Astor Place Redesign Fall 2016 Update

Construction began at Astor Place in September of 2013. Orange construction fencing still surrounds all of the green spaces, but visitors can now easily imagine what the final design will look like. For the first time in three years, the end seems to be in sight.

The Redesign changed the triangular open space inside Cooper Square Park to a curved walkway with new curved benches, enlarged Cooper Square Park, streamlined the street grid and created new pedestrian plazas. It also includes planting new trees. (The 2011 Plan states there will be 64 new trees.)

The new Pedestrian Plaza near the Chase Bank was formed by enlarging the traffic island where the Alamo sits to include space that was formerly a street. It is now called the ALAMO PLAZA. It has café seating and a performance space. It was completed in August 2016. It has a few new trees that are too small to offer any shade yet (but will be nice in the future.) Alamo Plaza is also home to the Mozaic’s Man’s light post sculptures.

The traffic Island that houses the entrance to the # 6 Train has been re-landscaped and includes both steps and stone benches for people to sit on while enjoying the wares from food trucks.

Outside the North Entrance to the Foundation Building Colonnade, a monument to the original Stuyvesant Street was placed into the sidewalk.

The Sidewalk on the west side of the Foundation Building has been made wider and a second new pedestrian plaza has been created to the south of Cooper Park where 3rd Avenue ends.

A number of plantings for the Cooper Square Park were planted the week of October 17, 2016. Dean MorrisA’80 took many of the photos.