Sunnyside, Queens - Urban Design Forum

About the Project

Sunnyside Shines Business Improvement District (BID) will work with di Domenico + Partners and the Queens Lighting Collective to make Lowery Plaza, Bliss Plaza, Sabba Park and other public spaces in Sunnyside more welcoming and accessible for local residents and merchants.

The team will co-envision Sunnyside’s public spaces along its main streets, produce lighting and art installations, and host community events that celebrate the neighborhood’s cultural diversity and unique history. Their goal is to cultivate local ownership and pride among Sunnyside residents and merchants for their public spaces, while galvanizing support for capital improvements in the area.

A pre-activation shot of Bliss Plaza, where the team will be hosting a night market starting in August (credit: Cameron Blaylock)

A pre-activation shot of Sabba Park, that the team will be activating with a lighting installation in August. (credit: Cameron Blaylock)

The design team chats with residents about the project and what they’d like to see in the plazas. (credit: QLC)

A group of local experts joined the team for a design workshop. (credit: dDP)

The team conducted community engagement at Noonan Playground to get input from young residents. (credit: QLC)

The design team unloading materials from the truck and building the installation with the fabricator. Astoria Woodworkers Collective, on site at Sabba Park. Credit: Queens Lighting Collective

Gateway to Sunnyside installation lit up at night with residents and attendees socializing and playing games in Sabba Park. Credit: Cameron Blaylock

Live band from Queens, “The Sunnyside Shines Even In The Dark Brass Band Players” helped celebrate the opening of the installation. Credit: Cameron Blaylock

Masha and Kristen from the Queens Lighting Collective welcomed folks and introduced the project. Credit: Cameron Blaylock

Community members of all ages helped create the art on the installation. Credit: Cameron Blaylock

The team invited community members to join them making art, drawing pictures and cutting out shapes. Credit: Cameron Blaylock

The grand opening of the Sunnyside Night Market transformed Lowery Plaza with food, art and performances (Credit: Cameron Blaylock)

A local band, The Sunnyside Shines Even In The Dark Brass Band Players, filled the space with music (Credit: Cameron Blaylock)

40+ local vendors, artisans and small businesses participated in the Market (Credit: Cameron Blaylock)

The Sunnyside Team gathered for a photo as the event kicked off (Credit: Cameron Blaylock)

Team

Sunnyside Shines BID works to invigorate and enrich the economic life of Sunnyside, Queens by creating a safe, welcoming and dynamic commercial district in the neighborhood.

Dirk McCall de Palomá

Sunnyside Shines BID

Evelyn Chango

Sunnyside Shines BID

Daniel Alvarado

Sunnyside Shines BID

di Domenico + Partners is an interdisciplinary firm providing services in architecture, planning, urban design, landscape architecture, and preservation. The Queens Lighting Collective is a group of Queens-based lighting design professionals working at the intersection of live performance, event/environmental design and multimedia ideation.

John di Domenico

di Domenico and Partners

Ricky Liu

di Domenico and Partners

Alan Chan

di Domenico and Partners

Masha Tsimring

Queens Lighting Collective

Nicole Pearce

Queens Lighting Collective

Kristen Robinson

Queens Lighting Collective

Christina Tang

Queens Lighting Collective

Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew

Queens Lighting Collective

Phillips Lytle LLP is providing legal support across the project teams.

Molly Brennan

Phillips Lytle

Shengkai Xu

Phillips Lytle

Jocelyn Ng

Phillips Lytle

Flora Donovan

Phillips Lytle

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.