November 2, 2023
The International Downtown Association (IDA) has recognized the Hudson Square Business Improvement District BID with the Downtown Achievement Pinnacle Award for its work and initiatives related to the Hudson Street Redesign.
Each year, IDA recognizes outstanding projects as winners of the Downtown Achievement Awards which identify advances to urban centers by organizations worldwide. The industry’s highest recognition, the Pinnacle Award, represents the most inspiring innovations in urban place management. This year’s projects were awarded by a jury of IDA members in the following categories: leadership development; organizational management; economic development; marketing, communications, and events; planning, design and infrastructure; policy and advocacy; and public space management and operations. The Hudson Street Redesign won in the category of Planning and Economic Development.
“The beautiful renovations along Hudson Street showcase our organization’s continued efforts to create an attractive, safe, and inviting experience for people who work, visit, and live in Hudson Square,” said Samara Karasyk, President and CEO of Hudson Square BID.
“By reallocating space from previously oversized traffic lanes, the Hudson Street Redesign was able to restore balance between pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers by widening sidewalks. In a dense urban neighborhood with historically limited access to open, public space. The redesigned sidewalks serve as a space for social connection with lush plantings and modern park-like green spaces.”
The $13 million Hudson Street Redesign transformed a 7-block corridor in New York City’s Hudson Square neighborhood. The design includes: 8,000+ square feet of newly planted areas filled with various trees, shrubs, and perennials, functioning as green infrastructure to improve stormwater management; new, modern benches providing approximately 170 additional seats; 2,000+ square feet of sidewalk cafe space; a new dedicated and parking-protected bike lane; and 20 new bike parking spaces. Over the 7 blocks, 100 trees were planted or retrofitted with the BID’s award-winning Hudson Square Standard (HSS) design treatment, which bolsters tree health and yields measurable environmental and public health benefits. The project marked the completion of the BID’s first 10-year neighborhood streetscape plan, which included improvements made to change the neighborhood from an area known for its car congestion into one that is vibrant and welcoming for pedestrians and filled with innovative energy.
“Hudson Square Business Improvement District’’s innovative project received the IDA Pinnacle Award for setting the new standard for improving cities around the world,” said David Downey, IDA President and CEO. “The Hudson Street Redesign has made an impact on its community and the people who live, work and play there, and is evidence of the continued commitment to champion livable, vital and thriving urban centers.”
Washington, DC-based IDA is the premier organization for urban place professionals who are shaping and activating dynamic city center districts. Hudson Square Business Improvement District is the urban place management organization representing the interests of property owners in New York City’s Hudson Square neighborhood.
IDA’s members have a proven track record of creating collaborative public-private partnerships to tackle weighty issues. More than 2,500 downtown management districts exist in cities throughout the U.S. and Canada. Place management organizations affect significant change in every major metropolitan area throughout North America in an industry that is growing rapidly around the globe. Place management work touches every discipline of city building, including economic development, leadership, marketing, events, public space management, policy, planning and infrastructure.
Additional information on the Pinnacle Award winners can be found online at downtown.org.
About IDA
IDA is the premier organization for urban place professionals who are shaping and activating dynamic city center districts. Our members are city builders and downtown champions who bring urban centers to life, bridging the gap between the public and private sectors. We represent an industry of more than 2,500 place management organizations, employing 100,000 people throughout North America and growing rapidly around the world. Founded in 1954, IDA is a resource center for ideas and innovative best practices in urban place management. For more information, visit www.downtown.org
