The Once and Future Park Avenue Promenade

The debate about whether the pedestrian-oriented changes made to the New York City streetscape during the pandemic should be permanent has a high-profile battleground on Park Avenue.

2 minute read

May 5, 2021, 6:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


John Surico writes about a planning opportunity that could restore the median of Park Avenue in Manhattan to its former prominence as a pedestrian promenade.

"It has been a long time, but once it was possible and even fashionable to take a stroll through a far different Park Avenue, one with a green swath of lush lawn and shrubbery nearly 40 feet wide. It was the city’s first linear park, where pedestrians took precedence over cars and there were plenty of benches to take a break," according to Surico.

A project to repair an underground, "cavernous" shed used by Metro-North commuter trains traveling in and out of Grand Central Station also offers an opportunity to "transform Park Avenue’s malls and restore them to their original splendor," reports Surico.

"The work requires ripping up nearly a dozen streets along Park Avenue, from East 46th to East 57th Streets, making possible a new vision for that stretch of the thoroughfare."

"Among the options the city is considering is bringing back chairs and benches, along with more ambitious ideas like expanding the median, eliminating traffic lanes and carving out room for bike lanes and walking paths."

The Park Avenue project is just one example of an ongoing, citywide debate about whether the pandemic offered a chance to permanently rethink the city's streets, providing more space for pedestrians and people on bikes instead of more and more cars. As with other examples around the city, "the removal of traffic lanes along Park Avenue is likely to elicit backlash from drivers who complain that the addition of pedestrian plazas and bike lanes across the city has made it increasingly difficult to get around," writes Surico. The city has already retreated from some of the open streets and bus priority plans crafted during the pandemic.

Tuesday, May 4, 2021 in The New York Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

U-Haul truck on road with blurred grassy roadside in background.

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?

Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

March 27, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Rusty abandoned oil well and equipment with prickly pear cactus next to it in West Texas.

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage

Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

March 31, 2025 - Pennsylvania State University

People sitting and walking in plaza in front of historic Benton County Courthouse in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners

How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.

March 28, 2025 - Emily McCoy

High-rise apartment buildings in Waikiki, Hawaii with steep green mountains in background.

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss

The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

1 hour ago - Honolulu Civil Beat

View of wide street in downtown Boise, Idaho with state capitol visible at end of street and blurred traffic going both directions at dusk.

Idaho Data: Unexpected Vehicle Repairs Exacerbate Housing Instability, Eviction Risk

Over 21 percent of clients struggle with transportation barriers.

3 hours ago - Idaho Capital Sun

Small, brightly lit bedroom with flowery sheets on single bed in supportive housing or nursing home.

A Year-Long Investigation On Permanent Supportive Housing

The New York Times reveals what’s working and what’s not in the cornerstone of Housing First.

5 hours ago - The New York Times