The term sixth borough is used to describe any of a number of places that are not politically within the borders of any of the five boroughs of New York City but have been referred to as a metaphorical part of the city by virtue of their geographic location, demographic composition, special affiliation with New York City, or cosmopolitan character. They include adjacent cities and counties in the New York metropolitan area as well as in other states, U.S. territories, and foreign countries.[1][2][3]

Within the New York metropolitan area

Historical proposals

The Westchester County cities of Yonkers and Mount Vernon directly border the northern part of the Bronx and share much of that borough's heavily urbanized character. In 1894, the voters of Yonkers and Mount Vernon, along with voters in other parts of southern Westchester, took part in a referendum to determine if they wanted to become part of New York City, along with the voters in Kings, Queens and Richmond Counties (today's Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island, respectively). At that time, the city consisted only of Manhattan and a portion of the present-day Bronx, which had been part of Westchester until it became part of New York City in 1874. While the results of the 1894 vote were positive elsewhere, including in several other adjacent sections of Westchester, which were then annexed to the city and which thus became part of the new borough of the Bronx, the returns were so negative in Yonkers and Mount Vernon that those two areas were not included in the consolidated city and remained independent municipalities.[4] A subway connection was planned between Getty Square in downtown Yonkers and the New York City Subway, but the project was abandoned after the failed merger vote. Local residents frequently refer to the area as "the sixth borough", referring to the two cities' location bordering the Bronx, the high number of local residents employed in Manhattan, and the area's similarly urban character.[1]

In 1934, a bill submitted by New York City alderman Elias H. Jacobs proposed merging Yonkers into New York City as a sixth borough. Joseph F. Loehr, then Mayor of Yonkers, was opposed to the merger, despite Jacobs's argument that such a maneuver would cause a rise in real estate prices and increase quality of transit.[5]

Hudson Waterfront

A handful of locations along the Hudson Waterfront have been referred to as the sixth borough of New York City.[1]

New Jersey's Hudson Waterfront lies opposite Manhattan on the North River, and during the Dutch colonial era, it was under the jurisdiction of New Amsterdam and known as Bergen. Jersey City[6] and Hoboken, in Hudson County, are sometimes referred to as the sixth borough, given their proximity and connections by PATH trains to the city.[7][1] Fort Lee, in Bergen County, opposite Upper Manhattan and connected by the George Washington Bridge, has also been called the sixth borough.[1][8] In the 1920s, soon after the creation of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, there were calls to integrate the rail and subway system in New York and northern New Jersey by expanding the New York City Subway.[9] After Mayor Bloomberg called for the 7 Subway Extension to continue to Secaucus Junction, a feasibility study was conducted and released in April 2013.[10]

Waterways and islands

Aerial view of Governors Island in New York City on a sunny day. There is a lawn and some houses in the foreground, and skyscrapers in the background.
Governors Island is a place that has been referred to as a sixth borough of New York City.[11]

In 2011, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg referred to the city's waterfront and waterways as a composite sixth borough during presentations of planned rehabilitation projects along the city's shoreline,[12] including Governors Island in the Upper New York Bay.[13] Other individuals have also referred to the city's waterways as a sixth borough.[14] Rikers Island has been called the sixth borough as well.[3]

Several 20th- and 21st-century proposals have been made for a drastic Lower Manhattan expansion encompassing Governors Island, and have sometimes been characterized as visions for a "sixth borough".[15]

Other communities within the New York metropolitan area

Other communities within the New York City Consolidated Statistical Area have often been referred to as sixth boroughs, especially diverse urban centers such as Stamford[16] and New Haven.[17] Historically, these nearby cities have drawn in significant populations from New York City through outmigration and also share similar cultural characteristics with the city, such as disproportionately large Italian and Jewish American populations.

Outside the New York metropolitan area

Places outside the New York metropolitan area that are home to large populations of former New Yorkers have also been referred to as the "sixth borough", including Philadelphia;[18][19] Miami, and South Florida in general;[20] Los Angeles;[21] and, outside the continental U.S., Puerto Rico[22] and Israel.[1] Among those places referred to as a sixth borough are locations as diverse as Beverly Hills, California, and Nashville, Tennessee.[3]

Philadelphia

Philadelphia has been cited as a "sixth borough" due to its proximity to New York and the movement of New York residents to Philadelphia for various reasons, including lower rent prices and a generally lower cost of living.[18][19][23] The nickname has been met with apprehension by both Philadelphia and New York publications.[24] Some have even disputed inaccurate reporting about Philadelphia by New York–based reporters.[25]

