New York City broke ground recently on the Plaza de Las Americas—a designed public space that will support market uses and pedestrian activity while replacing an existing roadway in the Washington Heights neighborhood.
"New York City recently broke ground on a 14,000-square-foot public plaza in Washington Heights with a very wavy paving design," reports Henry Melcher.
The Plaza de Las Americas, as its called, pays homage to town squares found in the Caribbean, Central, and South America, according to Melcher.
Also notable is that the new public space will replace a road that once ran between an adjacent grocery store and an old theatre but that has served as a year-round outdoor market. "The city says the plaza is designed to enhance the local markets that currently operate on the site by offering water and electrical system to vendors’ booths," according to Melcher. "The plaza will also include new trees, benches, 'pedestrian scale lighting,' cafe seating, an information kiosk, and an artsy fountain by Ester Partegás."
The article includes renderings and more details on the design of the plaza.
In a separate article, Stephen Miller presents additional details about the project, including the potential safety benefits of the project.
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