The Making of New York’s Avenue of the Americas: Transnational Circuits of Urban Renewal

Abstract

This article explores the revitalization of the Avenue of the Americas. It follows the efforts of leading New Yorkers to transform the Avenue into a more profitable space while turning it into the political, commercial, and cultural capital of the Western Hemisphere. Using a transnational perspective, the article argues that the remaking of the Avenue must be understood in relation to the growing involvement of New York reformers in Latin America, especially São Paulo. It illustrates how New York urban reformers’ perception of São Paulo as a rising city and that of Brazil (and Latin America) as important allies to the United States during and after World War II (WWII) served as catalysts for growth as these actors—especially Robert Moses—strove to establish New York’s global dominance. By focusing on the networks of exchange between São Paulo and New York, this article sheds light on the ideological origins of New York’s urban renewal projects.