Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of examinations of various public spaces in New York City. This series will focus on current ownership, programming, and maintenance of public spaces, as well as examining possibilities for future improvements.

Introduction to Allen Street Malls

***A well-manicured, well-maintained section of the Allen Street Malls.***

What is it? Thirteen center-median public spaces running south from Houston Street to South Street through both the Lower East Side and the eastern edge of Chinatown. Nine segments are called “The Allen Street Malls” and four are “The Pike Street Malls.”

Who runs it? There is no dedicated manager, but portions of the Malls are serviced by the Lower East Side BID and portions by the Chinatown BID. Additionally, the Malls are designated as a NYC Department of Parks and Recreation space, with the customary green maple leaf signage.

Why we’re writing about it: It’s an under-utilized public space that’s been stagnating in the middle of a very nice, but half-finished, renovation for the last ten years.

Stretching about a full mile from the south side of Houston Street in the bustling Lower East Side, the Allen Street Malls provide a mix of shade, seclusion, protected bike lanes, benches, and tables along its concourse until they end (after turning into the “Pike Street Malls,” when Allen Street turns into Pike Street as you cross East Broadway), rather scenically, at the base of the Manhattan Bridge and the posh One Manhattan Square condo at the corner of Pike and South Streets. The viewpoints here are exceptional, although they have yet to be discovered by the tourists who make the corner of Washington and Water their home in DUMBO across the river.

Sounds great, right? Only one teensy little problem: although the first of the 13 malls was renovated well over 15 years ago, only FIVE of the 13 segments have been completed. The other 7 were never even started. Even more weirdly, the first three segments south of Houston are unrenovated, until you hit Delancey Street. Then the next three, between Delancey and Hester, ARE renovated. Then the next five, between Hester and Madison, are unrenovated. The final two, between Madison and South Street, ARE renovated.

Confused yet?

So are we, alas. The renovated sections feature full canopies of trees (which all the malls have, fortunately), but they also have tons of other small trees, bushes, plants, and flowers, as well as winding pedestrian and bike paths, nicer benches, tables and chairs, and other features.

The unrenovated sections? Long uninterrupted slabs of concrete, with the northbound/southbound bike lanes bracketing the outside of the malls. Large trees, lighting, garbage cans, a few mismatched benches–that’s about it.

*The agony and the ecstasy: an unrenovated section of the malls.*

Current Conditions as of 2023

*Renovated, but with sanitation/maintenance issues: we’re more than halfway there.*

The conditions of the malls vary so widely from block to block that it’s impossible to make one specific statement about them. The lower malls, both the renovated and unrenovated sections, seem to be a bit better maintained, with fewer sanitation issues (which could also be due to the fact that the lower malls have less pedestrian usage), while the upper malls are littered with garbage, broken bikes, random objects (while still being used by all sorts of folks, even given their serious sanitation issues).

Section 1: Unrenovated Malls Between Houston and Delancey Streets

*All the weight of the world: here’s all the things you CAN’T do here…in three languages.*

If you hit Allen Street Malls from the upper end, at Houston Street, you’re greeted with this dumpy, below-eye-level sign that lists a lot of prohibitions about what you can and (mostly) can’t do at the malls. Here’s another shot:

The last segment of the unrenovated first three malls, just north of Delancey Street, sports a closed bathroom building that is also fenced off:

It’s currently a sad state of affairs that could be transformed from a neighborhood eyesore to a true asset.

Section 2: Renovated Malls Between Delancey and Hester Street

Well, we all know interesting things happen when you cross Delancey, right? Because as soon as you hit the next mall segment, you have a giant sea change: the malls have been fully renovated with more greenery, sculptures, pavers, bike lanes, better benches, and tables and chairs.

*Lots of greenery, lots of garbage: complexity and contradiction on the Lower East Side.*

It’s clear that this renovation makes these segments much more desirable and more highly trafficked; unfortunately, sanitation and maintenance have not kept up with this higher-use model. There is garbage strewn everywhere, pavers are cracking, and there is graffiti in evidence.

The four malls south of Delancey have been made into two extra-long segments, as both Stanton Street and Hester Street are closed to crosstown traffic; only Grand Street bisects the malls with thru traffic. However, the southern half of the second long segment (running between Hester and East Broadway) is unrenovated as well.

Section 3: Unrenovated Malls between Hester and Madison Streets

We now get to a five-mall section that is completely unrenovated and has the most serious ground/structural issues. Many of these sections are totally devoid of charms, if not pigeons. The bike lanes now run on the outer edges of the malls; bare benches don’t improve the situation. The less said about this section of the malls, the better.

*Construction is as construction does: not exactly a beautification initiative.*

Section 4: Renovated Malls between Madison and South Streets

Once again, the aesthetic shifts sharply simply by crossing a street; this time it’s Madison Street and the malls are now “The Pike Street Malls” as Allen Street has a new name down here.

Not only are the “inset” bike lanes and pavers back, but there are some nice curved benches, tables and chairs, greenery, and a noticeable lack of garbage strewn about. Maintenance is happening here, even though it is made easier by the fact that these segments may not be as highly trafficked as the malls further to the north.

