Core Plan Commitments
In 2012, the New York City Council approved NYU’s Core Plan granting NYU permission to develop new facilities on the two superblocks bounded by West 3rd Street and Houston Street to the north and south, and by Mercer Street and Laguardia Place to the east and west. With the guidance of Council Member Margaret Chin and the City, NYU agreed that in addition to the approved plan, NYU would fulfill a series of commitments to the community. These commitments include enhancing spaces for public use, implementing construction mitigation measures, incorporating sustainability initiatives, and formalizing oversight procedures for construction and open space maintenance. Read about current updates below.
Visit the Core Commitments Progress Report to learn more about the steps NYU is taking to fulfill the commitments to the community. For information about construction on the superblocks, please visit the Construction on the Superblocks page. Contact Community Engagement with any other questions.
For previous updates, please explore the Update Archive.
As a part of NYU's commitments to the community, NYU will construct the Greene Street Playgarden (above) and the Greene Street Walk pedestrian passageway (top right and bottom) to the west of the 181 Mercer Street building.
Update Archive
Please note that some documents have been taken offline in line with website accessibliity guidelines. If you need to see a document below and the link is broken, please be in touch with our office at community.engagement@nyu.edu. If you need accessibility support for any of these documents, please fill out NYU’s digital accessibility request form.
2018 Updates
Update
December 1, 2018
Visit the Core Commitments Progress Report to learn more about the steps NYU is taking to fulfill the commitments to the community. For information about construction on the superblocks, please visit the Construction on the Superblocks page. Contact Community Engagement with any other questions.
For previous updates, please explore the Update Archive.
2017 Updates
Update
December 11, 2017
Minor modifications to the 181 Mercer Street design were approved by the New York City Planning Commission.
Visit the Core Commitments Progress Report to learn more about the steps NYU is taking to fulfill the commitments to the community. For information about construction on the superblocks, please visit the Construction on the Superblocks page. Contact Community Engagement with any other questions.
For previous updates, please explore the Update Archive.
2016 Updates
Update: 181 Mercer Street
December 8, 2016
Read an update from NYU President Andy Hamilton about the 181 Mercer Street programming and design.
Update: 181 Mercer Street
July 19, 2016
The University is scheduled to commence the demolition of the Coles Sports and Recreation building this August. Visit the 181 Mercer Street construction page.
Update: Creation of Construction Committee
July 15, 2016
With the guidance of Council Member Margaret Chin and the City, NYU agreed that in addition to the approved plan for the superblocks, NYU would fulfill a series of commitments to the community. One of these commitments requires the formation of a Construction Committee by either the Borough President or Community Board 2.
Borough President Gale Brewer elected to form the Committee with representatives from the local community and has invited her colleagues who represent the local area to join her. As part of the committee's formation, NYU has designated a liaison to participate in the committee and respond to any issues or concerns raised.
Update: Open Spaces Update
May 20, 2016
Construction on the open spaces on Bleecker Street (between LaGuardia Place and Mercer Street) and on LaGuardia Place (between West 3rd Street and Bleecker Street) is complete. These spaces are now open to the public.
Update: Mercer-Houston Dog Run Relocation
March 2, 2016
NYU relocated the dog run managed by the Mercer-Houston Dog Run Association (MHDRA) to the north side of Houston Street west of 181 Mercer Street (the Coles building). For more information about the dog run and membership options, visit mercerhoustondogrun.org.
Update: 181 Mercer Street
February 11, 2016
This new building will provide space for the NYU community and surrounding neighbors, including a modern athletic facility, new classrooms, performing arts space, student and faculty housing, and approximately 7,500 gross square feet of space for a public atrium and community facility uses. Read more.
Update: Public Space Maintenance and Operations Agreement Update
February 3, 2016
NYU has executed a maintenance and operations agreement with the Department of Parks and Recreation for the maintenance and operations obligations for the public open spaces on the superblocks.
