Hudson Square BID public realm recovery Plan

Curb analysis (parking, loading, transit) of Hudson Square — Image credit: WXY

Sam Schwartz, together with WXY and MNLA, have been retained by the HSBID to develop streetscape improvements for a recent district expansion. Recommendations will build on previous interventions developed for HSBID, successfully implemented since 2011. Streetscape improvements will focus on strategies to activate underused facades/storefronts, improve landscaping, and increase resiliency throughout the district. Sam Schwartz will focus on how to activate pedestrian space (e.g. shared streets, seasonal street closures, sidewalk widening, curb management), address pedestrian/bicycle safety issues, develop bike connections with surrounding neighborhoods, and improve transit access. A toolkit will summarize temporary and permanent solutions and an action plan will identify key short-term interventions and guide more long-term capital investments.

In response to unforeseen challenges posed by the COVID-19 crisis, Sam Schwartz and partners have also been developing district-wide strategies for the Hudson Square BID to prepare for the safe reopening by reimagining how the public right-of-way can be used to support local businesses and the neighborhood as a whole. As businesses and offices reopen, public spaces and streets play an even bigger role as catalysts for economic activity, paths for multi-modal travel, and spaces for safe movement. Sam Schwartz is providing transportation planning and engineering services for the near-term recovery plan, which will inform a long-term vision plan for the expanded BID area. The strategies being considered include open street concepts, sidewalk expansions, temporary bike lanes, and increased bike parking measures, while accounting for accessibility needs and pedestrian/vehicular circulation. The team is engaging with stakeholders in the district and is coordinating with NYCDOT on the implementation strategy.