Midtown’s 5th Avenue Redesign Project Take a Big Step Forward
Plans continue to move forward for the long-time envisioned redesign of the 5th Avenue corridor between Bryant Park and Central Park. The Future of Fifth Partnership — a public-private partnership launched in 2022 between the city, the Fifth Avenue Association, the Grand Central Partnership, the Bryant Park Corp, and the Central Park Conservancy, recently received $152.7 million in funding from New York City. Designs to transform the corridor into a “pedestrian-centered boulevard” were created by the selected firms Arcadis, Sam Schwartz Engineering, and Field Operations. As part of the redesign, 5th Avenue’s sidewalks will nearly double in width to 33.5 feet each, more than 230 new trees will be planted along with approximately 20,000 square feet of planters, seating, and activation spaces. Initially unveiled in October 2024 by Mayor Eric Adams and the Future of Fifth Partnership, the project will be the first major redesign in the avenue’s 200-year history. A significant economic driver for the city, 5th Avenue is “responsible for 313,000 direct and indirect jobs and generating $44.1 billion in total wages and $111.5 billion in total economic output annually.” According to the October press release by the mayor’s office, construction if expected to break ground in 2028.