Initiative Launches Public Realm Visioning and Planning Process

SoHo Broadway Community: An effort to create safe, welcoming and comfortable streets and sidewalks

Earlier this year, the Initiative convened a Public Realm Task Force and is now launching a planning process to develop a public realm vision and framework plan for the streets and sidewalks of the SoHo Broadway district.

Following an intensive public engagement process organized by Borough President Brewer, Council Member Chin, and the Department of City Planning in 2019, the Envision SoHo-NoHo Report recommended exploring strategies to address several quality-of-life issues that are found in the public realm (sidewalks and streets) including the following:   

• Alleviate street and sidewalk congestion
• Implement best practices for loading/unloading and the management of commercial deliveries
• Implement best practices for trash pick-ups and street cleaning
• Maximize opportunities for open space, community space and greenery

To address these and other street and sidewalk issues in the SoHo Broadway community, the Initiative, working with representative stakeholders, is embarking on a visioning process to create a safe, welcoming and functional public realm.

We are thrilled to announce that we have selected Street Plans to work with us and the Task Force in leading this effort, with support from Karp Strategies. Street Plans is an internationally sought-after and award-winning transportation planning, urban design, and research-advocacy practice, with clients including the DUMBO Business Improvement District, NYCDOT, and the City of Jersey City. Karp Strategies is an equity-driven urban strategy consultancy who previously worked with the Initiative in developing the SoHo Zoning Guidebook.

The Public Realm Task Force is comprised of members of key stakeholder groups and members of the Initiative’s Executive Committee, and is designed to represent residents, the retail community, office tenants, and property owners, as well as elected officials and government agencies:

• Richard Benenson, Benenson Equities
• Gale Brewer, Manhattan Borough President
• James Cavello, Westwood Gallery
• Margaret Chin, New York City Council Member
• Sharon Ermilio, Singer Studio Corp. (resident)
• Brian Fahey, NoMo SoHo Hotel
• Shelly Friedman, Friedman & Gotbaum, LLP
• Emily Hellstrom, SoHo Plaza Corp. (resident)
• Andrew Kahn, Cushman Wakefield
• Clayton Moore, Roman and Williams Guild / La Mercerie
• Ed Pincar, NYC DOT Manhattan Borough Commissioner
• Guy Pross, JVP New York
• Katy Rice, Soho Apartments (resident)
• Courtney Saavedra, Bloomingdale’s
• Gaston Silva, Vornado Realty Trust
• Nell Slaughter (resident)
• Brian Steinwurtzel, GFP Real Estate
• Jason Vacker, Meringoff Properties
• Susan Wittenberg, Manhattan Community Board 2

The Task Force will meet periodically, provide feedback and guidance to the consultant team and Initiative staff as the plan is developed, and advise the Initiative on the adoption and implementation of the resulting vision plan.

We are excited to embark on this critical work to address long-standing challenges to quality of life that will help position SoHo Broadway for social and economic recovery.