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We’re Working to Make the Amsterdam Avenue Side of Campus More Welcoming
Home to 11 performing arts organizations presenting an array of programming, Lincoln Center is recognized around the world as a cornerstone of New York City, known for its iconic Revson Fountain, open plaza, and the famous facades of its performance halls—all oriented to the east. But for those approaching from the Amsterdam Avenue side, the view of Lincoln Center is far less inviting, with little to no direct access to the campus.
In an effort to make our physical environment more welcoming to all, we are undertaking an ambitious participatory planning process with local community members and stakeholders across New York City to reimagine the Amsterdam Avenue side of the Lincoln Center campus.
About
Home to 11 performing arts organizations presenting an array of programming, Lincoln Center is recognized around the world as a cornerstone of New York City, known for its iconic Revson Fountain, open plaza, and the famous facades of its performance halls—all oriented to the east. But for those approaching from the Amsterdam Avenue side, the view of Lincoln Center is far less inviting, with little to no direct access to the campus.
In an effort to make our physical environment more welcoming to all, we are undertaking an ambitious participatory planning process with local community members and stakeholders across New York City to reimagine the Amsterdam Avenue side of the Lincoln Center campus.
Among the goals of the initiative are to:
• Physically transform Lincoln Center’s Amsterdam Avenue side to be more welcoming to communities approaching from the west
• Better serve close neighbors, including residents of New York City Housing Authority campuses at Amsterdam Houses and Addition, and students of LaGuardia High School of Music and Performing Arts and the six high schools at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Educational Complex
• Create an improved performance park to meet artistic and community goals
• Commemorate the history and public memory of San Juan Hill and historic Lincoln Square
The campus was originally developed as part of a series of “urban renewal” projects in the 1950s that razed the nearby San Juan Hill community. To honor the communities of that neighborhood, LCPA has invested in several major projects that shine a light on this important history and celebrate its significant cultural impact. These include the Legacies of San Juan Hill digital hub, a collaboration with the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College (CENTRO) and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, as well as a series of events and exhibits that engage with this history from a multitude of perspectives.
Years in the making, Legacies of San Juan Hill features scholarly essays, articles, multimedia, and a series of live events from a diverse slate of contributors. It is a resource that will grow over time.
This initiative is a continuation of Lincoln Center’s Commitment to Change, actioning bold projects across the campus—including the expansion of free artistic programs, designing and implementing a new Choose-What-You-Pay ticketing model, the reopening of a newly redesigned David Geffen Hall, and working with partners across the city to host blood drives, food banks, graduations, naturalization ceremonies, and more—that marry artistic work and civic service, all with a commitment to expanding equity.
We are collaborating closely with neighbors, partners, and constituents to ensure a broad array of stakeholders have a voice in the process. Together, we will explore how the Lincoln Center campus can be made more accessible, welcoming, and inclusive to create a greater sense of belonging for all.
An Inclusive Planning Process
Through a robust participatory planning and community engagement process, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (LCPA) is gathering input from the local community and broader public on how to create greater access along its Amsterdam Avenue side.
To date, approximately 6,200+ neighbors, advocates, community groups, nearby educational institutions, elected officials, civic leaders, and other members of the New York City community have shared their ideas, interests, questions, and feedback through interactive pop-ups, in-person and online surveys, a community mural and memory wall, community gatherings, interviews, and focus groups.
Summer Engagement (June – August 2023)
Pulling from the responses we gathered from the community during our summer engagements, we landed on the below Planning Process Values to guide this work:
• Prioritize community needs
• Damrosch Park should feel welcoming, especially from the west
• Damrosch Park should continue to be about the arts
• The Park should have a flexible design
• The Park should be designed for the widest range of users
Fall Engagement (October – December 2023)
November 1st Community Workshop
70 community members, artists, and scholars joined us for an in-person workshop to contribute their ideas for reimagining the future of Damrosch Park. Participants worked together in groups to voice what their priorities would be for the redesign of the park.
December 11th NYCHA Resident Community Workshop
Over 60 residents of the Amsterdam Houses and Amsterdam Addition contributed their ideas to help reimagine Damrosch Park as a more welcoming and accessible park for all.
Photos by Lawrence Sumulong
December 12th Student Workshop
Over 30 students from LaGuardia High School and high schools on the Martin Luther King Jr. Educational Campus contributed their ideas to help reimagine Damrosch Park as a more welcoming and accessible park for students and young people in their community.
Photos by Lawrence Sumulong
Spring Engagement (January – May 2024)
Photos by Lawrence Sumulong
March 4 Community Workshop
Over 200 participants attended our community workshop at the Rose Building on Lincoln Center’s campus to learn more about the project, meet directly with the design team, and contribute their thoughts and ideas on what they want to see in a reimagined Damrosch Park.
March 6 Student Workshop
Lincoln Center hosted over 100 local students at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Educational Campus to learn more about what they’d like to see in a reimagined Damrosch Park.
| A repeated point community members made was that they want the design to take a community-centric approach that emphasizes interaction and communication through thoughtful design. |
| The entrance should feel welcoming and offer pathways where everyone can enter, regardless of physical ability, particularly along Amsterdam Avenue and 62nd Streets. |
| Community members also feel strongly that we should prioritize greenery and sustainability. |
| Food options in Damrosch Park during events should reflect different cultures and ethnicities to enhance the park experience and cater to diverse tastes. |
What’s Next
The first stage of the process has been focused on understanding priorities, challenges, and opportunities. We’ve received strong interest across stakeholder groups and communities in exploring ways to make Damrosch Park a more inviting, multi-functional, and accessible space. The planning process transitioned into concept design in spring 2024, and these designs will incorporate community input and illustrate what visitors will experience and feel. Concept designs also provide a framework to ensure that every part of the design aligns with the project’s mission and goals before the design team dives into more detailed drawings.
After concept design, the project will enter a design phase where more detailed site plans and drawings will be generated. These designs begin incorporating technical consideration and access and sustainability goals, while ensuring that information heard during the planning process and concept design phases are incorporated.
FAQ
Get Involved
Join the over 6,200+ neighbors, advocates, community groups, nearby educational institutions, elected officials, civic leaders, and other members of the New York City community, who have shared their ideas, interests, questions, and feedback.
Stay tuned for more engagement activities to be announced as the process continues.
Have a question in the meantime? Contact [email protected].