-songwriter and actor
* Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey Fowler (born July 26, 1959) is an American actor. Known for Kevin Spacey on screen and stage, his work on stage and screen, he List of awards and nominations received by Kevin Spacey, has received numerous accolades, including two ...
(born 1959), actor
* Vincent Speranza (1925–2023), WW2 veteran and hero of the siege of Bastogne, born and raised in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood
* Mickey Spillane (1933–1977), mobster
* Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Gardenzio "Sly" Stallone (; born July 6, 1946) is an American actor and filmmaker. In a Sylvester Stallone filmography, film career spanning more than fifty years, Stallone has received List of awards and nominations received by Syl ...
(born 1946), actor who was born and raised in the area
* Lisa Velez (born 1966), singer of Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
* Bruce Willis
Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955) is a retired American actor. He achieved fame with a leading role on the comedy-drama series ''Moonlighting (TV series), Moonlighting'' (1985–1989) and has appeared in over one hundred films, gaining ...
(born 1955), actor, lived at West 49th Street and Tenth Avenue as a struggling actor
* Andrew Yang (born 1975), businessman, attorney, lobbyist, 2020 Democratic Party presidential and 2021 New York City Democratic mayoral candidate
Notes
References
External links
Hell's Kitchen Neighborhood Association
Hell's Kitchen South Coalition
by John Strausbaugh, ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'', August 17, 2007
Hell's Kitchen Neighborhood Business and Services Directory
{{Authority control
Ethnic enclaves in New York (state)
Gay villages in New York (state)
Irish-American culture in New York City
Irish-American neighborhoods
Neighborhoods in Manhattan