Owen Petersen

NYC ARCH.

The city of Angles article by Sam Roberts, gave and insight to how Manhattan as we know it came to be. The start was with the commissioners plan of 1811. A rectangular grid was decided upon by placing a wire mesh for gravel screening over a map of Manhattan. Few parks were placed while a market and reservoir were implemented. Majority of the streets started at one river and ended at the other rather lower city to upper city. This was fine due to little activity being available north of 14st at that time, and the presumption both river sides would generate a great amount of traffic. The Avenues where placed on the spine of Manhattan. Figured out by a mathematician named  Charles Petzold. Calculating that the island was tilted 29 degrees from true north. To avoid traffic going to the rivers and instead go along the length of the island.