Intern turned fulltime team member Sabina Unni talks about her early career development at Open Plans, and the impact of her work that she sees and hears everyday as she works with schools across New York City.

Tape becomes a tool for community building, creativity, and outside-the-box thinking in artist Kuki Go’s life-size street murals.

From successful advocacy outcomes to newfound freedoms in public spaces, 2023 has been an eventful year. In this edition of the newsletter, the Open Plans team looks back and shares their thanksgiving tidings.

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.

Asking people how they met their favorite people is infinitely interesting. Woven through these stories are shared values, shared vision, sometimes a shared love of food or books. In our case, it’s our shared love of New York City and the streets in our neighborhood.

Make your voice heard and let the City know that daylighting intersections across New York City make our streets safer. Physically daylit intersections in New York City will contribute to safer, more livable neighborhoods for all residents.

Holidays are more fun on people-centered streets. The magic of people-centered streets was on full display this fall. Thanks to DOT expanding on last year's first-ever Trick or Streets program, over 100 streets went car free in late October. Across the 5 boroughs, communities held costume parades, live music, candy giveaways, and Dia De Los Muertos altars.

Join the Open Plans community on Thursday, February 29th (leap day!) for a festive celebration of the people behind our city’s defining public spaces. From neighborhood-level ingenuity to citywide stewardship, the second annual Public Space Awards cheers the leaders and groups that nurture daily life in New York City’s public forum. Save the date and add it to your calendar!

Lifting parking mandates citywide will create a ripple effect of livability for New York City — spurring more affordable housing, cleaning air, safer streets, and more vibrant communities.

Join Open Plans and other advocates in supporting lifting parking mandates for housing, livability, and climate. Tell the Department of City Planning and your local Councilmember and Borough President to prioritize people over cars!

Stop by our fun, one-day-only installation this Saturday, October 21, from 10AM to 6PM as part of the fabulous Open House New York Weekend. Ever wonder what it would look like if the city prioritized people over parking spots? And what you can do to make that vision a reality? We've cooked up an experience that will allow you to step inside a better, more livable future - one where our housing comes before cars.

On Saturday, October 21st, we're doing something totally new as part of Open House New York Weekend. A free, annual festival, OHNY Weekend offers insider looks into hundreds of interesting and noteworthy places in NYC. And we have created our own noteworthy place that you can step inside for one day only.

Streetfilms Clarence Eckerson, Jr. chronicles the best things he saw during a trip to the Bay Area — including San Francisco’s abundant bus lanes, Emeryville’s bike-riding mayor, and a ‘top five ever’ ride along the Pacific.

Today the Department of City Planning and Mayor Adams made a historic announcement — full, citywide elimination of parking mandates is included in the City of Yes Zoning for Housing Opportunity text amendment. This is huge, and something that Open Plans has been working on for years.

Lifting parking mandates citywide will create a ripple effect of livability for New York City — spurring more affordable housing, cleaning air, safer streets, and more vibrant communities.