Update: The Opening of 404 Lafayette Street and the Closing of Coles
January 25, 2016
Read updates about the opening of 404 Lafayette Street and the closing of Coles.
Update: Independent Construction Monitor
January 15, 2016
With the approval of the Department of City Planning, Henningson, Durham & Richardson Architecture and Engineering, P.C. (HDR) has been retained as the independent third party monitor for the 181 Mercer Street project. HDR will oversee the implementation and performance of NYU’s commitments and project components related to mitigation, monitoring, and the environment, as set forth in the Restrictive Declaration. Learn more about how we plan to minimize the effects of dust, noise, and traffic in the vicinity of the site.
Update on Window Replacements
January 12, 2016
The installation of new double pane windows and PTAC (provide air conditioning and heating) units are complete at Silver Towers.
2015 Updates
Update on Public School Commitments
December 20, 2015
According to the terms of the 2012 ULURP agreement between NYU and the City, the NYC School Construction Authority has the option to build a school which would be incorporated into the Bleecker Building. The SCA must provide NYU with notice of intent to build a school by December 31, 2018, and commence construction by July 31, 2020. NYU will provide the SCA with annual updates regarding NYU's anticipated construction schedule until the SCA's construction window has elapsed. NYU sent their fourth annual update letter to the SCA on December 17, 2015.
Update on Bleecker Street and LaGuardia Place Landscapes
November 16, 2015
Project details for the open space enhancement projects have been set. Click here for details about the Bleecker Street Landscape project. Click here for details about the LaGuardia Place Landscape project.
Update on Purchasing Memberships to the NYU Fitness Network
November 16, 2015
Read memorandums about how to purchase spring 2016 memberships to the NYU Fitness Network.
Update on Window Replacements
November 2, 2015
The installation of new double pane windows and air conditioning covers are complete at WSV; the noise mitigation work at Silver Towers is on-going with the installation of new double pane windows and PTAC units - expected completion is early 2016.
Learn more about our commitment to noise mitigation.
Update on Bleecker Street and LaGuardia Place Landscapes
October 6, 2015
The Public Design Commission approved the design of the Bleecker Street and LaGuardia Place Landscapes on October 5, 2015. See PDC presentation given by the Department of Transportation here. The project is currently in pre-construction planning.
Update on NYU's Interim Fitness and Athletics Plan
September 21, 2015
Click here to read memorandums about how NYU is meeting fitness and athletic needs during the building of the new NYU gym.
Update on the Coles Redevelopment
July 29, 2015
Click here to read a memorandum to the University community about what to expect in the coming months.
Regarding the Court of Appeals Decision on the NYU Core Plan
July 2, 2015
On June, 30, New York State's highest court, the Court of Appeals, ruled in favor of NYU and the City of New York. The ruling clears the way for the University to proceed with the Core Plan project, beginning with the Coles redevelopment -- a new mixed use academic building that will allow NYU to meet its pressing space needs and sustain our academic momentum into the future.
Read a Memorandum to the University community from President John Sexton
Silver Towers Window Replacement
April 28, 2015
NYU will begin replacing single-paned windows with new double-paned windows in its 100 and 110 Bleecker Street buildings. New PTAC (provide air conditioning and heating) units, insulation, and other sound-attenuating materials will also be installed in new metal cabinet covers in apartments. This initiative is part of NYU's commitment to mitigate noise related to local construction for tenants.
In advance of the start of work, we have posted details about the project's scope and time frame to the NYU Construction Page.
- Read a letter to residents from NYU Executive Vice President Alison Leary.
- Learn more about our commitment to noise mitigation.
Update on the Mercer-Houston Dog Run Relocation
February 25, 2015
NYU and the MHDRA finalized a design for the Association's new dog run, which will be located in the existing Rocketship Play Area in the Silver Towers complex. The design has been sent to the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission for review.
