Streetscape team chosen to design our Public Realm

Updated: Thursday, January 20th, 2011

The streets and public spaces of Hudson Square, the epicenter of New York City’s creative industries, will soon reflect the synergistic creativity that defines the businesses in the district.

The Hudson Square Connection has selected a team lead by Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects to design streetscape improvements and transform the district’s public realm into a socially, economically and environmentally sustainable space.

“This is the right team to assist us in creating an identity for our district – an identity that will bring the creativity within our commercial buildings out onto the Hudson Square streets,” said Ellen Baer, President of the Hudson Square Connection.  “This talented group will design a vibrant streetscape that will include open spaces which encourage social interaction and staying activities in our public realm.  Our goal is to enhance the environment for retail opportunities while making a pedestrian friendly connection between Hudson Square and its neighboring districts.”

“The opportunity to re-imagine this great area of Manhattan is an urban planner’s dream,” said Signe Nielsen, Principal of Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects.  “Hudson Square is a creative community that embraces innovation, and there are numerous opportunities in the district to create specific, catalytic streetscape improvements.  We look forward to working hand-in-hand with the Hudson Square Connection and to incorporating feedback from the community in order to make this process as organic and effective as possible.”

A request for proposals was issued this past July for the development of a comprehensive streetscape improvement plan for the Hudson Square neighborhood.  The Connection received responses from 23 highly qualified teams, totaling more than 100 companies, each with its own ideas for adding open space and greenery to the district, and for addressing traffic congestion.

After an extensive review and selection process, the Hudson Square Connection chose the Mathews Nielsen team to transform New York City’s creative hub. The Connection made the selection based on criteria such as a proven track record, excellent design work and a balance or local experience and global perspective.

The designated team is comprised of the following firms:

• Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects – Landscape architecture
• Rogers Marvel Architects – Urban design
• Billings Jackson Design – Industrial design
• ARUP – Transportation planning and lighting design
• Open – Graphic design
• Mercator Land Surveying
• VJ Associates – Cost estimating

Now that a consulting team has been designated, the planning process will start.  The Hudson Square Connection hopes to complete the vision and design framework by the summer of 2011.

Traffic update:

Updated: Thursday, September 23rd, 2010

The Hudson Square Connection is voicing our community’s concerns about traffic and pedestrian safety on our neighborhood streets.  We are working with the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) on a handful of immediate improvements to better the pedestrian and vehicular flow within our neighborhood.  These changes will also improve district conditions for our existing retailers while helping to attract new businesses.  Here’s our progress so far:

• Changed the signal timing at the west crosswalk of Varick and Broome Streets to ensure pedestrians can safely cross;
• DOT will install a crosswalk at Varick Street and the north side of Watts Street;
• DOT and the Port Authority will remove delineators that interfere with cross walks; and
• DOT traffic agents have taken control of the Watts and Varick Street intersection during PM-rush hours. To help clear Watts Street of the line of buses, temporary bollards are being put up to separate the bus lane and to give buses priority when they get to Varick Street.

We will continue to work with the DOT throughout the year on more changes that will strengthen connections within the district and to the surrounding neighborhoods of Greenwich Village, SoHo and TriBeCa.  The Connection is scoping out longer term recommendations as part of our greater streetscape improvement plan for Hudson Square.  Stay tuned for more updates on the progress being made!

What’s Up With the 1 Train Station?

Updated: Friday, September 17th, 2010

For those of you who come to and from Hudson Square via the 1 train at Houston Street, you might be wondering why the entrance on the southwest corner of King & Varick is boarded up.  The MTA is making some much-needed repairs to that stairwell, including patching up spots that have been causing leaks on rainy days.

**Update 11/24/2010**

The stairwell is being cleared up and should be operational by the end of today!

Traffic Changes at Canal Street Entrance to Holland Tunnel

Updated: Wednesday, September 15th, 2010

Beginning September 19^th traffic changes on Hudson Street and at the Canal Street entrance to the Holland Tunnel will take effect. These changes are necessary as part of the trunk water main work being performed by the NYC Department of Design + Construction (NYC DDC).

-          No access to the Holland Tunnel from Hudson Street at Canal Street for the duration of the project.

-          Westbound and eastbound motorists on Canal Street will still be able to enter the Holland Tunnel.

-          Hudson Street south of Canal Street will be narrowed two lanes from Franklin Street to Laight Street.

-          The traffic changes will be in effect through 2015.

See this flyer for more information about the traffic changes, the community impact and mitigation measures, and maps with more details. If you want to learn more about the project you can contact the onsite construction liaison Karen Butler at HudsonStProjectCCL@gmail.com or visit the NYC DCC website www.nyc.gov/buildnyc.

The Hudson Square Connection will be closely watching the effects of these traffic changes on the Hudson Square neighborhood and will continue to work with the City to make our neighborhood more pedestrian-friendly . Please don’t hesitate to contact us with questions or to share your concerns at info@hudsonsquarebid.org

Hudson Square Interim Traffic Management Study Completed

Updated: Wednesday, September 8th, 2010

Along with our traffic consultants Eng-Wong, Taub & Associates, we’ve completed our Interim Traffic Management Study. The recommendations are available on our website. Here’s where we are:

• In April the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) fixed the hazardous condition at the west crosswalk at Varick and Broome Street. The timing of the signal was changed to ensure pedestrians can safely cross.
• In May Community Board 2 (CB2) adopted a resolution in support of immediate actions to improve pedestrian safety at five locations along Varick Street identified by the Hudson square Connection.
• Over the summer DOT completed an investigation of these five locations. As a result, “Turning Vehicles Left or Right” and “Yield to Pedestrians” signs will be installed starting this Fall.

• In August DOT agreed to install a north crosswalk at one of these five locations, at Watts and Varick Street.
• DOT is working with the Port Authority to remove delineators that interfere with cross walks along Varick Street.
• DOT traffic agents have taken control of the Watts and Varick Street intersection during PM-rush hours. To help clear Watts Street of the line of buses, temporary bollards are being put up to separate the bus lane and to give buses priority when they get to Varick Street.
• We are in the process of prioritizing the recommendations so they can be implemented.
• We ’re continuing to meet with DOT and will go with them to CB2 with 3-5 recommendations at a time.
• DOT will continue to implement our recommendations throughout the year.

So now we are in the implementation phase for the short term recommendations.

While these short term recommendations are being implemented, we will also be in the planning phase for longer term, more capitally intensive recommendations as part of our Streetscape Improvement Plan for Hudson Square.

Click here for our Final Report, and its Appendix can be found here

DOT Orders Signs Installed on Varick Street

Updated: Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

The NYC Department of Transportation (DOT), after reviewing the Connection’s Traffic Management Plan, has ordered “Turning Vehicles Left or Right” and “Yield to Pedestrians” signs on Varick & Clarkson, and on Varick between Spring & Dominick Streets.  Expect to see the signs up soon!