About the Project
161st Street Business Improvement District (BID) will work with a multidisciplinary team of designers to transform Lou Gehrig Plaza, Joyce Kilmer Park, and other spaces in the Bronx Capitol District into lively destinations for residents and visitors.
The team, along with designers from Metropolitan Urban Design (MUD) Workshop, Habitat Workshop and Sighte Studio, will engage local residents and merchants to reclaim and reimagine public spaces along 161st Street. They will activate Lou Gehrig Plaza and its surrounding areas with art, lighting, vendors, and events that reflect the culture of local communities. Their goal is to create a greater sense of belonging for residents in their public spaces and showcase the value of public space investment in the district.
Team
161st Street BID was created to provide a vibrant commercial district and improve the quality of life for those who live, work, visit and shop on 161st Street in the Bronx. They aim to keep the streets clean, promote commerce and enrich the area through special events and cultural projects.
Trey Jenkins
Michael Torres
MUD Workshop is a minority and woman-owned urban design and planning firm dedicated to community-centric revitalization of neighborhoods and public places. Habitat Workshop is a minority and woman-owned architecture and urban design practice dedicated to creating spaces, objects, and interactions that activate human connections, build resiliency, and reveal the intrinsic value of a place. Sighte Studio is a woman-owned architectural lighting design studio committed to the creation of beautiful, functional and just spaces.
Shachi Pandey
Gabriella Getacho
Niva Shah
Jieun Yang
Farzana Ramnath
Francesca Bastianini
Iris Ahn
Robyn Bohn
Phillips Lytle LLP is providing legal support across the project teams.
Molly Brennan
Shengkai Xu
Jocelyn Ng
Flora Donovan
Image credit: Cameron Blaylock and partner organizations
Support
Connected Corridors projects are made possible with support from National Grid’s Project C, NYC Department of Small Business Services, Charles H. Revson Foundation, Deutsche Bank, and the NYC Green Relief & Recovery Fund, administered by City Parks Foundation. Our programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
To learn more about supporting the Local Center, please contact Katherine Sacco, katherine@urbandesignforum.org and Lauren Nye, lauren.n@anhd.org.