This year the BID is celebrating 10 years since our formation as an organization in 2009. We have transformed Manhattan’s former Printing District into a thriving creative hub. Today, Hudson Square is buzzing with the energy of more than 60,000 workers and some 1,000 businesses on the creating edge of innovation. Keep reading to learn more about the changes we have made:
The Hudson Square StandardThe BID has partnered with the Department of Parks and Recreation and the New York Tree Trust to plant and retrofit trees throughout the Hudson Square neighborhood using our unique design – the Hudson Square Standard (HSS). We have planted a total of 250 trees in the formerly barren streets of Hudson Square!
From SoHo Square to Spring Street Park
This Summer, we opened Spring Street Park, the renovated space on Spring St. and Sixth Avenue. The renovation was a partnership between the City of NY and the BID. The open space had remained untouched since it was built in the 1970’s. The park boasts more trees, seasonal plantings, custom seating and lighting as well as concrete that evokes the neighborhood’s creative spirit and graphic design past.
Freeman Plaza West, then and now
When we first opened Freeman Plaza East and West, naysayers said that no one would go to a park near the Holland Tunnel. Today, Freeman Plaza East and West service 50,000 + visitors in the past season. Freeman Plaza West now boasts a 900 square foot turf lawn, solar powered charging stations, a little free library and a rotating menu of lawn and board games. People also participate in free summer fitness programs on our new turf lawn.
The Hudson Square BID continues to create open spaces in unexpected places! This year we took the underutilized block on King Street between Greenwich and Hudson and created an outdoor space for people. We installed an interactive sculpture outside of Le Pain Quotidien and added a DOT Street Seat for extra outdoor seating. The community focused art piece, Common Ground by Risa Puno, literally brings people closer together with its unique design and seating elements. The piece celebrates harmony and diversity, two values that are core to Hudson Square’s identity. We also transformed two parking spots into a DOT “Street Seat”, a social public space that is open seasonally. The space is a partnership with DOT to create an attractive setting for eating, reading or taking a break with a friend. Our Street Seat has the following elements:
- Chairs and bistro tables
- Planters for additional greening
- Branded umbrellas for shade
