Love outdoor dining? The Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership is reinstalling its popular NoMad Piazza Pop Up.
The public space first debuted on Oct. 1, 2021 and stayed open through Nov. 14, 2021 on Broadway between 25th and 27th Streets, creating a dynamic space for pedestrians, bicyclists, and people enjoying NoMad’s thriving outdoor dining. Designed in collaboration between the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership, the American Institute of Architects, New York (AIANY), and the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT), the pop-up will officially reopen on April 1.
“We are thrilled to bring NoMad Piazza Pop Up back to Broadway in time for spring. Last fall, this serene public space in the heart of NoMad was a hit with residents, visitors, and local businesses. Starting in April, it will once again provide a model for how our city’s streets can be reimagined as vibrant public spaces for walking, cycling, dining, and relaxing,” said James Mettham, Executive Director of the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership.
The pop-up builds off of the success of the DOT’s Open Streets program, including the Open Streets in Flatiron and NoMad that the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership has managed since May 2020. This time, the Piazza will feature more public seating than it had last fall, along with tables, trees, planters, and granite blocks forming the pedestrian intersection entrances. Non-emergency motor vehicle traffic will be prohibited. The Piazza will also complement outdoor dining on and around these two blocks of Broadway, including the DOT’s Open Restaurants program’s participating restaurants: La Pecora Bianca, The Smith, Tortazo, and wagamama. Anita Gelato will open a new location at 1141 Broadway this spring and plans to utilize space on the Piazza.
During the initial activation in 2021, Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership conducted a public survey and found that 89% of respondents said they love the Piazza and would love it if it came back permanently. The pop-up spurred tons of economic activity, supporting the area’s resilience during the second year of the COVID pandemic — foot traffic in October 2021 exceeded pre-pandemic levels in October 2019, and one-third of Broadway businesses saw increased revenue while the pop-up was active. Seventeen new businesses opened or signed leases on Broadway from 25th to 30th Streets in 2021, with 50% opening during or immediately following the Piazza’s initial activation period. Some noted that the Piazza was an important consideration when deciding to lease Broadway property.
The Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership will manage the Piazza’s cleaning, maintenance and public safety. The NoMad Piazza Pop-Up reflects the Partnership’s long-term vision of a pedestrian-focused Broadway corridor through Flatiron and NoMad.
The Partnership is working with neighborhood businesses and cultural institutions to provide light public programming on the Piazza this spring. Programming will kick off with a ping pong event with SPIN on World Table Tennis Day on April 6 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. featuring open play and pro-level exhibitions.
