Peter Cooper Statue Boxed Up for Astor Place Reconstruction
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Call him Jack, ‘cos he’s in a box
You may have noticed that the statue of Peter Cooper sitting comfortably in his eponymous park is currently encased in an enormous plywood box; or that traffic barriers now cordon off a section of the roadway. These noticeable changes pretty much kick off the broader $16 million capital works project to redesign the entire composition (and character) of Astor Place. Get ready for years of construction. The area certainly won’t be the same upon the eventual unveiling.
The city closed down the triangular Peter Cooper Park back in November to help address the terrible rat infestation there. Once reopened – sometime in 2015 – it’ll boast revamped seating, better lighting, and wider sidewalks on the perimeter, as shown in the below rendering.
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Photo: DDC
According to Curbed, the Department of Design and Construction is managing the project on behalf of the Department of Transportation. Maintenance partners for the new plazas upon debut will be Grace Church School and the Village Alliance.
Bonus: Below is a photo of the same spot in 1900. Note the Third Avenue El off to the right.
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Photo: NYC Parks
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