Redesigned Astor Place Inaugural Set for September [PHOTOS]
This image has been archived or removed.
After nearly a decade of construction, roadwork, and headaches, the newly-designed Astor Place is starting to open up. Piecemeal. And a date has been set for the official ribbon cutting.
The $16 million overhaul is more than six years in the making, yet still four months from actual completion. Updates include new drainage and curb system at East 4th Street, a new Village Plaza along Cooper Square between 5th and 6th Streets, and a totally revamped Cooper Triangle Park with new seating, plantings, and upgraded lighting. Sidewalks were also widened.
To celebrate its unveiling, a three-day inauguration was announced, so mark your calendars. The media-friendly ribbon cutting is slated for Thursday, September 15 at 10am. Elected officials will pander as they do and have a ceremonial spin of the Alamo Cube. It’ll be followed by a dedication of Jim Power’s restored “Mosaic Poles” (which should be installed by August), and a “Making Mosaics” workshop for the public. Friday is a cabaret performance sponsored by Joe’s Pub and La Mama (no alcohol); Saturday is the big day, with several stages erected for dance and spoken-word programming. The culmination of the celebration is a procession to East Fourth Street with twelve-foot puppets.
This image has been archived or removed.
In the meantime, many of the aforementioned upgrades are already available for public consumption. A large contingent of traffic barricades were removed from the area several months ago, revealing the new plaza; light posts are in place, yet won’t be able to accommodate the artwork of Jim “Mosaic Man” Powers; ten of his specific light poles removed during the redesign are being restoration and reinstated.
The Alamo Cube, meanwhile, is still in hiding. It was boxed up in November 2014 and hauled off to storage. Expect its return in the coming months.
This gallery has been removed.
Recent Stories
Developer Begins Demolition of Rutgers Street Playground for Temporary Parking Lot
Demolition work began this week on a Lower East Side park that is a focal point in the tension between the community and developers on the waterfront. The backhoes are out and job now underway at Rutgers Park, the small public space beside the Lands End II residential development. Removal of the playground began yesterday, including […]
The 3 Lower East Side Walk-ups that Sold for $35M
Earlier this month, we reported that SMA Equities, the Long Island real estate firm with controversial history on the Lower East Side, sold a portfolio of its area properties. SMA unloaded three tenement walk-ups to Daniel Fishman of GAIA Real Estate – 102 Norfolk Street, 177 Ludlow Street, and 99 Allen Street – for an […]
H&M Debuts Pop-up Hotel on the Bowery this Weekend
Fashion retailer, H&M, is headed to the Lower East Side this week with a pop-up hotel concept. Starting tomorrow, prospective guests can access the so-called Hotel Hennes via the eponymous 3 Freeman Alley. The three-day publicity stunt will be open through Saturday, from 2 to 9pm. Guests will be able to check in for an […]
Sneakerhead Arrested for Knifing Customer at Hypebeast ‘HBX’ Opening on Division Street
A watershed moment for Hypebeast transformed into a melee on the Lower East Side last week. The Hong Kong-based fashion and lifestyle publication on Friday officially debuted in the seven-story commercial loft building at 41-43 Division Street. Its ground-level store – dubbed HBX – attracted a queue of sneaker heads waiting for a limited edition Nike […]
Arsonist Torches Eldridge Street Beauty Parlor
Two people were injured yesterday evening after an arsonist set ablaze a beauty parlor on Eldridge Street, according to several published reports. The incident transpired shortly before 5:00pm at the Sa Sa II Beauty Salon, located at 129 Eldridge Street. Cops said the suspect poured gasoline inside the store and set it on fire. (Initial […]
