NEW YORK: New York City Mayor Eric Adams today launched a major new visioning process to reimagine Fifth Avenue — from Bryant Park at 42nd Street to Central Park at 59th Street — as a safer, less congested, pedestrian-centered boulevard that also prioritizes cyclists, mass transit, and the public realm.
Building on Recent “New New York” Report and Incredibly Popular, Largest-Ever Holiday Season-Specific Open Street, Vision for Fifth Avenue Will Prioritize Pedestrians, Cyclists, Mass Transit, and the Public Realm. Planning Process Will Bring Together Unique Public-Private Partnership with Stakeholders Across East Midtown and Build on Years of Study of This Crucial Corridor, said a report posted on the Website of the City of New York.
Bringing together city government and community stakeholders across East Midtown, the process will draw on the years of study of this critical corridor — one of the world’s leading shopping, office, and tourism destinations and a key economic engine for the neighborhood and the city — to craft a plan that will make Fifth Avenue more appealing to residents, workers, and visitors with world-class public space.
The new effort builds on the “New New York: Making New York Work for Everyone” action plan released last week by Mayor Adams and New York Governor Hochul and on the widely popular, largest-ever holiday season-specific Open Street on Fifth Avenue and around Rockefeller Center, which Mayor Adams visited this afternoon.
“Fifth Avenue is an iconic corridor and an engine of our Midtown economy. But it is also an unmissable opportunity to show the city and the country how world-class public space can help create vibrant central business districts,” said Mayor Adams. “New York isn’t coming back, New York is back. But New Yorkers don’t sit on our hands — we will continue to bring everyone to the table, come up with innovative ideas together, and make our city safer, fairer, and more prosperous.”
“As a world-class city and destination, New York City needs a world-class, pedestrian-forward avenue,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “From historic Central Park to the iconic Bryant Park, Fifth Avenue has the potential to become an even grander corridor, open to New Yorkers and international tourists alike. I look forward to working with the stakeholders for this important planning process as we design an even more inviting Fifth Avenue.”
“Reimagining and rebuilding our streets and public spaces is the most effective path toward neighborhood recovery, economic recovery, and long-term sustainability,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer. “Building on the success of our Fifth Avenue Open Street, we will deliver a world-class boulevard connecting Central Park to Bryant Park and take a critical step towards a ‘New New York’ and a better, bolder city.”
The “New New York” action plan reimagines New York’s business districts as vibrant 24/7 destinations as a critical goal for the city’s economic recovery, with public realm improvements being one key initiative. Mayor Adams’ holiday season Open Streets plan for Fifth Avenue and the area around Rockefeller Center demonstrated the clear demand for increased pedestrian space and significant benefits for local businesses — in line with the findings of the New York City Department of Transportation’s (DOT) October 2022 “Streets for Recovery” report.
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