China

Foreign countries, such as China, have also been referred to as a "sixth borough." In China's instance, it is referred to as the "sixth borough" by some media because many Chinese companies invest in developments in Brooklyn, such as Pacific Park.[26]

Other uses

Manhattan College, located in Riverdale, Bronx, refers to its Jaspers student cheering section as "The 6th Borough" at home basketball games played in Draddy Gymnasium.[27] In addition, the University of Connecticut (UConn) has often promoted its Huskies sports teams, especially in men's basketball, as "the Sixth Borough", given the dominance of that team in games played at Madison Square Garden.[28] UConn also sells a T-shirt making this claim.[29]

Jonathan Safran Foer published a short story about a fictional sixth borough, an island that gradually floated away. The story was featured in his novel Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.[30]

A parallel concept in France is the "21st arrondissement of Paris",[31] while in the United Kingdom, the City of London is sometimes thought of as the "33rd borough of London", although it is not, strictly speaking, a borough.[32]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Popik, Barry (January 24, 2006). "Sixth Borough (Yonkers, Scarsdale, Fort Lee, Jersey City, Hoboken, Nassau County, Rockland County)". The Big Apple. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  2. ↑
  3. 1 2 3 "The 32 Sixth Boroughs of New York City, According to the 'Times,' in Order from Worst to Best". December 19, 2014.
  4. ↑ Nevius, Michelle & Nevius, James (2009), Inside the Apple: A Streetwise History of New York City, New York: Free Press, pp. 177–178, ISBN 141658997X
  5. ↑ "Adding of Yonkers to City is Sought; Alderman Jacobs Says He Will Present Bill Seeking Merger as a Sixth Borough". The New York Times. November 3, 1934. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 23, 2018. Retrieved July 30, 2022. Merging the city of Yonkers with New York City as a sixth borough was proposed last night by Alderman Elias H. Jacobs, Washington Heights Democrat, who said he would introduce a local bill in the Board of Aldermen branch of the Municipal Assembly at its next meeting on Nov. 13.
  6. ↑ Chen, Stefanos (July 28, 2022). "Which City Is Most Expensive for Renters? You Might Be Surprised". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 30, 2022. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
  7. ↑ Fetters, Ashley (October 16, 2020). "They Loved N.Y.C. but Lived in Jersey. The Pandemic Changed That". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
    Strunsky, Steve (December 9, 2001). "CITIES; Bright Lights, Big Retail". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
    Holusha, John (October 11, 1998). "Commercial Property / The Jersey Riverfront; On the Hudson's West Bank, Optimistic Developers". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
    Belson, Ken (May 21, 2007). "In Stamford, a Plan to Rebuild an Area and Build an Advantage". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
    Olear, Greg (December 2002). "A good look at Hoboken - The Sixth Borough". CooperatorNews New York. Yale Robbins. Retrieved May 1, 2013. Hoboken will likely continue to grow and prosper, rivaling official boroughs like Queens and Brooklyn and living up to its nickname, 'The Sixth Borough.'
  8. ↑ Lefkowitz, Melanie (April 30, 2011). "Bergen County's Fort Lee: Town With a View". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
    Linh Tat (June 12, 2012). "Fort Lee grapples with questions on future development". North Jersey Media Group Inc. Archived from the original on July 23, 2013. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
    Haller, Vera (September 7, 2012). "Close to the City, but With a Life of Its Own". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
    Olear, Greg (August 2006). "The Best of Both Worlds - Picturing a New Future for Fort Lee". CooperatorNews New Jersey. Yale Robbins. Retrieved July 28, 2023. 'We call ourselves the Sixth Borough,' Chen says.
  9. ↑ "Transportation for Greater New York (1920)". Electric Railway Journal. 56 (22): 1095–1106. November 27, 1920. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
    "The New Jersey Commuter in New York Subway". Electric Railway Journal. 58 (27): 1151–1152. December 31, 1921. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  10. ↑ Parsons Brinckerhoff (April 2013). No. 7 Secaucus Extension Feasibility Analysis Final Report (PDF) (Report). NYCEDC. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 16, 2017.
    Frasinelli, Mike (April 10, 2013). "Plan to extend No. 7 subway from NYC to New Jersey could be back on track". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved April 10, 2013.
    Rouse, Karen (April 10, 2013). "Report: Extending NY No. 7 subway line to Secaucus would accommodate commuter demand". The Record. Archived from the original on April 13, 2013. Retrieved April 10, 2013.
  11. ↑ Satow, Julie (November 23, 2011). "Visions of a Development Rising From the Sea". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Quinn Unveil Comprehensive Plan for New York city's Waterfront and Waterways" (Press release). NYCEDC. March 14, 2011. Archived from the original on March 14, 2013. Retrieved May 1, 2013.
