NYMTC Brown Bag Lunch November 17, 2010

Water Street: A New Approach

Nicole LaRusso, Senior Vice President, Planning and Economic Development Alliance for Downtown

Stephen Whitehouse, Partner Starr Whitehouse Landscape Architects and Planners •1 Why Water Street?

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 2 Density of user groups

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 3 3 Why Water Street? Strengths

Improved East River Waterfront Part of the dense commercial core

Bookended by Seaport and Battery Park Proximate to historic

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 4 Why Water Street? Weaknesses

Overly wide street lacking amenities Underutilized public space

Feels disconnected and outdated Inconsistent pedestrian experience

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 5 Water Street Ad Hoc Committee

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 6 Study goal Create an identity for Water Street that will infuse activity and steward public and private reinvestment in the corridor

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 7 Water Street Study process

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 8 Water Street Study process

Significant agency and stakeholder input in workshops and project briefings, including: • Department of Transportation • Department of City Planning • Department of Parks and Recreation • Economic Development Corporation • Borough President’s Office

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 9 4 Principles

Anchor to Anchor: Rescale the street to create an iconic boulevard.

Water to Water: Strengthen connections to the historic core and waterfront.

Space to Place: Realign public and ground floor spaces to encourage street life.

Day to Night: Extend the hours of activity along Water Street.

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 10 Anchor to Anchor: Rescale the street

1. Maintain appropriate traffic flow and prioritize commercial curb access.

2. Create gateways at the street’s northern and southern limits.

3. Create a pedestrian-oriented environment and facilitate north-south movement.

4. Reinforce connections to adjacent transportation nodes.

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 11 Traffic volumes

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 12 12 Neighborhood character

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 13 13 Street reconfiguration

Existing Condition Median and Amenity Strip

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 14 14 Street reconfiguration Existing section

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 15 Street reconfiguration Proposed section

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 16 Water Street today Existing configuration view at Old Slip

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 17 Water Street tomorrow Proposed configuration view at Old Slip

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 18 Water Street tomorrow Proposed configuration view at Old Slip

Continuous street trees Landscaped median Sidewalk neck downs 14’ moving lane with public art at intersection and left turn-bay

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 19 Precedent: Via Veneto, Italy

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 20 20 Landscape patterns

West side: East side: • 10’ Soil zone • 5’ Soil zone • 10’ Sidewalk • 10’ Sidewalk

Café Seating

Benches

Bike Racks

Bus Shelter

Kiosk

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 21 Water Street today Existing sidewalk view North between Fletcher and John Streets

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 22 Water Street tomorrow Proposed Western sidewalk view North between Fletcher and John Streets

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 23 Water Street tomorrow Proposed Western sidewalk view North between Fletcher and John Streets

Infill arcades Amenity strip/ Clustered trees Cafe sidewalk for retail Sidewalk extension and landscape seating and free public WiFi

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 24 Water and Whitehall Intersection at , 2009

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 25 Water and Whitehall Proposed plaza at Whitehall Street

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 26 Water and Whitehall Proposed plaza at Whitehall Street

New public plaza Landscaped median Pedestrian refuge Street trees through at Whitehall with public art and improved Million Trees NYC program crossings

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 27 Water to Water: Create great public spaces that connect to the waterfront

1. Create a physical and programmatic link between Water Street and the East River Esplanade.

2. Improve sightlines between historic slips and the East River.

3. Expand central open space to create an active, programmable destination.

4. Integrate sustainable design into site improvements.

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 28 Commuter activity Existing Conditions

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 29 29 Conceptual cross street strategy

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 30 Public space network connections Destination

South S treet and East R iver Esplanade

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 31 Water Street today Mannahatta Park existing

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 32 Water Street tomorrow Mannahatta Park destination: passive weekday use

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 33 Water Street tomorrow Mannahatta Park destination: passive weekday use

Greenmarket and Front Street remains More trees planted Paving, trees and Cafes and outdoor concessions open to traffic along Wall Street Signage all indicating seating activate plaza pedestrian environment In good weather

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 34 Water Street tomorrow Mannahatta Park destination: active weekend use

Greenmarket and Front Street remains More trees planted Paving, trees and Cafes and outdoor concessions open to traffic along Wall Street Signage all indicating seating activate plaza pedestrian environment In good weather

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 35 Water Street tomorrow Mannahatta Park destination: active weekend use

Greenmarket and Front StreetIn remains ground fountainsMore trees planted VisualPaving, line of trees elements and Cafes and outdoor concessions open to trafficused seasonallyalong Wall Street leadsSignage visitors all toward indicating the seating activate plaza and for community waterfrontpedestrian and esplanadeenvironment In good weather events

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 36 Placemaking on Front Street

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 37 Space to Place: Attract retail and incentivize investment

1. Modify zoning regulations to facilitate re-design and infill of POPS and arcades.

2. Reconfigure ground floor spaces to enable new uses.

3. Entice retail uses that target workers and extend to residents and tourists.

4. Accelerate transformation by incentivizing capital reinvestment.

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 38 Space to Place: Attract retail and incentivize investment POPS, arcade, and parks strategy 1. Infill arcades and POPS with retail to: • eliminate dead space • provide greater streetfront activity

2. Preserve and enhance POPS and parks to: • reinforce east-west connections • activate with programming

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 39 Water Street today 80 Pine Street

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 40 Water Street tomorrow 80 Pine Street

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 41 Reconfiguration of ground-floor spaces IllustrationExploring minimum of potential to maximum repositioned approaches POPS Plaza and arcade retail: One New York Plaza

Illustration of varied configurations for 1 New York Plaza (left) and 75 Wall Street (right)

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 42 Water Street today 75 Wall Street

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 43 Water Street tomorrow 75 Wall Street

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 44 Water Street today One New York Plaza

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 45 Water Street tomorrow One New York Plaza

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 46 Day to Night: Extend the hours of activity

1. Program open spaces with regular and seasonal events and public art.

2. Illuminate pedestrian space and building facades.

3. Provide publicly accessible WiFi and other information technology.

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 47 Lighting strategy

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 48 Lighting strategy

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 49 Arts and programming

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 50 Water Street tomorrow

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 51 Potential timeline for implementation

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 52 Water and Whitehall DOT temporary pedestrian plaza at Whitehall Street

NYMTC | November 17, 2010 53 Water Street: A New Approach Further information including a link to download the whole report: www.downtownny.com/waterstreet

Nicole LaRusso, Vice President for Economic Development and Planning Alliance for Downtown New York [email protected]

Stephen Whitehouse, Partner Starr Whitehouse Landscape Architects and Planners •54 [email protected]