Manhattan address algorithm

From HandWiki
Short description: Algorithm for estimating cross-street number

The Manhattan address algorithm is a series of formulas used to estimate the closest east–west cross street for building numbers on north–south avenues in the New York City borough of Manhattan.

Algorithm

To find the approximate number of the closest cross street, divide the building number by a divisor (generally 20) and add (or subtract) the "tricky number" from the table below:[1][2][3]

Street/Avenue Building Template:№ Divisor Tricky Template:№ (unrounded result)
Avenue A All ÷20 +3
Avenue B All ÷20 +3
Avenue C All ÷20 +3
Avenue D All ÷20 +3
1st Avenue All ÷20 +3
2nd Avenue All ÷20 +3
3rd Avenue All ÷20 +10
4th Avenue All ÷20 +8
5th Avenue 63–108 ÷20 +11 14.15–16.4
5th Avenue 109–199 ÷20 +13 18.45–23
5th Avenue 200–399 ÷20 +16 26.05–36
5th Avenue 400–599 ÷20 +18 38.05–48
5th Avenue 600–774 ÷20 +20 50.05–58.75
5th Avenue 775–1286 ÷10 18 59.6–110.6
5th Avenue 1287–1499 ÷20 +45 110–120
5th Avenue Above 1500 ÷20 +24 124+
6th Avenue / Avenue of the Americas All ÷20 12
7th Avenue 1–1800 ÷20 +12 12.05–102
7th Avenue Above 1800 ÷20 +20 110+
8th Avenue All ÷20 +9
9th Avenue All ÷20 +13
10th Avenue All ÷20 +14
11th Avenue All ÷20 +15
Amsterdam Avenue All ÷20 +59
Audubon Avenue All ÷20 +165
Columbus Avenue All ÷20 +60[3]
Broadway 1–754 (few numbered streets south of 8th)
Broadway 756–846 ÷20 29 8.8–13.3
Broadway 847–953 ÷20 25 17.35–22.65
Broadway Above 953 ÷20 31 16.65+
Central Park West All ÷10 +60
Convent Avenue All ÷20 +127
East End Avenue All ÷20 +79
Edgecombe Avenue All ÷20 +134
Ft. Washington Avenue All ÷20 +158
Lenox Avenue All ÷20 +110
Lexington Avenue All ÷20 +22
Madison Avenue All ÷20 +27
Manhattan Avenue All ÷20 +100
Park Avenue All ÷20 +34
Park Avenue South All ÷20 +8
Pleasant Avenue All ÷20 +101
Riverside Drive 1–567 ÷10 +72 72.1–128.7
Riverside Drive Above 567 ÷10 +78 134.7+
St. Nicholas Avenue All ÷20 +110
Vanderbilt Avenue All ÷20 +42
Wadsworth Avenue All ÷20 +173
West End Avenue All ÷20 +59
York Avenue All ÷20 +4

For the north–south avenues, there are typically 20 address numbers between consecutive east–west streets (10 on either side of the avenue). A standard land lot on each avenue was originally 20 feet (6.1 m) wide,[4] and there is about 200 feet (61 m) between each pair of east–west streets, for ten land lots between each pair of streets.[5] The exceptions are Riverside Drive, as well as Fifth Avenue and Central Park West between 59th and 110th streets, which use a divisor of 10.[3] These avenues all have buildings only on one side of the street, with a park on the other side.[6]

The "tricky number" often corresponds to a street near the southern end of the avenue.[6] There are some notable exceptions:

  • York Avenue address numbers are continuations of Avenue A address numbers, since the avenue was originally called Avenue A.[7]
  • East End Avenue address numbers are continuations of Avenue B address numbers, since the avenue was originally called Avenue B.[7]
  • Sixth Avenue and Broadway start south of Houston Street, the southern boundary of the Manhattan street numbering system.[6]
  • Although Park Avenue's southern terminus is at 32nd Street, a homeowner at 34th Street wanted the address "1 Park Avenue" (this was later changed).[8]

Examples

For example, if you are at 62 Avenue B, 62÷203, then add the "tricky number" 3 to give 6. The nearest cross street to 62 Avenue B is East 6th Street.

If you are at 78 Riverside Drive, 78÷108, then add the "tricky number" 72 to give 80. The nearest cross street to 78 Riverside Drive is West 80th Street.

If you are at 501 5th Avenue, 501÷2025, then add the "tricky number" 18 to give 43. The nearest cross street to 501 5th Avenue is actually 42nd Street, not 43rd Street, as the Manhattan address algorithm only gives approximate answers.

See also

References

Template:Streets of Manhattan