"Midtown and Lower Manhattan Experience Steep 33% Decline in Foot Traffic, Among Worst in US Post-COVID: Survey"
Foot traffic in New York City's business districts, including Midtown and Lower Manhattan, is still down 33% compared to pre-pandemic levels, ranking 54th out of 66 cities surveyed. The University of Toronto's analysis measured foot traffic through mobile phone presence and attributed the low recovery rate to the shift to remote work and commercial office tenants giving up their leases. However, the accuracy of the data has been questioned by the Partnership for the City of New York, which cited more recent reports showing a stronger recovery in Manhattan's commerce and tourism districts. Other major cities like Las Vegas, Miami, and Nashville have seen higher recovery rates in their downtown areas.