Eyes on the Street: 33rd Street Plaza Gone… Til Next Year?
As planned, the pedestrian spaces installed near Penn Station are being removed this week. A painted sidewalk extension and seating were added to 32nd Street for the summer, while 33rd Street between Seventh and Eighth avenues was converted to a plaza.
The projects were spearheaded by Vornado Realty Trust, which owns major properties in the area, in coordination with DOT and with an endorsement from Community Board 5. The plan was to gauge interest this summer with an eye toward making the changes permanent.
The spaces were a huge hit, but there were complaints from property owners that the 32nd Street sidewalk extension caused problems with curb access for vehicles.
Though the 32nd Street project may be in trouble, all signs point to the eventual return of Plaza 33. Here’s a Streetfilm to remember it by over the winter:
