Our work at NYC Plazas
Pedestrian plazas have long been a common feature of European cities. Here in NYC, they began appearing in greater numbers starting around 2008, organized by community-based groups with the help of NYC DOT’s Plaza Program. And contrary to what many people may think, most are not in high-traffic, tourist areas of Manhattan, but in the transit and shopping hubs of neighborhoods in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx.
Plazas are of special significance to the city’s low income and immigrant communities. In many cases, they offer much-needed physical open space for simply sitting and watching people go by. And they also offer symbolic space that can contain a community’s aspirations, and instill pride. These are the new centers of New York City, and we should pay attention to what happens in them.
Below is a look at some of our recent work in NYC Plazas. If you are a community group working on a plaza, contact us!
Blog posts about our work at NYC Plazas:
A special version of DRAW with The Drawing Center at Johnny Hartman Plaza
This past Wednesday we offered a special version of our DRAW NYC program in partnership with The Drawing Center at Johnny Hartman Plaza, a new pedestrian plaza in Hamilton Heights/West Harlem. Our host was The Brotherhood/Sister Sol (Bro/Sis), and dozens of Bro/Sis...
At the 2018 Hindsight Conference with NYC DOT
We created a special pop-up reading room in partnership with NYC DOT at Hindsight 2018, an annual conference focused on diversity and planning organized by the Diversity Committee of the New York Metro Chapter of the American Planning Association. In between sessions,...
Building together on Doyers St in Chinatown
BUILD NYC is our new program that offers New Yorkers a way to build together, side-by-side, on the street. This weekend we landed on Doyers St in Chinatown (currently a temporary pedestrian plaza) hosted by our friends at Chinatown Partnership. Thanks to...
Uni Project returns to Corona Plaza for 10th Anniversary of NYC Plaza Program
Today we returned to Corona Plaza as part of a 10th anniversary celebration of the NYC Plaza Program, hosted by NYC Department of Transportation. This was our 24th visit to Corona Plaza, including one in 2012 before it was closed to vehicular traffic. We...
Pop-up drawing studio and artist in residence on 125th St in East Harlem
Our DRAW NYC program came out to an Old School Block Party hosted by our friends at New Harlem East Merchants Association and the 100 Gates Project. Thanks to our program coordinator Arli and 2018 artist in residence Courtney Menard for braving the heat....
READ and EXPLORE (with birds!) at Albee Square, Brooklyn
On Saturday, April 21, the Uni Project deployed our READ and EXPLORE programs to Albee Square in Brooklyn, hosted by Downtown Brooklyn Partnership. Thanks to our partner WSP Eco Projects for bringing out the birds! [ngg_images source="galleries"...