City Hall in the next few weeks is set to kick off a series of traffic studies and community engagement meetings tied to the redesign of a key Manhattan Chinatown intersection and neighborhood revitalization.
The $56 million “Chinatown Connections” initiative — funded by the city and state — will include the renovation of the historic Kimlau Square, the design of a privately funded Gateway Arch and the beautification of an adjacent street to lure foot traffic from the nearby Brooklyn Bridge.
Mayor Eric Adams unveiled more details on the plan earlier this month, after previewing the initiative in his State of the City address. He pledged the city would invest in the high-profile projects, on top of $11.5 million already allocated by the state.
The initiative aims to increase and improve the scant public space in the area, fix longstanding traffic problems and pump new life into a neighborhood that has faced a series of economic headwinds from 9/11, Hurricane Sandy and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In the past, public space across this neighborhood has lacked investment,” city Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said at a recent press briefing at Kimlau Square. “That ends today.”
“We are revitalizing the future of this neighborhood with our new initiative,” he added.
Many local residents and elected officials agree that the square has been a chaotic and dangerous traffic nightmare in need of fixes. But the new initiative has also reignited heated debates, with some community groups questioning the need for a Gateway Arch — a common structure in other Chinatowns across the world and staunchly supported by local business and cultural leaders.
Rodriguez said the projects would feature a “new and unprecedented level of community engagement,” adding the local Chinatown community would be “front and center.” Adams and other City Hall leaders have echoed that sentiment.
The city will create a working group this month with local…
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