New Public Spaces

Street Lab is working with the NYC Department of Transportation and communities across New York City to create new public spaces in historically underserved areas of the city. To do this, we’re helping grassroots groups, schools, and other community-based organizations pilot and establish new Open Streets in their neighborhood, which provides immediate benefits to the community while also laying the groundwork for permanent changes.

This initiative started in 2022 with ten locations and added 12 more in 2023, one of which has now become a permanent plaza. Street Lab is providing programming and activation to these sites, as well as support with permits, logistics, staffing, partnerships, community engagement, and evaluation. In 2024, we’re working with over 20 groups to launch Open Streets and making a special effort with schools. Our goal is to double the number of locations we can support every year. Contact us to get involved.

A teacher explaining how to assemble a table to elementary school students on a street in NYC.

“The open streets have created a space for us to thrive as a community here at PS32, while we celebrate health, wellness, and one another! ….You can see, hear and feel the joy that has been created! And the best part is—we created it and can keep on creating it!”

Anna Goldman

Movement and Mindfulness Teacher, PS 32 (Belmont, Bronx)

Our Process

a moving image showing the progress from "partnership launched" to "site visits & meetings" to "planning & permits" to "outreach & engagement" to "activation" to "evaluation & next steps"

When a partnership is launched, we build our connection with host partners and the community through neighborhood visits and in-person meetings. We work with residents to explore how the new public space can bring immediate benefits and also support long-term goals of the neighborhood. We then provide planning and technical support, including scheduling and permitting of new Open Streets. When it comes time to activate the street, we provide support with site management, pop-up programming, promotion, and documentation. Following the season, we work with the community to determine next steps, with an eye towards empowering local groups to further develop and steward these new spaces into the future. 

A special effort to create Open Streets next to schools

A boy jumping a hurdle on a street in NYC.

In 2024, we’re making a special effort to create more car-free streets next to schools as part of our New Public Space Initiative. These kinds of new public spaces are urgently needed for safer drop-off and pick-up, but they can also offer dynamic new space for recess, after-school activities, and learning outside school walls. We see a unique opportunity with these spaces to bring out the best in New Yorkers and make learning a source of pride for the whole neighborhood. Learn more about Street Lab’s work on School Streets here.

A map of NYC with dots located mainly in the Bronx and Brooklyn. The label reads "Current" with street names and "Potential" with street names.

New Public Spaces in Progress

Decatur Ave
Fordham, Bronx

Decatur Block Association

Kids doing jump rope on the street.

Street Lab is wrapping up a successful summer at Decatur Ave Block Association’s new Open Street, with the group already looking to build on this success in 2025.

Learn more

A progress bar with six stages; this one has first five colored in blue and has a text "On the Street!" under the fifth dot.

E 150th St
Melrose, Bronx

PS/MS 5 with Equity Design and BX Health REACH

A view of a car-free open street in the Bronx, NYC on Halloween Day.

Street Lab piloted programming on two different blocks outside of PS/MS 5, including a Halloween event as part of DOT’s citywide “Trick-or-Streets” celebration in Fall 2023. We are currently working to engage the school community and plan a second year of School Streets continuing in the 2024-25 school year.

Learn more

A progress bar with six stages; this one has first four colored in blue and has a text "outreach & engagement" under the fourth dot.

Evelyn Pl
Fordham Heights, Bronx

I Am My Community

A group of Black men and a young boy posing in front of an apartment in New York City.

Evelyn Place recently finished their second year with an Open Street this summer, with updated no-parking regulations on the block, expanded hours, and additional support from the city. Street Lab lent them gear for the summer through our Equipment Library.

Learn more

A progress bar with six stages; this one has all six dots colored in blue and has a text "evaluation & next steps" under the last dot.

Goble Pl
Mount Eden, Bronx

Comprehensive Model School Project MS 327

A view of teenagers playing with colorful lego blocks on the street.

Located just below the Cross Bronx Expressway, CMSP 327 wrapped a successful spring season of their new Open Street, creating much-needed open space near the school. Street Lab and the school are exploring potential collaborations in the future.

A progress bar with six stages; this one has all six dots colored in blue and has a text "evaluation & next steps" under the last dot.

Audubon Ave
Washington Heights, Manhattan

NYC Dept. of Transportation

Children playing on a street.

