Spring Street Park

NYC PARKS AND HUDSON SQUARE CONNECTION BREAK GROUND ON SPRING STREET PARK

NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP today joined Hudson Square Connection President Ellen Baer, Hudson Square Board Chair Liz Neumark, State Senator Brad Hoylman, Manhattan President Gale Brewer, Councilmember Corey Johnson and Community Board 2 Chair Terri Cude to break ground on the reconstruction of Spring Street Park. Spring Street Park is owned by DOT and will be jointly maintained by Parks and the Hudson Square Connection business improvement district, who also committed $3 million to funding the project. The Park is also funded by nearly $2 million from NYC Economic Development Council and $1 million from the NYC City Council.

“Spring is in the air in Hudson Square – and there’s no better place to celebrate it than at the site of Spring Street Park,” said Commissioner Silver. “This vital new community asset is being brought to life through a strong partnership between Hudson Square Connection, DOT, and Parks. Spring Street Park’s new plantings, seated areas, and water-absorbent green infrastructure bring much-needed public space to booming Hudson Square.”

“With more than 160 seating options, custom lighting and 42 trees that provide shade and health benefits, the newly renovated Spring Street Park will present a state-of-the-art design that will serve as an inviting outdoor area for the community to enjoy year-round," said Ellen Baer, president of the Hudson Square Connection. “As part of our commitment to making Hudson Square a place for people, we are proud to partner with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, the Economic Development Corporation and Council Member Corey Johnson on this major renovation. We look forward to watching our new park come to life.”

“With a growing business district and tens of thousands of creative professionals working in this area, it is only natural to create a space reflective of the community for everyone to enjoy,” said Luis Sanchez, Manhattan Borough Commissioner, New York City Department of Transportation. “This park’s redesign and amenities are a great reflection of what make this city unique and one of the greatest in the world.”

State Senator Brad Hoylman said: "Green space is a fundamental part of New York’s social fabric. Here in Hudson Square, where green space is a precious commodity, the new and improved Spring Street Park will be a welcome addition to the community, providing an island of quiet refuge for residents and visitors alike. I want to thank Parks Commissioner Silver, Hudson Square Connection President Baer, Hudson Square Board Chair Neumark, and Community Board 2 Chair Cude for this important investment in the character and livability of our neighborhood."

“With this renovation, Hudson Square will have a world-class green space that residents, employees and visitors will enjoy for generations,” said Council Member Corey Johnson. “Here in Manhattan, we need to maximize every last inch of parkland that we have, and that’s exactly what this project is going to do. I thank Ellen Baer and the Hudson Square Connection, as well as Commissioner Mitchell Silver and our tireless NYC Parks Department for breaking ground on this exciting project.”

Spring Street Park sits at the corner of Spring Street and Sixth Avenue. The redesign, which was led by Hudson Square Connection, provides increased seating, including custom “swivel seats,” and social and flexible seating; expanded and enhanced planted areas; and enhanced, more energy-efficient lighting. The new park will be more rainwater absorbent with quadruple the permeable area of the original design. In addition, the new design places the 1997 monument to General Jose Artigas in a more prominent location at the center of the park.

Hudson Square, once an industrial printing district, now boasts more than 1,000 businesses and 40,000 creative and tech professionals. As more businesses come to the district, the Hudson Square Connection business improvement district has recognized the need to create a vibrant streetscape to respond to this growth. Hudson Square Connection has developed a five-year, $27M comprehensive streetscape improvement plan called “Hudson Square is NOW.” As a gateway to Hudson Square, Spring Street Park serves as a centerpiece of this effort. The goal of this reconstruction is provide a revitalized open space resource for Hudson Square, and develop a new identify for the space in keeping with the revitalized neighborhood.