Lower Manhattan Development CorporationPort Authority of New York and New Jersey50Lower Manhattan is a densely developed and archaeologically rich place,with centuries of history dating back to the Native American and the earlyDutch settlers. As it has grown, however, relatively little land has been devel-oped as park and recreational space. With the creation of the Battery ParkCity Authority and the Hudson River Park Trust, significant new park andopen space was developed in response to the increase in residential population.The Hudson River Park, the Battery Park City Esplanade and Battery Parkare waterfront spaces that offer recreational facilities for families and greenspaces for passive recreation. Aside from these waterfront amenities, thereis very little public park space in Lower Manhattan. Furthermore, the destruc-tion of the World Trade Center removed the 5-acre Austin J. Tobin plaza fromthe public realm. The waterfront, which wraps 270 degrees around Lower Manhattan, is one ofdowntown’s most precious and unique assets. It is currently underutilized butfull of potential. The Hudson River Park is a linear recreation way that createsthe potential to extend a green band of park and recreational facilities along thewestern waterfront. The eastern waterfront and the South Street Seaport havethe potential for new recreational uses that have not yet been fully explored.Parks and RecreationUrban Design ElementsHudson RiverPark, viewlooking southfrom ChelseaManhattanSignificant new park and recreational opportunities are still needed through-out Lower Manhattan, especially for families and workers at lunchtime. LowerManhattan’s residents, workers and visitors need improved access to thewaterfront, and more active recreational facilities like the rink at RockefellerCenter. Indeed, Rockefeller Center is a model of a successful public open spacein Manhattan that is a popular destination. Many people are surprised at howsmall the rink, Channel Gardens and public spaces are—just under one acre—given the feel and flow of the space. There are few large open spaces in Lower Manhattan. In Midtown, BryantPark on 42nd Street plays an important role, providing an urban living roomwhere office workers can eat lunch on weekdays, shoppers, tourists and visitorscan relax on weekends, and special events such as film showings and fashionshows are held regularly. The park brings together millions of people fromdiverse backgrounds, and it has increased the property values of surroundingcommercial office buildings. Lower Manhattan Development CorporationPort Authority of New York and New Jersey51Parks and RecreationUrban Design ElementsRockefeller Center Rink, Manhattan Rockefeller Center Channel Gardens, ManhattanBryant Park ManhattanSmall parks make an important difference as well. Amid the narrow canyonsand winding streets of Lower Manhattan, small public squares and pocketparks like Rector Place and Bowling Green provide visual relief and offer anopportunity for peaceful relaxation.Herald Square at 34th Street is an excellent example of a small but dynamicpublic space that is well used by office workers, shoppers, visitors and families.Paley Park, with its waterfall, is a successful and popular luncheon destinationfor workers in Midtown. These spaces increase the value of the real estatesurrounding them, creating an attractive destination that can be funded andmaintained by the local business improvement district levy on property taxes.Lower Manhattan Development CorporationPort Authority of New York and New Jersey52Parks and RecreationUrban Design ElementsHerald SquareManhattanLower Manhattan Development CorporationPort Authority of New York and New Jersey53Commercial Office SpaceUrban Design ElementsThe World Trade Center complex contained over 11 million square feet ofcommercial office space, including the 10 million square feet leased bySilverstein Properties and the 760,000 square feet of space leased by the UnitedStates Customs Service. Overall, the destroyed space constituted 11.6% of alloffice space in Lower Manhattan, the third largest central business district inthe United States and home to Wall Street, the financial center of the world.For Lower Manhattan to retain its status as an important, vibrant office districtand the international center of trade and finance, Class A commercial officespace should be rebuilt on the site and its environs. Office development inLower Manhattan has lagged behind development in midtown for decades,and the need for new office construction presents an opportunity to bring newvitality to the area. There are numerous precedents for functional, attractive,and inspiring office complexes.Begun in the 1930s, Rockefeller Center is among the most famous office com-plexes in the world. An oasis in the heart of the city, Rockefeller Center hasbeen a catalyst for development in Midtown. Initially covering three city blocks,this fourteen building complex includes a mix of indoor and outdoor spaces.Rockefeller Center is a dense and efficient office complex with ground leveland below grade retail uses. The Channel Gardens and Rink, although lessthan one acre in area, are famous public spaces, attracting New Yorkers andtourists year-round, with the largest draw coming to see the famed Christmastree during the holiday season.RockefellerCenter is recognized bothfor its distinctoffice complexas well as for itswell used publicopen spaces.Rockefeller CenterManhattanLower Manhattan Development CorporationPort Authority of New York and New Jersey54Located in the heart of Chicago’s Loop, this modernist office complex is oneof the city’s architectural icons. Consisting of three federal buildings, thecomplex was designed as part of a master plan, and includes one of the mostbeautiful urban plazas in the United States. The open spaces are enhancedby the use of columns that raise portions of the towers one level up, leavingmore open space at ground level. The buildings are both a part of the formalChicago street grid and removed from it, providing additional light, air, andvisual relief for pedestrians.The sculptural Bank of China Building is both an efficient office tower and anarchitectural icon. Built in the 1980’s in the Central District in Hong Kong, theangular building is an anchor to the city’s commercial center. Hong Kong’sdramatic skyline is a source of pride for the territory’s six million residents, andthere is little doubt that the Bank of China
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