The malls then end rather dramatically as the Manhattan Bridge soars over the FDR Drive, while the giant glass Manhattan One Tower rises to the left and the massive Manhattan Bridge base hulks to the right. While there is no visual connection to the park underneath the FDR Drive, the bike path on the malls connects rather easily to the bike path running north/south under the FDR.

How to Improve The Malls–Cheaply

Well, we don’t know if it’s cheap, exactly, but since 5 of the 13 malls have been renovated to a particular spec, why not the other 8? There are no major structural issues in redoing the unrenovated malls: everything is surface-level, with the main features being a much more protected biking experience, much more greenery with new plantings, new benches and other furniture, and new lighting and trash bins.

A second step does need to happen, however: the existing malls need to be better maintained, specifically the renovated segments between Delancey and Hester. There’s no point in making these malls beautiful only to junk them up again by not picking up the garbage and removing the graffiti. Any cracked pavers should also be replaced. These small steps will increase use and will foment a greater degree of civic engagement, and it’s cheap at the price.

But as with so many projects we come across, the main issue of the Malls is underuse. The new design of the renovated portions is lovely, but it is separated from the vibrancy of the retail streetfront on either side. There are very few “things to do” here, and the result is that homeless folks who are being chased around the neighborhood (the NYPD is making an effort to clear them out of nearby Sara D.Roosevelt Park where many children play) dominate the space. It is a downward spiral from there. The solution: maintenance, cleanliness, and activity.

Bringing the Project to a New Level

This is where we start to talk about how to improve the malls that have ALREADY been renovated, as well as suggesting that when more malls ARE renovated, that these initiatives are in place from the beginning. For instance, what can make these malls more engaging to passersby? Is there a place on the stretch of malls for an outreach center, a coffee or other kiosk, or other public service? Can these malls be programmed the way a park or a public space can be programmed?

The answer to all the above is yes. Here’s some specific suggestions:

String Lighting

Adding string lighting to the malls would utterly transform these spaces after dark. Everyone who even gets the merest glimpse of the string lights, from any direction, would immediately want to go and investigate to see what was going on. The friendliness and camaraderie that string lights over a well-lit, well-maintained public space, should be considered. It’s a $5 solution to a $10 million-dollar problem. The current light fixtures, beautiful and modern, are perfectly fine but they do not make a space. They simply provide the minimum standard of nighttime lighting. This is the type of work that the local BIDs could put in place easily and cheaply.

A bit more overall lighting would not hurt either, the poles could be upgraded to twin heads, as was done in Bryant Park years ago. This would also promote a sense of safety in the evenings. Fiat Lux!

Conversion of Bathroom to Coffee Kiosk/Information Booth

The classic kiosk on the north side of Delancey Street, formerly a dual men’s/women’s bathroom, is hearkening back to a bygone era where cities provided public places of relief for residents. It is not in use but it is standing. The chances of this becoming a functioning bathroom in the future are infinitesimal, but it certainly wouldn’t be the worst idea. However, we think it’s much more fun and practical to consider this to be a great place to provide both a coffee option as well as an information booth–a booth that can be occasionally occupied by both members of the Lower East Side and Chinatown Business Improvement Districts. Both BIDs could hand out information, direct visitors, and gather survey data on the malls and the surrounding neighborhoods. Parks should hand out a 50-year lease to anyone serious who is willing to invest to renovate and improve the building.

If Money Was No Object…And Why Would it Be?

The Malls, besides the completion of their renovation, require two main elements: daily programs that will bring them into the life of the neighborhood, and a better integration with the street.

Daily programs are truly key. The space now is abandoned to the user of last resort, with few exceptions such as where some of these fixed chairs and tables are:

But overall the space is bleak and a missed opportunity to enliven a very vibrant part of the City. Someone needs to care here, and do so every day even in the face of short-term problems and antisocial usage. There could be games, movable seating, garbage cleanup, the integration of a kids playground, and commerce. Sanctioned, legal, commerce would do a great deal to make the malls come alive.

Finally, there is the conception of the design of the upgraded malls itself. Mexico City has excellent examples of center street malls - such as around Amsterdam Street or Mazatlan, which benefit from the luxurious local climate and sustain rich, colorful plant life. There they are an escape from narrow sidewalks and mostly residential environments. The Allen Street Malls are different. They exist in a much busier place, alongside fully commercial streetfronts. Still, In Mexico City, they have numerous openings, including midblock, that make it very easy for pedestrians to “jump” into the protected central section of the street and stay there. In contrast, the Allen Street Malls only allow entry at street corners and most people are likely to only cross or continue on the main sidewalks. The Malls are a destination that requires effort rather than a way to make one’s path around town faster, easier, and more pleasant.

Even the renovated sections should be reconsidered to provide mid-block crossings, as well as visual cues that will encourage people to divert their path toward the Malls.

In Conclusion

The Allen Street Malls are a good idea with enormous potential to define a beautiful corridor in Manhattan. But to fulfill that role, rather than drag down the area, the place requires leadership: both optimistic and indefatigable. The hope that someone else will do something or that a capital project alone will cure all ills will not solve the problems of the Malls. A good way to do this would be to create a dedicated “Friends” group and enlist both local institutions (BIDs and others) as well as the Parks Department of other relevant city agencies, as well as some of the larger owners, investors, and businesses to provide momentum and some resources for the project. That’s the best–and probably only–way that the needle can move on this current underutilized public space.