Public Space
Top Categories
Study Provides a New Vision for Allen and Pike Street Malls
Residents of the Lower East Side and Chinatown have been fighting for improvements to the Allen and Pike Street pedestrian malls for more than a decade. Now, with the city's Parks Department set to begin a $5.4 million renovation of the malls below East Broadway, their wait for meaningful action might be nearing an end.
September 19, 2008
Grand Army Plaza, Reinvented
Last Saturday, the opening of the Design Trust for Public Space's "Reinventing Grand Army Plaza" exhibit quickly transformed the plaza, normally devoid of any street life, into a vibrant public space. Visitors were welcomed with live music, a dance performance, food and exhibition tours. This photo set on Flickr has over 400 shots from Saturday's event. City Room reports:
September 17, 2008
How Would You Reinvent Grand Army Plaza?
This morning officials announced the winners of the "Reinventing Grand Army Plaza" competition, a contest that drew 200+ proposals for transforming the gateway to Prospect Park into a public space worthy of its landmark status. A jury composed mainly of designers, planners and community advocates selected four designs to receive cash prizes, while winnowing the entrants to a field of 30, to be displayed on-site through October 13. Members of the public will be able to vote for their favorites via text message, with results announced on October 8.
September 12, 2008
Bloomberg, Sadik-Khan to Hold 11:00 Madison Square Presser
Mayor Bloomberg and DOT Commish Janette Sadik-Khan will be officially unveiling public space improvements to Madison Square at 11:00 this morning, on 23rd St. between Broadway and Fifth Ave.
September 5, 2008
Share Your Green Urban Story
SustainLane, known for its ranking of greenest US cities, is looking for short essays on sustainable urban living. Here are a few ideas from the contest guidelines:
September 4, 2008
In Week of Carnage, Times Looks Askance at Broadway Traffic-Calming
Projects like Broadway Boulevard are intended, in part, to reduce auto-pedestrian conflicts.
August 26, 2008
Commerce Bank to Cyclists: Your Money’s No Good Here
From a tipster comes this story of what happens when a cyclist tries to conduct business using the "vehicles only" windows at the Commerce Bank branch on Prospect Park Southwest at Park Circle.
August 13, 2008
Streetfilms: Biking the Falls
Before the four "New York City Waterfalls" began gushing along the East River this June, DOT marked a bike route passing by each installation and released a guide to go with it. In this Streetfilm Elizabeth Press shows us a recent bike tour of the falls, led by DOT commish Janette Sadik-Khan. Special bonus feature: commentary from "Waterfalls" artist Olafur Eliasson about his work.
August 1, 2008
Astor Place Moves Closer to Becoming a Great Public Space
Remember the Alamo? That's the public sculpture (AKA "The Cube") located on a pedestrian island in the middle of Manhattan's Astor Place. It's a decent landmark for meeting up with a friend, but it always looks forlorn out there with lanes of traffic moving by on every side, a constant reminder that huge swaths of Astor Place and its environs can be reclaimed from vehicles and put to better use.
July 28, 2008
Livable Streets Projects Getting Hung Up in Budget Bureaucracy?
From today's Crain's Insider:
July 23, 2008