A statue of barrier-breaking baseball legend Jackie Robinson, two new public plazas, and interactive art installations are among the upgrades coming to Hudson Square on Manhattan’s West Side, thanks to $4.5 million in state funding announced Wednesday by Gov. Kathy Hochul.
The funding, part of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and NY Forward program, will support six projects aimed at revitalizing the roughly 33-block neighborhood at the entrance to the Holland Tunnel. The neighborhood is mostly commercial and has over 12 million square feet of office space. A completion date for the projects announced May 21 has yet to be announced.
“New York City is writing one of the greatest comeback stories in its history, and it’s happening with groundbreaking investments in projects that will endure decades into the future,” Hochul said. “These projects will make our neighborhoods stronger and more vibrant – opening up doors of opportunity and ingenuity for the New Yorkers that call them home.”
Located at One Hudson Square in the SoHo section of the neighborhood, the Jackie Robinson Museum will soon have an 8-foot-tall bronze statue of Robinson, honoring the legacy of the first major league baseball player to break the color barrier and join the MLB.
The $227,000 statue at the intersection of Canal and Varick Streets is also intended to make the three-year-old museum’s ground floor more visible and welcoming to the public.
Another major upgrade is the creation of Hudson-Houston Plaza, a new green public space at the corner of West Houston and Hudson Streets. That $867,000 project aims to transform a currently underused city lot into a pedestrian-friendly plaza.
Additional funding will expand public gathering spaces and create interactive neighborhood experiences. One project will transform a block of Little 6th Avenue into a permanent plaza, enlarging Spring Street Park’s footprint and providing space for community programming. Another initiative, the Hudson Square Color Walk, will guide visitors on an interactive scavenger hunt throughout the district, using colorful public art installations to spotlight local businesses and institutions.
Cultural and educational upgrades are also part of the plan. The NYC Fire Museum will receive the largest chunk of the funding, nearly $2 million, to renovate its third-floor event space, enabling it to host fire safety classes and public events.
Film Forum, a nonprofit cinema in Greenwich Village, will use a $75,000 grant to install energy-efficient lighting throughout its lobby, concession area, offices, and projection booth, improving sustainability and visitor experience.
“This is a transformative and exciting moment of growth for Hudson Square, and these projects reflect a shared commitment to creating a more vibrant neighborhood that meets that moment,” said Samara Karasyk, president and CEO of the Hudson Square BID. “These new projects will bring even more green and gathering spaces to the neighborhood, building on the BID’s continued efforts to enhance the street-level experience for all who live in, work in, and visit Hudson Square.”
The state also announced Wednesday a separate $9.7 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant, which will fund seven projects in Long Island City.
Highlights include transforming the historic Metropolitan Building into affordable workspace for artists and small businesses, and establishing a new Queens Public Library branch in a mixed-use development on Jackson Ave. Additional projects include streetscape improvements across the district, such as tree planting and new trash receptacles, and accessibility enhancements connecting the SculptureCenter to the Dutch Kills space.
“When we invest in our downtowns, we’re investing in the heart of our communities. Through the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and NY Forward program, we’re not just funding projects – we’re fostering vibrant, walkable neighborhoods that spur economic growth, enhance quality of life for residents and preserve the unique character of each municipality and region,” said New York Secretary of State Walter Mosley. “These signature programs exemplify our commitment to ensuring that every New Yorker, in every corner of our State, has the opportunity to succeed and thrive.”