    Rovzar, Chris (March 14, 2011). "Mayor Bloomberg Attempts to Rebrand the 'Sixth Borough'". New York Magazine. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
    Mainland, Alex (February 18, 2011). "A Blog for the 'Sixth Borough'". The New York Times. Retrieved May 1, 2013.
    Yeh, Richard (March 14, 2011). "City Reclaims Waterfront as 'Sixth Borough'". WNYC. Archived from the original on June 15, 2013. Retrieved May 1, 2013.
    "Sixth Borough Stories from New York's Waterfront". Columbia School of Journalism. 2011. Retrieved May 1, 2013. The sixth borough. That's what Mayor Bloomberg calls the 578 miles of shore land that encircle the five boroughs of New York City.
    Cunningham, Ryan A. (January 22, 2012). "Will NYC have a 6th Borough?". Metropolis Magazine. Retrieved May 1, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Studio Report The Speculation Studio: Governors Island, The Sixth Borough?". Urban Omnibus. January 11, 2012. Retrieved May 1, 2013.
  14. ↑ Finn, Robin (July 20, 2012). "Who You Calling Gritty?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
    Mainland, Alexis (February 20, 2011). "New York Online; Where to Point Your Browser". The New York Times. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  15. ↑ Harmon, Katharine (November 1, 2016). You Are Here: NYC: Mapping the Soul of the City. Chronicle Books. ISBN 978-1-61689-549-5.
    Methven, John (August 11, 2011). "Let's Build a New Borough". The Awl. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
    Barr, Jason M. (January 14, 2022). "Opinion | 1,760 Acres. That's How Much More of Manhattan We Need". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Building & Land Technology | Real Estate Developer, Owner & Operator".
  17. ↑ "Business New Haven January 2015 by Second Wind Media Ltd - Issuu". August 16, 2015.
  18. 1 2 Carlson, Jen. "Sixth Borough Stealing NYC Residents". Gothamist. Archived from the original on April 12, 2011. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
  19. 1 2 Pressler, Jessica (August 14, 2005). "Philadelphia Story: The Next Borough". The New York Times. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  20. ↑ "Sixth Borough".
  21. ↑ Sicha, Choire (November 21, 2012). "The 32 Sixth Boroughs of New York City, According to the 'Times,' in Order from Worst to Best". The Awl. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
  22. ↑ Bergin, Brigid (October 1, 2022). "The People's Guide to Power preview: NY, Puerto Rico and the power of the "sixth borough"". Gothamist. Retrieved October 2, 2022.
  23. ↑ Gabriel, Trip (December 16, 2013). "A Grand Weekend Out for Pennsylvanians". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
    Taylor, Kate (July 31, 2013). "It's Time to Vote for a Sticker on Voting". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
    Goodman, J. David (December 1, 2009). "Troubles in Philly, Lessons for New York?". The New York Times. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
    Sifton, Sam (October 29, 2009). "On the Question of Cheese Steaks". The New York Times. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
    Flegenheimer, Matt (November 24, 2014). "D.N.C. Picks New York City as a Finalist for Its 2016 Convention". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
  24. ↑ "Philly Loses Imaginary Sixth-Borough Status". Gawker. July 15, 2005. Archived from the original on August 17, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
    Van Zuylen-Wood, Simon (December 16, 2013). "The New York Times Still Thinks We're the Sixth Borough". Philadelphia Magazine. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
    McQuade, Dan (February 13, 2013). "What The New York Times Gets Wrong About Philadelphia". Philadelphia Magazine. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
    Scoop (March 14, 2011). "Philly to Become NYC's Seventh Borough?". Philadelphia Magazine. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  25. ↑ Rubin, Daniel (August 18, 2015). "Hip To Be Square". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  26. ↑ Hawkins, Andrew J. (April 30, 2015). "Brooklyn businesses head for the sixth borough: China". Crain's New York. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  27. ↑ "STUDENT ACTIVITIES". Manhattan College Student Activities. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  28. ↑ Jacobs, Jeff (January 5, 2016). "UConn's Ticket To Power Five Conference Goes Through New York". Hartford Courant. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  29. ↑ "Sixth Borough Shirt". Husky Fan Shop. Archived from the original on February 3, 2016. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  30. ↑ Foer, Jonathan Safran (September 17, 2004). "Opinion | The Sixth Borough". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
  31. ↑ "A la recherche du 21e arrondissement de Paris". Le Monde.fr (in French). March 8, 2020. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  32. ↑ "The 33 London Boroughs". London Town. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
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