The Greatest Grid: The Master Plan of Manhattan, 1811-2011 Hardcover – Illustrated, January 3, 2012

I often catch myself imagining what places were like before they became the places they are. It is generally a difficult thing to picture with any sort of accuracy. Walking the streets of Manhattan, as I do nearly every day, I wonder what this island looked like before the streets were paved, the parks were laid out, and the high-rises came to dominate the skyline. This wonderful book gives a tantalizing glimpse of how Manhattan came to be.To this day the southern tip of Manhattan is a mishmash of oddly crisscrossing streets. However, in 1811, the Commissioners’ Plan laid out the bulk of the island as a rectangular grid of east-west streets and north-south avenues. (At least through 155th Street. Everyone thought it would be centuries before the city expanded that far north.) Though the original plan would undergo a number of changes through the years, this plan has guided the growth of Manhattan ever since. Despite lawsuits and attacks on surveyors and their work, the philosophy of the grid has been maintained.And what did this mean for Manhattan? Well, this book is filled with old maps and old pictures that tell the story. (Anyone who loves maps will love this book.) We see the tools used by the surveyors to lay out the grid. We see how many parts of the island were levelled to correspond to the new grid and how old property lines had to be redrawn (sometimes leaving homes hanging on the edge of a new cliff of rock). We learn the whys and wherefores of the alteration to the original grid (the creation of Central Park, the winding route of Broadway). We see why the East Side was built up before the West Side. We find out what happens once the City makes its way north of 155th Street.For anyone interested in learning about how a big city grows, this book is magnificent. For anyone who lives in or loves Manhattan, this book is a must-have. Rarely have maps and pictures been used to such effect to tell the story of a city. This is a book that should be read.

This book is fascinating for anybody interested in the history of New York, or in city planning in general. It tells the story of New York's revolutionary grid system, interesting especially because the Manhattan grid utilizes every spot on the island of Manhattan above the already built-up city. It displays over 200 historic documents, maps, paintings, drawings and photographs, showing the northward progression of the grid over the years. It also tells in detail about the criticism of the grid system over the years, and does not shy away from revealing its shortcomings, e.g., the lack of parks in the original plan. Moreover, it tells in detail about the changes made to the grid during various periods, such as the laying out of New York's many gorgeous parks, the addition of several avenues on the East Side, and the "super-blocks" - blocks enlarged due to the elimination of stretches of streets and avenues. Finally, it gives the details of the expansion of a variant of the grid above 155th Street, which originally was to be the northern limit of the grid - difficult due to the harsh topography of this area.

A catalog of an exhibition at the Museum of the City of NY which covers the prescient urban planning that determined NYC's grid system in the year 1812. Great period photos & maps. A must read for anyone fascinated by the history of NYC.

Actually, we sent this latest copy to friends that spend time in NYC on a regular basis. Our personal copy remains out for view in our Living Room.It is simply the best book, by far, about the physical history of Manhattan - what was here (we live in NYC) in the beginning, how Manhattan's famous grid plan was developed, its overt social planning goals, and the amazing skill and determination of the New Yorkers who made it a reality. It really is quite a story.That story is laid out in concise two-page sections for the most part: graphics, plans and photographs that document a particular topic accompanied by an essay written by an expert in the field. The layout and reproduction quality is of the highest order.Overall, it is quite an achievement.

The book is well written and the graphics are incredible. There were issues with availability. The date of delivery was set up twice and still did not arrive on time. The book was a Christmas gift for my boss. The delivery issues had nothing to do with the quality of the book. My boss loved the gift. All is well.

I was fortunate to see the exhibit for this book (at the Museum of the City of NY, five years ago) and I couldn't resist buying the book; it's a real treat to see the great selection of photos and to read everything. The author did a terrific job!

Great book, gets readers to reimagine what New York City could have looked like. The history of the grid, took me back to the 1800's where Manhattan was a Dutch colony, than to when it became like the Irvine Ranch with development projects all over.

ABsolutely incredible story that I had never heard -- I just thought Manhatten 'came' flat!!!! Totally mesmerized by the history and great pictures, friends are enthralled when I talk about it. GREAT GIFT - most New Yorkers would have no idea!

Estremamente interessante. Ottima qualità.