New Public Space Opens On LES In Essex Crossing

LOWER EAST SIDE, NY — A 15,000-square-foot public space opened on the Lower East Side at the sprawling up-and-coming development Essex Crossing.

Seating, a playground, and greenery is next to a mixed-income apartment building on Clinton Street between Grand and Broome streets known as The Rollins — which also includes a Target and Trader Joe's.

"Even before we were chosen to build Essex Crossing, we knew a beautifully crafted public park would be a must for any thoughtful master plan. Essex Crossing continues to come to life and we're eager to see the park buzzing with activity — I imagine it won't take long," Don Capoccia of BFC Partners said in a statement.

The "park" is known as a privately owned public space, or POPS, and is owned and operated by the team of Essex Crossing developers, Delancey Street Associates.

It will be open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. everyday April through October. During November through March, the hours will be 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The public space was designed by the landscape architecture firm West 8, known for designing The Hills at Governors Island. Visioning sessions with Delancey Street Associates were held with Community Board 3 some five years ago.

The plaza boasts native plants, such as honeysuckle and serviceberry trees. The playground includes a mini-net to climb and a balance beam.

In a saga that dates back to the 1960s which tenements were razed for the redevelopment of Essex Crossing site, the entire project is expected to be finished by 2024.

In recent months, Regal Cinemas and the new Essex Market have opened. The second phase of the market, dubbed The Market Line, will open later this summer.

Three additional sites at 180 Broome St., 202 Broome St., and 140 Essex St. are under construction.

At 180 Broome St., which reached its peak earlier this year, 121 below-market-rate units will go online — about half the building's stock. At 140 Essex St., there will be 92 units of below-market-rate senior housing.

Seven of the nine sites in the entirety of the development project are either open or under construction.

Check out the top of the article for photos of the new public space.