NYSkyWay

Concept by Stephen Holt May 23, 2012 StephenNMIHolt@gmail.com

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Concept
Make New York a three dimensional city. Unlock the beauty of its buildings by bringing pedestrians to eye level with some of its most fascinating architectural details. Create new grand vistas while opening an exciting pedestrian corridor that links the congested centers of Times Square and Herald Square to the lovely green spaces of Madison Square Park and Union Square. Create green spaces, retail opportunities, outdoor markets, an exciting architectural tour, a new and vibrant medium for the arts, and an alternative pedestrian commuting corridor three stories above street level.

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The Vision
An elevated, zigzagging, pedestrian walkway, connecting Time Squares Broadway Pedestrian Plaza to Union Squares Farmers Market. Resting approximately three stories above street level, this walkway will interact with buildings, brings focus to beautiful architectural elements, open new vistas, and breathe life into the relatively undeveloped NOMAD neighborhood. It will add a third dimension to our otherwise two dimensional pedestrian existence. This new corridor will draw crowds from overly congested areas such as Times Square and Herald Square and redistribute them to exciting parks such as Madison Square and Union Square. All of this will be achieved while creating a new means of commuting for New Yorkers fortunate to live or work near the SkyWay.

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Inspiration Hong Kong Elevated Walkway. Manhattan Bridge Pedestrian Walkway New York High Line
I first had this idea years ago as I walked along the Hong Kong Central Elevated Walkway. In building this Walkway, the Hong Kong government created an entirely new retail corridor, took congestion off of the streets and the intersections, and encouraged people to walk between buildings and get out of taxis. The idea was reinforced in my walks across the Manhattan Bridge Walkway which provides new perspectives on neighborhoods and architecture as it the crosses into Chinatown, passing Cherry, Monroe, Madison, and Henry Streets before depositing you onto the Bowery. Lastly, the opening of New Yorks High Line demonstrated the attractiveness of upper level walking corridors and reinforced my belief that these will one day be another exciting element of our great city.

Economic Benefits of an Elevated Walkway

NYSkyWay

To building owners: A zigzagging SkyWay creates opportunities for new, high value, commercial spaces three stories above ground. This will enable rents to be dramatically increased particularly on those that can be tied directly into the thoroughfare. Furthermore, the desirability to live and work in close proximity to the SkyWay will increase the value of neighboring buildings. This adjacency will also create other revenue opportunities for landlords as experienced by those in the vicinity of the High Line. To the City: The SkyWay creates an exciting new tourist experience for visitors to New York. Walking the SkyWay will become a must do which overtime will necessarily translate into more visitors and longer stays which serve to increasing City revenue. In addition, increased commercial rents in the vicinity of the SkyWay as well as higher property values will increase real estate tax and commercial rent tax collection. The SkyWay will also increase the pace of renewal in the corridor between 24th Street and 32nd Street while improving quality of life for citizens. Lastly, the corridor will branch off to Penn Station and Madison Square Garden alleviating the miserable congestion on 32nd Street and creating a pleasant new way to commute to work or walk to entertainment. To developers: Developers will have the opportunity to control a 1.3 mile corridor in the heart of Manhattan. Opportunities will be created to invest in buildings likely to benefit from the SkyWay, and to generate rental and advertising revenue from new retail spaces created on the corridor. In addition, fees could be charged for special situations and usage of the SkyWay. Negotiations with landlords wishing to physically tie into the SkyWay will allow the developer to participate in the radical increase in rents these landlords will achieve. For businesses that own their own buildings that would be natural tie ins to the SkyWay, such as ABC Carpet, or Macys, fees could charged for access points to their locations. Lastly, on days when the SkyWay is expected to be particularly congested, such as during parades, New Years Eve, etc., fees could be charged for entrance.

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Why The Timing Is Right

Since its opening in June of 2009, the High Line has demonstrated the beauty that can be revealed when we take ourselves just a few stories above the City and allow ourselves to interact with its architecture and vistas from a new perspective. At the same time, building values and rent rolls in the vicinity of the High Line have skyrocketed. The High Line draws tourists to an area not previously frequented and is considered an enormous success for business owners, landlords, neighborhood residents, and the City in general. This success will drive support for the NYSkyWay. The redesign of Broadway by the DOT beginning with Times Square in late 2008 and continuing to Union Square through the Fall of 2010 has created numerous new green spaces. These spaces, formerly part of Broadways traffic lanes, are large enough to accommodate stairwells and elevators to access an overhead structure. Prior to this still recent change, the opportunity for a SkyWay could not exist.

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The NYSkyWay will run along Broadway from Times Squares Pedestrian Plaza at 42nd Street to the Farmers Market at Union Square on 17th Street. It will also include a feeder line to Penn Station and Madison Square Garden at 32nd Street. The following pages contain a hypothetical look at the NYSkyWay as broken up in 10 sections.
In the next sections, portals, or entryways to the SkyWay, are indicated by outlined, red rectangles. Their sizes are based on the High Lines entry points and thus measure 8.5 x 8.5 for elevators and 23.5 x 9.5 for stairwells.

