The shortest street in the city is a 13th Avenue in Manhattan, and despite its modest size, it boasts quite a fascinating story. 13th Avenue can be found in the Meatpacking District, West of 11th Avenue between Little West 12th Street and Gansevoort Street. This street, or, to be strictly accurate, the Avenue, was established in 1837, however, its creators did not plan to make it so short. In fact, by the mid-1800-ies of the 13th Avenue covered nearly 15 quarters and had to pull up to 135th Street.
source: wikimedia.org/СС
The decision to build a 13th Avenue followed the adoption of the law in the state of new York, which provided for the creation of a permanent street along the Hudson river. With this law the city gave developers the opportunity to purchase the land under the water. Then they expanded the mainland of the Manhattan skyline with the construction of piers and docks. As a result, private investors have started to buy and sell these plots of land.
Such indiscriminate construction was halted in 1874, when the city paved the Avenue using the pavement. Warehouses, bars and dumps began to appear like mushrooms after rain. In 1886, this prospect has attracted Italian immigrants and loggers who walked along a narrow well-trodden path, to avoid deep puddles and pits of mud. After sunset, the area became very unsafehere, not in a hurry to look, even the police. 13th Avenue has become a nest of crime and bars in the area, often seen serious fights, cock fights and fires.
source: (C) Museum of the City of New York
Further development of 13th Avenue was stopped by the recession, which came at the end of the XIX century. Then the city had to upgrade the berths to accommodate larger ships, such as Lusitania and the Titanic. Docks along 13th Avenue was abandoned, and construction was postponed to 22nd Street, to create a pier Chelsea Piers. Part of 13th Avenue North of 22nd Street has existed for several decades, but eventually it became part of 12th Avenue.
source: wikimedia.org/СС
However, the district, which was the market West Washington Market, was not forgotten. Here are the last segment of 13th Avenue. And though the market has long been closed, the land size of one quarter is occupied by the buildings Department of sanitation. Access closed to outsiders, and although the city authorities have received proposals for opening some of the embankments, this short Avenue is still in the list of the little known streets of new York.
