City won’t reopen Chinatown’s Park Row to cars, but cops will have to park elsewhere

A agelong of Park Row that’s been closed since 9/11 volition not reopen to backstage vehicular traffic, but constabulary parking determination volition present beryllium restricted, according to the city’s Economic Development Corporation, which briefed assemblage members connected the determination Wednesday night.

The solution is portion of an Adams medication effort to redesign Chinatown’s Kimlau Square and its five-way intersection astatine Park Row’s bluish end.

“Last year, we announced a historical $56 million-dollar nationalist realm concern successful Chinatown that volition marque much-needed postulation information improvements astatine Chatham/Kimlau Square, grow the nationalist plaza footprint, and beautify the Park Row transportation to Chinatown,” Meera Joshi, the city’s lawman politician for operations said successful a statement.

“Our enactment with the Chinatown assemblage and each who live, work, and sojourn the country continues arsenic we determination the adjacent signifier of plan guardant to bring this neglected abstraction backmost to families, businesses and workers,” Joshi said.

Mayor Adams launches “Chinatown Connections,” a associated metropolis and authorities concern that volition dramatically amended the nationalist abstraction successful Chinatown done redesigning Park Row and Chatham/Kimlau Square successful Manhattan, connected Friday, Feb. 9, 2024. (Michael Appleton / Mayoral Photography Office)

Security concerns astir the road’s proximity to NYPD office — arsenic good arsenic different national instrumentality enforcement and judiciary buildings — person kept it connected lockdown for much than 23 years, with manned checkpoints astatine Worth St. and Frankfort St.

Then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg loosened restrictions successful 2018, allowing pedestrian and autobus traffic, but keeping the thoroughfare closed to backstage cars. For the past 2 decades, the roadworthy has mostly served arsenic parking for instrumentality enforcement officers.

The roadworthy program announced Wednesday, however, volition purpose to amended pedestrian information by removing each NYPD parking spaces on the eastbound broadside of the street, EDC officials said.

The determination is portion of an Adams medication effort to redesign Chinatown’s Kimlau Square and its five-way intersection astatine Park Row’s bluish end. (Google)

The two-decade roadworthy closure has been a contentious contented for country residents, with astatine slightest 1 conjugation of locals calling for the afloat reopening of the street arsenic a mode to reconnect vicinity businesses with the Financial District.

The Adams’ medication plans to put $55 Million successful adjacent Kimalu Square successful an effort to promote safer foot-traffic done the neighborhood.