How to turn downtown Karachi into Times Square

Turning Karachi’s downtown into Times Square, New York, may not be an unrealistic dream.

Given that Karachi is in desperate need of urban renewal, following the example of the ‘Times Square Business Improvement District’ may be just what it needs. Karachi’s urban downtown, which houses most of the city’s heritage sites and was once considered its cultural and recreational soul, is in a terrible state of decay. Heritage structures and monuments are fast disappearing owing to environmental pollution, employment of functions incompatible with their preservation needs, change of land use, etc. We need to focus on ‘problem solving’ and ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking.

Urban renewal is not only a project but a multi-dimensional process. It is important to understand that it is a state-authorised, redevelopment and finance programme, but it can only succeed if it has the participation and partnership of a range of stakeholders, such as businesses, civil society groups and communities.

The Times Square model

The Times Square model of successful downtown urban renewal - an example of a public-private partnership between businesses and the city government of New York - can be implemented in Karachi with suitable adaptations.



The area was developed with the building of the subway in 1904. The New York Times moved there, giving the square its name, and soon a number of theatres also cropped up on 42nd Street. However, by the 1950s, the area had lost its status as one of New York’s premiere entertainment centre after movies, radio and then TV became the more popular forms of entertainment.

By the 1970s, the once vibrant and beautiful theatres had become home to burlesque shows and pornography. Drugs and crime became rampant so tourists and customers avoided the area. This state of affairs existed till the end of the 1980s.

It was then that the private property and business owners of the area decided they could no longer depend only on the state government to revitalise the area. A committee was formed by the representatives of major industries at Times Square who drew up a plan for a Business Improvement District (BID).  The committee developed a plan that outlined the proposed boundaries, services and improvements and methods of assessment. They also reached out to the residents and got them involved in the process.

In July 1991, Mayor David Dinkins signed a five-year contract to establish the Times Square BID. The BID, an independent, non-profit organisation, became a contractor to the city providing supplementary services in exchange for the city mayor’s power of tax assessment.

The most important task was to remove the negative image of Times Square that was the major obstacle to bringing people and economic activity back to the area. A massive promotional campaign was started, which included the New Year’s Eve celebrations at Times Square, the falling ball and the countdown that continues till date. The theatre industry was revived and promoted. Crime in the area dropped by over 50% between 1993 and 1998 and property values rose. Very soon into the programme, hotels started reporting up to 85% occupancy rates.

Copy and paste?

Though the requirements of Karachi’s downtown revival may not be the same as the case of Times Square, there are several lessons to be learned here. Most importantly, businesses can take the initiative, given there is enough legislative space and government sanction. There is a need to ensure all stakeholders participate and there is open communication between a BID-type entity and the government.

Do we not have a downtown heritage and other city zones worth revitalising? Do we not want the resulting economic benefits? Do we not want different sectors of the society working together for the larger good of the city? Do we not have a vibrant business and civil society presence in the city? Then what is stopping us from thinking of and implementing such models? A beginning could be made by establishing an urban renewal authority that works under the larger mandate of the city government, frames legislations and forges relevant partnerships.

The writer is an urban planner and runs a non-profit organisation based in Karachi city focusing on urban sustainability issues. He can be reached at [e-mail]

Published in The Express Tribune, April 7^th, 2014.