This month, finishing touches were put on a Street Improvement Project years in the making. Using 5 mph signs, beautifully painted curb extensions, planters, and safety stones, West 103rd Street between Amsterdam and West End Avenue in Manhattan has been transformed into a people-centered space.

In Queens, Thomas Edison High School is a perfect candidate for a school street, the powerful program that keeps NYC students safe and unlocks a world of potential. But to get one, Thomas Edison must engage in a daunting application process to the DOT. Open Plans is trying to help.

Watch these behind-the-scenes videos of public space transformations in New York City by Clarence Eckerson, Jr. of Streetfilms. Eckerson has filmed many of the recent winners of Open Plans’ Public Space Awards.

Streetfilms’ intrepid video chronicler Clarence Eckerson, Jr. takes you through five of his most-loved videos of all time in this first installment of a new monthly blog series.