Design and Construction Report staff writer
Mayor Eric Adams announced $50 million in new funding Friday to improve “The Arches,” the public space beneath the Brooklyn Bridge on the Manhattan side near City Hall, as part of his Fiscal Year 2026 Executive Budget. The investment will add amenities such as seating, landscaping, lighting, and other upgrades to enhance the area’s appeal.
The announcement came as Adams officially cut the ribbon on a newly revitalized portion of the space, returning over two acres of public space to the local Chinatown community. This expansion adds to more than one acre of public space previously reopened and is part of the mayor’s “We Outside Summer” initiative to provide safe and engaging outdoor experiences citywide.
“Public space in this city is precious — it’s where our families create memories, it’s where our children play, and it’s where communities come to relax,” Adams said. “Today, we return two more acres of public space back to the local Chinatown community at ‘The Arches,’ giving New Yorkers more outdoor space to exercise, engage with others, and enjoy.”
The phased reopening of “The Arches” began in 2023, but Friday marked the unveiling of the largest plaza portion, which includes access to the iconic vaulted archways of the Brooklyn Bridge. The bridge, a National Historic Landmark, has undergone more than $1 billion in improvements in recent years.
Deputy Mayor for Operations Jeff Roth called the project “an architectural marvel” and praised community advocates who helped bring it to completion. “In the shade of the iconic Brooklyn Bridge, this project delivers many things — a proper home for skating in one of the sport’s global hubs, and a place to relax in a neighborhood with too few,” Roth said.
The revitalized space supports a range of activities, from sports like pickleball and basketball to quiet seating areas. It also marks the return of the “Brooklyn Banks,” a historic skateboarding site redesigned in partnership with Gotham Park and Tony Hawk’s nonprofit The Skatepark Project.
City officials highlighted the importance of the project for neighborhoods like Chinatown and Lower Manhattan, where open space is limited.
“The Arches” is named for the 53 adjacent arches under the Brooklyn Bridge and had been used as a contractor staging area during bridge restoration projects for more than a decade. The revitalization supports the city’s broader goal of creating equitable and vibrant outdoor spaces across New York City.
