A joint city and state investment has been announced for projects that will improve the public space in Chinatown through redesigning Park Row and Chatham/Kimlau Square — making the area safer, more-pedestrian friendly, and more welcoming.
“Chinatown Connections” award $44.3 million in city capital funding with $11.5 million from New York state’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative awards for a total project budget of $56 million.
“Our $56 million joint investment with the state in ‘Chinatown Connections’ will allow us to reimagine the square with shortened street crossings, more public space, simpler intersections, and direct cyclist connections — making our streets even safer for all New Yorkers to share,” said Mayor Eric Adams. “We’ll beautify Park Row, making it easier for New Yorkers and tourists to get from the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge to Chinatown and all the small businesses here, and we’ll give Chinatown the entrance it deserves with a new Welcome Gateway that honors this neighborhood’s rich cultural heritage.
“At every step of the way, we will work hand-in-hand with the local Chinatown community so that the project reflects what the community wants and needs from our city. This announcement is another step in our work to revitalize the future of Chinatown and reimagine the urban experience for all New Yorkers.”
Reimagining Chatham/Kimlau Square
Currently, Chatham/Kimlau Square has a five-point intersection with complex traffic issues.
An upcoming traffic study will inform redesigning Chatham/Kimlau Square to create a standard, four-way intersection, larger public space, shorter pedestrian crossings, and direct cyclist connections.
The study will also evaluate the option of either keeping Park Row closed to private car traffic or reopening Park Row in the future with a redesigned Kimlau Square.
The study will take into consideration both existing traffic conditions and future traffic conditions under congestion pricing. Following that study and a community engagement process, construction is scheduled to begin in 2027, with estimated completion in 2029. Approximately $5 million of the $11.5 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative award will go towards this redesign.