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Section 1: 17th to 19th Streets Union Square / Flatiron District

16th St.

17th St.

18th St.

19th St.

Union Square Park

The first portal ( ) to the SkyWay is at the northwest corner of Union Square Park at the beginning of the popular Farmers Market. It meanders north on Broadway touching the third floors of the iconic retailers, Paragon and ABC Carpet.

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Section 2: 19th to 22nd Streets. Flatiron

19th St.

20th St.

21st St.

22nd St.

19th Century Architectural Views

Here the SkyWay touches 902 Broadway where the City-backed workspace, General Assembly, resides. Two green spaces are created on the roofs of three story buildings between 20th and 21st Streets and 21st and 22nd. = Green Space.

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Section 3: 22nd to 25th Streets. Madison Square

22nd St.

23rd St.

24th St.

25th St.

The SkyWay creates new opportunities for tourists flocking to photograph the Flatiron Building by giving them fresh perspectives on their subject not to mention beautiful new vistas of Madison Square. A feeder line drops pedestrians into a sandy quadrant of the Park near the already popular Shake Shack. Other portals take advantage of proximity to the N / R subway at 22nd and the new outdoor food market, Madison Square Eats, at 25th Street. The long stretch from 23rd to 25th also creates interesting opportunities for art installations.

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Section 4: 24th to 27th Streets NOMAD (North of Madison Square Park)

24th St.

25th St.

26th St.

27th St.

A resting spot ( )is created on the one story building between 25th and 26th allowing for an elevation change in the SkyWay. The Skyway may rise at points and slope gently downwards at others to accommodate views or entrance points to buildings.

Architectural details come to life at new elevations

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Section 5: 27th to 30th Streets NOMAD

27th St.

29th St.

30th St.

28th St.

The SkyWay takes advantage of the run down, 1165 Broadway building at 27th & Broadway by running along its entire length and transforming it into an exciting new destination filled with possibilities. In addition, the rooftops of two, low level, buildings are used to create outdoor green spaces nearby. Public parking spaces are claimed for the portal between 28th and 29th Street. This portal also services guests at the popular Ace Hotel on 29th & Broadway and the always crowded Breslin restaurant. The Ace Hotel has been attributed with breathing life into this section of NOMAD.
A section of the nearly block long 1165 Broadway

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Section 6: 30th to 33rd Streets. NOMAD / Penn Station

30th St.

31st St.

33rd St.

32nd St.

Space from a parking lot at 31st & Broadway is used to create a portal. A feeder line heads West on 32nd Street to carry commuters to Penn Station and fans to Madison Square Garden. The 32nd Street portal also serves as the entrance to Korea Way and its popular restaurants.
Tri-State Transportation Campaign reports that the 34th Street Partnership's annual pedestrian survey counted nearly 70,000 people entering and exiting Penn Station at 32nd Street and Seventh Avenue.

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Section 7: 33rd to 35th Streets. Herald Square

33rd St.

34th St.

35th St.

Portals serve to drop tourists in key spots to visit department stores or to walk the block east to the Empire State Building. In this rendering, Macys creates a new third-floor entrance to take advantage of the pedestrian traffic. This section also provides commuters a chance to rise above busy congested intersections and sidewalks and instead stroll to or from Mid-Town.

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Section 8: 35th to 38th Streets. Garment District

35th St.

36th St.

37th St.

38th St.

At this stretch, efforts are made to widen the SkyWay when possible to create retail and seating opportunities as well as opportunities for art installations. Efforts will also be made to interact with unusual architectural elements such as the columns of the 1922, York & Sawyer designed, Greenwich Savings Bank building (now the Haier Building).

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Section 9: 38th to 40th Streets. Mid-Town

38th St.

39th St.

40th St.

This section continues the goal of widening the SkyWay when possible to create revenue opportunities for the developers as well as outdoor, elevated seating for neighborhood workers and tourists. Touch points on buildings will be created where feasible and interesting art installations will be part of the pedestrian experience.

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Section 10: 40th to 42nd Streets Times Square

40th St.

41st St.

42nd St.

This important section marks the feeder point for the crowds who gather in Times Squares Broadway Pedestrian Mall. At this point, inviting escalators will ferry people to and from the SkyWay. The widened section from 41st to 42nd Streets will allow camera happy tourists opportunities to snap photos while retail stalls will offer light food, beverages, and souvenir items. The SkyWay will enhance the already exciting experience of visiting Times Square.

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Pedestrian Flow
Certain sections of the SkyWay will offer express walking lanes with slower lanes for those pausing to take in the sites.

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Summary The NYSkyWay will create an inviting, pedestrian link between important neighborhoods. It will thin the crowds on congested street corners while serving as a magnet to attract new people to our Citys center. It will create new business and revenue opportunities for landlords, business owners, and the City and make New York an even bigger draw than it already is. It will unlock the hidden architectural gems that go largely unnoticed, create new broad vistas for our public, and serve as a broad canvas for innovative art installations. In the future, new links can reach Bryant Park and Grand Central and perhaps continue the journeys north and south along Broadway, our Citys oldest and most storied Avenue.

The End