NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Until this weekend, those who wanted to explore the future of New Rochelle at Anderson Plaza had to visit via the virtual world, but now, just in time for Earth Month celebrations, the city’s newest public space is open.
The $4 million upgrade project is shined, polished and ready for warm weather festivals or a quiet lunch in sunshine.
“We are excited to invite residents, business people, and visitors to experience the changing face of downtown New Rochelle,” Mayor Noam Bramson said, formally opening the new community space. “Anderson Plaza illustrates New Rochelle’s commitment to pedestrian-friendly urban design and to the activation of public spaces, with historic growth fostering a cityscape that is attractive, accessible, engaging, and fun.”
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The newly upgraded plaza is envisioned as something of a focal point for the growing community downtown. The popular farmers market that was held at Ruby Dee Park Library Green prior to the pandemic will move to Anderson Plaza.
Removable bollards will contract and expand the plaza, temporarily closing the nearby roadway as needed for farmers markets or other events like concerts. In the summer months, the public square will have a splash pad, making the park-like environment not just a place to meet and relax, but also a place to beat the heat with the family.
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“Investing in our community by offering new and improved experiences for existing public spaces is an important part of New Rochelle’s evolution,” City Manager Kathleen Gill said. “Anderson Plaza is a great example of how a community can reimagine an established neighborhood focal point and, in doing so, create more value for everyone living, working, or visiting downtown New Rochelle.”
At the Anderson Plaza groundbreaking ceremony in July, visitors were able to catch a sneak peek of what the plaza would look like through VR technology using NRVR, the city’s community engagement platform. Now that the space is open IRL, the virtual experience didn’t quite do the brand new public plaza justice.
The new Anderson Plaza meets the promise of being both functional and flexible. The upgrades designed by Designed by Starr Whitehouse kept in mind the need to support the local small businesses that neighbor the plaza. The square is also expected to be a go-to space for civic, arts and community events.
“I am a proud small business owner and devoted community member of New Rochelle,” Plaza neighbor and owner of Town Pizza Nikolaos Gliatis said. “I applaud the City for utilizing efficient and effective approaches to the evolution of our community. This innovative new renovation to Anderson Plaza is a living example of meaningful development initiatives impacting and improving all facets of not just our own, but our families’ lives, too.”
Features (that are now much more life-like than in the virtual renderings) include new outdoor seating options and refreshed natural-looking landscaping. There is even a sleek new café space.
New Rochelle’s newest public improvement project has been billed as a “bellwether for the city’s continued evolution as an inclusive, forward-thinking walkable city.” The claim might sound like hyperbole, but the ambitious revitalization might just help to redefine how we think about downtown.
SEE ALSO: New Rochelle’s Pedestrian-Friendly Future Breaks Ground
In an innovative public-private partnership, developers Wilder Balter Partners and LMXD, and the City of New Rochelle began construction on the $4 million transformation of both Anderson Plaza and nearby Anderson Street.
Anderson Street is a one-way thoroughfare between North Avenue and LeCount Place in New Rochelle’s Downtown Overlay Zone. Anderson Plaza is an adjoining, public open space that was identified as underused despite its prime downtown location. The renovated plaza is expected to grow into a remarkably versatile public retail corridor that will help draw foot traffic.
“New Rochelle continues to shine throughout New York as a leading case of what mindful civic expansion looks like outside of New York City – and it’s working – attracting an increased
number of young professionals growing families each year,” New Rochelle Development Commissioner Adam Salgado said. “The redevelopment of Anderson Plaza offers residents, new and old, a welcoming, engaging, quality space for our everyone.”
The reopening of Anderson Plaza was timed for the Earth Day Weekend. On Saturday, the plaza hosted New Rochelle’s first official Earth Day celebration, “Invest in our Planet,” featuring a sustainable marketplace with community gardens, green businesses, non-profits, crafters and a petting zoo. The event was timed to coincide with New Rochelle’s annual citywide Parks Cleanup weekend.
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