MNLA developed a comprehensive public realm master plan for Hudson Square, a once industrial neighborhood that is now an epicenter of New York City`s dynamic creative industries. The plan proposes far-reaching initiatives to create a socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable network of spaces. Identified as a priority project, the redesign of Spring Street Park was one of the first to be undertaken as part of the Hudson Square Streetscape Master Plan. This half-acre triangular open space is reimagined to accommodate a variety of activities for workers and residents alike. As the only public park within the neighborhood, it offers comfortable lunchtime seating and hosts performances and seasonal markets in the evenings and on weekends. For all visitors, the plaza is now a public place of major significance with a strong underpinning of environmental performance through stormwater capture, tree health, biomass production, dark-sky protection, and traffic calming. With funding provided through a public-private partnership of the Hudson Square Business Improvement District and the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, and with approval from NYC Department of Transportation, Hudson Square Park is a paradigm of how private investment and public benefit can dovetail to better the city`s public spaces.
