Plazas
Streetsblog Basics
In Unanimous Vote, CB 2 Embraces People-Friendly Astor Place
Last night, Manhattan Community Board 2 resoundingly endorsed the city's plans to transform Astor Place and Cooper Square from asphalt expanses into pedestrian-friendly public spaces. After including some language in its resolution to appease the concerns of certain residents, the roughly 40 community board members in attendance voted unanimously for the plan to transform street space into plazas and expanded sidewalks.
January 21, 2011
Tonight: Backers Needed for Astor Place Reclamation
Tonight, Community Board 2 will vote its recommendation on DOT's plans to make Astor Place more accommodating and inviting to pedestrians.
January 20, 2011
Tomorrow: Tell CB 2 You Want a More Pedestrian-Friendly Astor Place
If you can't make it to Brooklyn for the Prospect Park West forum tomorrow, there's a Manhattan livable streets effort that needs a show of support.
January 19, 2011
City Shows Off Plan to Reclaim Astor Place for Pedestrians [Updated]
Plans to transform another asphalt tangle into a great public space are moving forward at Astor Place, and Curbed has the details. With significant street space being reclaimed for pedestrians, the plan should serve as a new gathering place in the East Village and make the neighborhood safer for walking.
January 7, 2011
With 34th Street Design Due in Spring, CB 6 Is Ready For Busway to Fail
A preliminary design for the proposed 34th Street Transitway is due this spring, DOT said officials at a community board meeting last night.
January 4, 2011
NYC Restaurants in Search of Foot Traffic Can Apply to DOT
A few months after launching the city's first "pop-up café" on Pearl Street in Lower Manhattan, NYC DOT is putting out a call to other businesses who might be interested in reclaiming curbside spaces to make way for seasonal sidewalk extensions, tables, and seating. The department announced today that it's seeking applications [PDF] to expand the pop-up café program to as many as 12 locations throughout the five boroughs next year.
November 4, 2010
It’s Opening Day for the Newest Stretch of Broadway’s Green Ribbon
One of Manhattan's premier public spaces is now safer, roomier, and livelier. DOT officially opened its improvements to the Union Square area today, including new pedestrian plazas and a continuation of the Broadway bike lane into a contraflow lane on the north side of the square.
September 22, 2010
Eyes on the Street: Union Square’s Public Space Makeover Underway
Reader Holly Hudson sends this picture of the north side of Union Square earlier today. Orange construction barrels are lined up here and around the corner on Broadway, as crews get ready to add new pedestrian spaces and extend Broadway's protected bike lane, which will run against the flow of traffic on this particular block.
September 1, 2010
DOT Unveils New “Pop Up Café” in Financial District
The narrow streets of Lower Manhattan date back centuries and pose a set of challenges nearly unique in New York City. With the city's first "pop-up café," DOT is testing out a solution to one of those challenges: the lack of public space caused by cramped sidewalks.
August 12, 2010
Copenhagen’s Car-Free Streets and Slow-Speed Zones
In Copenhagen, you never have to travel very far to see a beautiful
public space or car-free street packed with people soaking up the day.
In fact, since the early 1960s, 18 parking lots in the downtown area
have been converted into public spaces for playing, meeting, and
generally just doing things that human beings enjoy doing. If you're
hungry, there are over 7,500 cafe seats in the city.
August 4, 2010