Civic Center, located in Lower Manhattan, has long been the administrative center of New York City. Its history goes back to the late 18th century, when it was originally part of the city’s early grid development and the site of New York’s first City Hall in 1812. The area evolved throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, with key landmarks like the New York County Supreme Court building and the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building established as centers of justice and governance. Today, Civic Center is a symbol of municipal authority and a hub for both government operations and public demonstrations. Additionally, although the neighborhood mostly includes government buildings and public spaces, there are some Civic Center apartments for rent. Local residents will love to learn more about these sought-after units. This article reviews historic and important government buildings in Civic Center and cover some Civic Center apts.
Important Civic Center buildings
There are a number of important buildings surrounding Civic Center apartments for rent. From municipal buildings, courts, to a local high school, most New Yorkers have probably stopped by to do a number of things. Residents can get married, acquire tax assistance at the Internal Revenue Service Center, and have their naturalization interview to get their US Citizenship.
New York State Supreme Court
Formally known as the New York County Courthouse, the New York State Supreme Court building was designed by the Boston architect Guy Lowell and built between 1913 and 1927 (with delays in the construction due to World War I). This court building was built to replace the Tweed Courthouse. Today it houses the Civil and Appellate Terms of the New York State Supreme Court for the state’s First Judicial District (aka Manhattan). The building also includes the New York County Clerk’s offices. Most people will recognize this building from popular shows such as Law and Order and Suits. Not to mention, classic movies such as the Godfather, Goodfellas, and 12 Angry Men.
David N. Dinkins Municipal Building
With about 1 million square feet of office space, the municipal building in Civic Center is one of the largest government buildings in the world. Contractors worked on the building from 1909 to 1914. It was designated as a New York City landmark in 1966. Some of the New York City public offices in this building include the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services, the Department of Finance, the Public service Commission, the Manhattan Borough President, the Public Advocate, and Comptroller. Because the building is located right on top of the Chambers Street subway station, many local residents who in the Civic apartments or neighborhoods nearby will commute by this building daily.
Tweed Courthouse
This building is the second-oldest city government building in the borough, after City Hall. It was built between 1861 and 1881 (with a pause in construction due to corruption and the death of the building’s original architect between 1872 and 1877). Although its courthouse functions were replaced by the new New York State Supreme Court building, the building is still being utilized. Today the building is the headquarters for the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE).
The Murry Bergtraum High School for Business Careers
Speaking of education, the Murry Bergtraum High School for Business Careers, is currently the only public high school located in Civic Center. The school was first established in 1975 and is one of the first business-themed high schools in the United States. The school has a well-known girls basketball team and has alumni such as Shannon Bobbitt, a WNBA Los Angeles Sparks player, and Epiphanny Prince, a WNBA Chicago Sky player. Some of the Civic Center apartments for rent are home to the high schoolers attending school at this high school.
Jacob K. Javits Federal Building
This federal building is home to agencies including the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Social Security Administration. Along with these agencies, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ New York field office is located in this building. Many local residents of Civic Center apts or Manhattan neighborhoods visit this building for naturalization interviews for US citizenship.
One Police Plaza
Home to the New York City Police Department (NYPD), One Police Plaza (1PP) is located right by the Brooklyn Bridge. Construction wrapped in 1973, and there was a 2011 expansion to the ire of local residents in Financial District and Civic Center apts nearby. The building hosts the city’s Real Time Crime Center (RTCC). It’s an anti-crime computer network comprising a large search engine and data warehouse. It is one of the first utilized RTCC spots in the country.
Civic Center apartments for rent
Given the number of administrative and legal buildings in the neighborhood, Civic Center is a highly convenient and safe neighborhood. If you are interested in living in Civic Center, there are many great Civic Center apartments for rent options.
Chatham Green
Some of the most popular rental options come from the coop, Chatham Green. Chatham Green is a huge complex that comprises three separate buildings located at 165, 185, and 215 Park Row. The complex has laundry in the buildings, live in supers, and both garage and outdoor parking options.
Residents of these buildings will also have access to local grocery stores such as the SuperFresh Two Bridges grocery store. There are numerous areas bordering Civic Center, including Financial District, Two Bridges, and Chinatown. This means that Civic Center apts residents have the option to easily explore out of their own neighborhood. The buildings sit near many bus lines and subway stations like Chambers Street, City Hall, and Canal Street.
While most tenants here are homeowners, some of these units are available for rent. The best option for finding units for rent are to check out apartment listing sites such as ours for available Civic Center apartments for rent.
