Rendering c/o Broadway Mall Association / Future Green
The Broadway Mall Association (BMA) is currently undergoing a restoration project which was initially planned before the pandemic.
Advertisement
Architecture studio Future Green drew up plans in 2019 which aim to create an “ecological redesign of the malls, removing the aging, invasive ivy and other undesirable species, replacing them with a dense, diverse palette of locally native plant species.”
The project is now being put into place at two sites: the malls at 83rd-84th street and at 73rd-74th streets. These locations represent two of their five “test malls”; a BMA representative tells us that over time, they “plan to redo all malls from 70th through 168th Street.”
Rendering c/o Broadway Mall Association / Future Green
The shift toward native plants offers several benefits: it reduces the need for chemicals, decreases water dependency, supports pollinators and other wildlife, and enhances carbon sequestration, which aids in protecting the environment from extreme heat and weather events.
Advertisement
The project aims to create more inviting public spaces while “greatly enhancing the habitat value and ecological services that they provide.”
Planting at 83rd-84th streets is targeted to begin April 22; this will begin with woody shrubs and trees followed by perennials, grasses and ferns. They’re expected to be complete by May 31. The BMA is aiming to restore the site at 73rd-74th streets next, with a hopeful completion by spring 2026.
Ian Olson, the BMA’s Director of Horticulture, gave a presentation about the project during Community Board 7‘s Monday meeting. It can be viewed in full here.
Why am I not surprised that the first two malls are below 86th St?
Hi David! BMA is also currently working on the restoration of 164th – 165th Street. More information can be found here: https://broadwaymall.org/restoration-and-management-plan/
Because you don’t surprise easily?
Second block completed in 2026? By my calculations, the entire stretch should be done some time around 2100. My grandkids will be dead. But they are moving along.
I’M PLEASED ABOUT THIS – LIVING RIGHT ON BROADWAY, THE MALL IS MY VIEW AND MY MINI PARK AND I AM PROUD MY BUILDING IS PART OF THE BROADWAY MALL ASSOCIATION – BUT the painting of the benches is way overdue.