In the late 19th century a new era in engineering and architecture commenced. The Otis Safety Brake emerged and this is an invention that kept the elevator from falling if the hoisting rope broke. “A model of engineering simplicity, the safety device consisted of a used wagon spring that was attached to both the top of the hoist platform and the overhead lifting cable,” wrote Joseph J. Fucini and Suzy Fucini in Entrepreneurs: The Men and Women Behind Famous Brand Names and How They Made It. Because of this invention greater projects began and taller structures came to be placed. 

As taller projects began this signified the emergence of lower Manhattan. Buildings such as the Woolworth Building began to define the streets of lower Manhattan. Since lower Manhattan just boomed it a place where you can see major landmarks such as Federal Hall, U.S Customs House and Stock Exchange. This became the epicenter for the progression of finances nationally and globally. As someone who’s walked the streets of the financial district, I’ve come to the realization that streets may seem to look thinner than they actually are due to the fact that the tall buildings create the feeling of really making the person feel small and creating a streets-cape where streets feel squished yet compact in order to function. All of these high rises also cover the sun from the streets creating a cooler environment and also enhancing humidity during the hot months. Another interesting observation is that the streets are parallel to the the Brooklyn Bridge creating a face front to the Brooklyn borough.