Union Square Streetscape and Lighting Master Plan

Starr Whitehouse created a Streetscape and Lighting Master Plan for the Union Square Partnership business improvement district (BID) in downtown Manhattan. The Union Square Partnership is the oldest BID in New York City and manages the public spaces in and around Union Square Park as well as along the 14th Street corridor. The Starr Whitehouse team worked with the Partnership to develop a toolkit of furnishings, landscape improvements, and pedestrian lighting to enhance the district and support commercial activity. The design intent of the toolkit is to reinforce the historic character of Union Square, introduce contemporary streetscape elements along 14th Street, and to increase the amount of green and shaded space in the district. The first phase of the project involved extensive data collection and mapping of existing street conditions. Using NYC open data and site observations, the team created maps of ground floor uses, nighttime business hours, tree species, and transit infrastructure, taking into consideration changes of use over daily and seasonal time frames. The Starr Whitehouse team supported the Partnership to collaborate with an inter-agency working group and to gain approval for a Conceptual Design submission to New York City’s Public Design Commission. This approval and continued collaboration with the working group will enable the Partnership to implement its vision for a dynamic, inclusive, and accessible urban district.