New York City Asks Residents to transform underused streets into vibrant, social public spaces

New York’s Plaza Program is working together with not-for-profit organizations to create neighborhood plazas throughout the City. It is transforming underused streets into vibrant, social public spaces. One of its most significant examples is the redesign of a car-free, pedestrian friendly Times Square

This Program is a key part of the City’s effort to ensure that all New Yorkers live within a 10-minute walk of quality open space. It is estimated that New York’s open spaces sum 64 square miles of land-that is enough space to fit about 50 Central Parks. Therefore the  Program will re-claim streets at appropriate locations to make new plazas.These improvements will provide more space for pedestrians by creating attractive destinations that allow for convenient walking and for places to sit, rest, or to simply watch the world go by.

In addition to creating new public spaces, by supporting local nonprofits, the NYC Plaza Program will strengthen the capacity of local not-for-profit organizations to help them become stronger long-term plaza partners. To ensure local participation, we are partnering with community-based organizations.

Through public visioning workshops, NYCDOT and partners will develop a conceptual design that will be appropriate to the context and individuality of the neighborhood. A professional team of landscape architects will then base their plans on the conceptual design. Partners will be involved throughout the design process. Together, we will design plazas to be safe, attractive, comfortable and social public spaces. Once plazas are built, Partners will be responsible for regular maintenance, management, and programming of the plazas so they remain not only clean, safe, and attractive but also successful, active and well-used public spaces.

  1. eozberk reblogged this from urbandifference
  2. urbandifference posted this