At five of
the most-used plazas in New York, the proportion
of people in groups runs about 45 percent; in five of
the least used, 32 percent. A high proportion of people
in groups is an index of selectivity. When people
go to a place in twos or threes or rendezvous there,
it is most often because they have decided to. Nor are
these sociable places less congenial to the individual.
In absolute numbers, they attract more individuals
than do less-used spaces. If you are alone, a lively
place can be the best place to be.
The most-used places also tend to have a higher
than average proportion of women. The male-female
ratio of a plaza basically reflects the composition of
the work force, which varies from area to area—in
midtown New York it runs about 60 percent male,
40 percent female. Women are more discriminating
than men as to where they will sit, more sensitive to
annoyances, and women spend more time casting
the various possibilities. If a plaza has a markedly
lower than average proportion of women, something
is wrong. Where there is a higher than average proportion
of women, the plaza is probably a good one
and has been chosen as such.
The rhythms of plaza life are much alike from
place to place. In the morning hours, patronage will
be sporadic. A hot-dog vendor setting up his cart at
the corner, elderly pedestrians pausing for a rest, a
delivery messenger or two, a shoeshine man, some
tourists, perhaps an odd type, like a scavenger woman
with shopping bags. If there is any construction work
in the vicinity, hard hats will appear shortly after
11:00 A.M. with beer cans and sandwiches. Things will
start to liven up. Around noon, the main clientele
begins to arrive. Soon, activity will be near peak and
will stay there until a little before 2:00 P.M. Some
80 percent of the total hours of use will be concentrated
in these two hours. In mid and late afternoon,