New York City in 1990 Through a French Photographer's Lens

   

At the dawn of the 1990s, New York City was in an unremittingly bleak state. It brought yet another all-time record high in violent crime.

By the mid 1990s, crime rates started to drop dramatically due to revised police strategies, improving economic opportunities, gentrification, and new residents, both American transplants and new immigrants from Asia and Latin America. Important new sectors, such as Silicon Alley, emerged in the city's economy.
By the time the 1990s ended, the city was pulling in 7 million more tourists a year while the city's population began to grow for the first time in decades.

French illustrator and photographer Watchman took these fascinating photographs that show  scenes of New York City in May 1990.

 Initiation, Downtown NYC, USA

 

8th avenue at night, Downtown, NYC, USA

 

Avenue of the Americas (6th av), Downtown NYC, USA

 

Avenue of the Americas (6th av), Downtown NYC, USA

 

Avenue of the Americas (6th av), Downtown NYC, USA

 

Battery Park City, NYC, USA

 

Battery Park City, NYC, USA

 

Battery Park Underpass, NYC, USA

 

Battery Park, Lower Manhattan, NYC, USA

 

Battery Park, NYC, USA

 

Battery Park, NYC, USA

 

Bleecker St (and the Pink Pussy Cat Boutique!), The Village, Downtown NYC, USA

 

Broadway, Downtown NYC, USA

 

Broadway, Downtown NYC, USA

 

Broadway, Downtown NYC, USA

 

Broadway, Downtown NYC, USA

 

City Hall, NYC, USA

 

City Hall, NYC, USA

 

City Hall, NYC, USA

 

City Hall, NYC, USA

 

Downtown NYC, USA

 

Downtown NYC, USA

 

Downtown NYC, USA

 

Downtown NYC, USA

 

Downtown NYC, USA

 

Downtown NYC, USA

 

Downtown NYC, USA

 

Downtown NYC, USA

 

Downtown NYC, USA

 

Empire State, view by my window, 8th avenue, Downtown NYC, USA

 

Figure of the Empire State, Downtown NYC, USA.jpg

 

Financial district, World Trade Center, Downtown NYC, USA

 

La dispute, Downtown NYC, USA

 

Museum For American Indian, NYC, USA

 

Neighborhood of the World Trade Center, Downtown NYC, USA

 

New York skyline, NYC, USA

 

NYC view from Twin Towers, NYC, USA

 

NYC view from Twin Towers, NYC, USA

 

NYC view from Twin Towers, NYC, USA

 

 
NYC view from Twin Towers, NYC, USA

 

NYC view from Twin Towers, NYC, USA

 

Radio City Music Hall, 6th avenue, Downtown NYC, USA

 

Radio City Music Hall, 6th avenue, Downtown NYC, USA

 

Rockefeller Center, 5th avenue, NYC, USA

 

Rockefeller Center, 5th avenue, NYC, USA

 

St. Nicolas Church, Downtown NYC, USA

 

The Village, Downtown NYC, USA

 

The Village, Downtown NYC, USA

 

Tribeca (Triangle Below Canal Street), Downtown NYC, USA

 

TriBeCa, Downtown NYC, USA

 

Twin Towers & Battery Park City, NYC, USA

 

Twin Towers, NYC, USA

 

Twin Towers, NYC, USA

 

View by my window, 8th avenue, Downtown, NYC, USA

 

View by my window, 8th avenue, Downtown, NYC, USA

 

View by my window, 8th avenue, Downtown, NYC, USA

 

View from Columbus Circle, Downtown NYC, USA

 

Washington Square, Downtown NYC, USA