Groundbreaking ceremony in Diversity Plaza, July 21. Photo: Nathaly Pesantez
July 21, 2017 By Nathaly Pesantez
Mayor Bill de Blasio and Councilmember Daniel Dromm, joined by city officials and local community groups, broke ground on the $4.5 million expansion and upgrade to Diversity Plaza today.
The project will bring new trees, planters and a performance space to the two block plaza on 37th Road between 74th Street and Broadway, as well as bike racks, moveable furniture and signage.
The mayor, during the groundbreaking ceremony, spoke to the plaza’s character as a gathering space for the immigrant community of Jackson Heights.
“Queens is the most diverse borough in the city, one of the most diverse places on earth, and Jackson Heights is the center,” Mayor de Blasio said. “Diversity Plaza is an epicenter of culture, community and vibrancy within New York City.”
Nearby streets will also be resurfaced, with infrastructure upgrades including new water mains, curbs, street lighting, and traffic signals.
Councilmember Daniel Dromm, who allocated $500,000 of city funds toward the plaza, read an excerpt from a 2016 issue of Time Magazine, where Diversity Plaza was chosen as one of “240 Reasons to Celebrate America.”
The Department of Design and Construction (DDC) is overseeing the plaza’s upgrade, with work expected to be completed in the summer of 2018, the Jackson Heights Post reported.
The two block stretch on 37th Road between 74th Street and Broadway was turned into a pedestrian space in 2012. It is managed by Social Uplift Knowledge and Hopes Initiatives and the Department of Transportation.
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19 Comments
Bagdad
It’s true!! I’ve lived here all my life. It’s gross and dirty. This is not a good thing. It’s going to be worse than before filled with a bunch a men and not family friendly. It’s all fenced up now and less people thank god..I hate walking through here with my kids.
It was better before when traffic went through. Dumbarton oaks,earle theater, the gay bar, Benny pizza, crossroads bar, now that’s diversity. This place is now gross.
Well said
Not happy about letting the businesses have the majority say here. At night this place is so filthy!! Drunks and trash everywhere and it’s all men. They say it will be better but so far this is a money pit. Activities are much, much easier staged on 73rd street on the other side of Roosevelt where there is far less traffic. Why this is an open plan is a real mystery and I predict it will do nothing to fundamentally change the attitudes and behavior of the people who are there presently who are IMHO not really as diverse as the community a block or two on either side of Roosevelt. HUGE amount of money for what is planned.
All about diversity and multiculturalism BUT you have to vote for the Democratic party .Pay to play folks!
Why waste the money on this dirty place
This is a joke
What a waste of money! This plaza is filled with seedy characters at night and Dromm just kisses everyones ass to get re elected with no opposition. What a sad state of affairs. Jackson heights is a dump and this is his solution just so he has a place to hold his pointless rallies.
This is fantastic! Gotta love Mayor de Blasio and Danny Drom! Great work! 🙂
Si Bill de Blasio is the second best Sandinista in the Western Hemisphere. He’s not really a communist and neither am I.
Are you drunk?
Mr. Dromm, the former educator who supposedly cares about children and education, would do far better to use those funds for school supplies and computers – in the public schools. Or how about funds to help the cash-strapped library? Or to provide more green space for ALL residents.
You do realize that this space will be open to ALL residents, don’t you?
What normal American wants to hang out here
Rats all over 73rd street
34th Ave to Roosevelt
What about that Danny Dromm ?
He is all for this wasting our tax payers money — another person they should get rid of
Who is “they,” anonymous?
4.5 Millllllllllllion ?
We need more trees
We need modern trash cans
We need more park areas
What a Scam
Just to secure Danny Dromm another
election
He caters to the Asian Community
… Donations ?
It’ll be filled with the Homeless
and dead beats
What a waste of money
Danny Dromm
The Lower 70s of Jackson Hrs
Traffic
Noise
Trash
Graffiti
Double parking
Erosion of sidewalks
Excessive festivals
Red spit all over sidewalks
Bad letter grade restaurants
Grease on sidewalks
Clogged storm drains
Nowhere to park
4.5 Milllllllllion ?
For what ? …. mored Votes ?