DOT sponsored Street Lab to lead activations of the Audubon Open Street and coordinate a community-driven mural for the potential future pedestrian plaza.

A progress bar with six stages; this one has first five colored in blue and has a text "On the Street!" under the fifth dot.

Bathgate Ave
Belmont, Bronx

PS 59

A view of a vibrant open street next to a school.

Street Lab is working with PS 59 to pilot a new Open Street outside their school for the 2024-25 school year with different days for recess, after school programming, outdoor learning, community events, and even lunch outside for students.

A progress bar with six stages; this one has first five colored in blue and has a text "On the Street!" under the fifth dot.

E 148th St
Mott Haven, Bronx

Equity Design and BX Health REACH

Since first working together to create an Open Street in 2021, Street Lab is returning to PS 18X with our pop-up programs for another season. As ideas for use of the street have progressed, Street Lab is now supporting the school’s vision to use the street to increase bike usage and access in the neighborhood.

A progress bar with six stages; this one has all six dots colored in blue and has a text "evaluation & next steps" under the last dot.

Mt Hope Pl
Mount Hope, Bronx

PS 28 Mount Hope Centennial School

Group photo of students and some adults.

Street Lab helped create a new Open Street with PS 28 while the school playground is closed for construction, forcing indoor recess for students. Street Lab supported several pilot activations this past spring, with the street returning for the new school year. The school is now looking to build on their experience to create a consistent public space for the school and community in 2025.

A progress bar with six stages; this one has first five colored in blue and has a text "On the Street!" under the fifth dot.

Grand Ave
Morris Heights, Bronx

Bright Leaders Group Family Daycare

Bright Leaders Group Family Daycare is located in a residential area with little outdoor space available for daycare children and youths in the neighborhood. Street Lab partnered with the daycare to create a new Open Street outside their location, creating a new space for kids to play and the community to gather over the summer.

A progress bar with six stages; this one has all six dots colored in blue and has a text "evaluation & next steps" under the last dot.

Thatford Ave
Brownsville, Brooklyn

Brownsville Community Justice Center

Street Lab is partnering with Brownsville Community Justice Center to activate a new Open Street at the end of Thatford Ave at Belmont Ave near many local businesses. Thatford Ave is already used as a gathering spot, and the Open Street expands the ways in which people can use the street and creates more space for community.

A progress bar with six stages; this one has first five colored in blue and has a text "On the Street!" under the fifth dot.

Palisade Pl
Morris Heights, Bronx

PS 109

Students looking at a plant cart with a magnifying glass.

After starting with a one-day pilot last spring, Street Lab assisted PS 109 in joining the Open Streets initiative for the 2024-25 school year, with activations ongoing in the fall.

A progress bar with six stages; this one has first five colored in blue and has a text "On the Street!" under the fifth dot.

Strauss St
Brownsville, Brooklyn

Riverdale Avenue Community School (RACS)

Children playing on the street.

RACS tested closing their block with Street Lab, Equity Design, and DOHMH to increase access to bike programming this past spring as part of the Brownsville Bike Bus initiative. Now for the 2024-25 school year we are working with the school to expand programming on Fridays on their new Open Street.

A progress bar with six stages; this one has first five colored in blue and has a text "On the Street!" under the fifth dot.

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Recent news about New Public Spaces

Creating Open Streets next to NYC Public Schools

Creating Open Streets next to NYC Public Schools

Since Fall 2021, Street Lab has worked with seven public schools in the Bronx and Queens to pilot and launch Open Streets adjacent to the schools as part of our New Public Space initiative with the NYC Department of Transportation. Temporarily opening streets to...

Students at PS32 produce a video about Open Streets

Students at PS32 produce a video about Open Streets

Catch a short video about the Open Street on Beaumont Ave that Street Lab is creating with PS 32 in the Bronx, which was filmed and produced by the students at PS 32 in collaboration with The Media Spot, a nonprofit media literacy and training organization.

Street Lab Teens taking the lead on the street

Street Lab Teens taking the lead on the street

Sixteen talented public high school students just wrapped up their work with us, closing a remarkable season of Street Lab Teens where they helped lead Street Lab activations across the city. They collaborated beautifully with each other and our community partners,...

Videos

Street Lab’s Leslie Davol introduces Street Lab and NYC DOT partnership

Aug 8, 2023