Selects: The Manhattan Grid

The 1811 Commissioner’s Plan fundamentally transformed Manhattan from an organic, meandering colonial settlement into a rigid, right-angled grid. Driven by the need to accommodate massive population growth, the plan imposed a uniform layout of numbered streets and avenues that persists today. While the grid offers a pragmatic navigation system, it faced intense criticism for its lack of foresight, particularly the failure to incorporate sufficient green spaces, which were later addressed by projects like Central Park. The three commissioners responsible for the plan—Governor Morris, John Rutherford, and Simeon DeWitt—were widely perceived as lazy, having largely plagiarized earlier survey work by Casimir Gork. Despite the destruction of existing neighborhoods and the imposition of a uniform built environment, the grid remains a defining feature of New York City’s urban identity, balancing functional efficiency with a persistent tension between planned order and organic growth.