Photos by Julienne Schaer
A plaza near the Manhattan Bridge in Dumbo has received a pedestrian-friendly makeover. The Dumbo Improvement District on Friday unveiled the newly designed Dumbo Archway Plaza, which enlarges the Pearl Street Triangle to create more permanent space for the public and less space for vehicles. New sculptural seating, custom umbrellas, and artwork have transformed the underutilized street and parking spot into a large plaza that seamlessly connects to the neighborhood’s unofficial town square, the Archway under the Manhattan Bridge.
In 2007, the Pearl Street Triangle section of the plaza was the first to open under the city’s Plaza Program, which develops high-quality public spaces on underutilized roadways throughout the city. By using paint to delineate the space and adding seating, the plaza was a low-cost way to add more safe space for pedestrians. Since then, dozens of new plazas have been created throughout the five boroughs, including Herald Square, Corona Plaza, and Willoughby Plaza.
The new Dumbo Archway Plaza includes seating designed by AECOM’s Gonzalo Cruz, custom umbrellas designed by Dumbo artist Liz Collins, and projection art on the Manhattan Bridge. The asphalt was replaced with rehabilitated Belgian blocks and new ADA-approved stones. According to the Dumbo Improvement District, the vibe of the plaza is “old-world charm meets a 2024 Brooklyn aesthetic.”
“We are thrilled for the next phase in enhancing DUMBO’s public realm with the construction of this new public plaza,” Cruz said. “This flexible open space will not only offer residents and visitors a welcoming environment to gather but will also serve as a dynamic connection between the neighborhood’s historic charm and its modern energy.”
The Dumbo Archway Plaza is managed by the Dumbo Improvement District. The redesign was provided by the city’s Department of Design and Construction and the city’s Department of Transportation. The construction team was led by Halcyon.
“New York’s oldest plaza is now its newest and we are thrilled with the vibe it’s already creating down here!” Alexandria Sica, president of the DUMBO Improvement District, said.
“This is a space where everyone can gather–kids are delighting in the benches, coworkers are catching up in our new Adirondack chairs and projection art is delighting one and all. It’s finally a space befitting its majestic backdrop, the Manhattan Bridge.”
As part of Open House New York, the Dumbo Improvement District will host a special opening ceremony for the new plaza on Friday, October 18 with live music, cocktails, and large-scale video art projections on the bridge. Learn more here.
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Photos by Julienne Schaer unless otherwise noted
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