
Rendering of a proposed Times Square casino
In 1998, I started selling clothing at the corner of 45th and Broadway in the heart of Times Square. Back then, the neighborhood was chaotic, overwhelming, and a little bit scary. In the 2000s, the area was a target of global violence, as well: On May 1, 2010, a Nissan Pathfinder parked near my stand began emitting smoke. I joined a handful of other vendors in alerting the NYPD, who eventually found and disassembled an explosive device made up of two full 5-gallon cans of gasoline, three full 20-gallon propane tanks, and more than 250 pounds
...