A Tourist’s Photos of New York City in 1982/1983 Show How Much The City Has Transformed

Chelsea Hotel, New York (1983)

UK photographer Paul Wright posted a fascinating set of photos that he shot during a trip to New York City in 1982/1983. There are some familiar sites in the faded photos, but on a whole, the pictures showcase a metropolis utterly transformed over the past 30-plus years.

I first visited Manhattan in 1982 when parts of the city looked semi-derelict. It was edgy and sometimes dangerous, but the city also had a character that has been buried by property developers and chain stores.

Greenwich Village, New York City (1983)
Dog on a fire hydrant, New York City (1982)
Ayatollah Khomeini protest, New York City (1983)
Taxi Driver, New York City (1982)

photos by Paul Wright

via Gothamist