2014 Updates
Update on the Coles Site: Selection of the Architects
December 17, 2014
On December 17, the University announced the selection of an outstanding architectural partnership—Davis Brody Bond and Kieran Timberlake—to design the new facility that will be built where the Coles Sports Center currently stands.
We are proud that NYU joins a list of remarkable assignments undertaken by this team, including the 9/11 Memorial Museum, the U.S. Embassy in London, the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the 1983-2006 restoration and expansion of the New York Public Library.
- Read the Memorandum to the University community from NYU Executive Vice President for Operations, Alison Leary about the selection
- Visit the 181 Mercer website
- Learn more about the architects
Silver Towers Window Replacement
October 22, 2014
The measurement phase of the Silver Towers Window Replacement Project has been scheduled to begin in November. Residents can use an online form (available upon request) to confirm their measurement appointment or grant permission for the measuring team to enter their apartments.
- Read an FAQ about the ST Window Replacement Project »
- Learn more about our commitment to noise mitigation »
Silver Towers Window Replacement
October 22, 2014
The measurement phase of the Silver Towers Window Replacement Project has been scheduled to begin in November. Residents can use this online form to confirm their measurement appointment or grant permission for the measuring team to enter their apartments.
- Read an FAQ about the ST Window Replacement Project.
- Learn more about our commitment to noise mitigation.
Update on Public School Commitments
October 21, 2014
On October 21, the University extended the time period during which the NYC School Construction Authority (SCA) has the option to decide on the Bleecker Street site. NYU has extended the current deadline of December 31, 2014 to December 31, 2018.
If the SCA does indicate to the University that it intends to move forward with the project, construction must commence by July 31, 2020.
Update on the Redevelopment of the Coles Sports and Recreation Site
October 15, 2014
On October 14, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court issued its decision and affirmed the validity of the approvals process for our project and overturned the lower court's ruling that some parcels of land abutting proposed new facilities constituted implied parkland.
The Court's decision makes clear that NYU has the legal right to proceed with developing a building that fulfills the Working Group's recommendations, which call for a mixed-use building to include classrooms, student study and meeting spaces, a new athletic facility, academic spaces for the performing arts, student residences, and faculty housing.
Read the memorandum sent by President John Sexton Executive Vice President for Operations Alison Leary about the Redevelopment project.
Construction on the Superblocks
October 9, 2014
To make navigation easier, we have created a page for all construction projects, big and small, which take place on the superblocks.
Silver Towers Window Replacement
September 29, 2014
Read a letter from NYU Executive Vice President Alison Leary about the upcoming window replacement project at Silver Towers.
Washington Square Village Window Replacement
September 10, 2014
In advance of the start of work, we have posted details about the project's scope and timeframe to the NYU Construction Page.
Washington Square Village Window Replacement
July 14, 2014
To begin the project, measurements have been scheduled this month for all WSV apartments. Residents can use this online form to confirm their measurement appointment or grant permission for the measuring team to enter their apartments.
- Read an FAQ about the WSV Window Replacement Project
- Learn more about our commitment to noise mitigation
Washington Square Village Window Replacement
July 1, 2014
NYU will begin replacing all single-paned windows with new double-paned windows in its Washington Square Village apartments. All built-in air conditioning units will also be insulated and sealed, and have special sound-attenuating interior covers installed around them. This initiative is part of NYU's commitment to mitigate noise related to local construction for tenants. Additionally, the installations will dramatically lessen the facility's environmental impact and increase its resiliency in ways benefiting both residents and neighbors.
- Read a letter to residents from NYU Executive Vice President Alison Leary
- Learn more about our commitment to noise mitigation
University Space Priorities Working Group Issues Final Report
March 4, 2014
The NYU University Space Priorities Working Group (USPWG) was tasked with giving definitive guidance to the University Administration on implementation of the Core Plan; of taking account of the existing, pressing space needs of academic units and programs; and of listening to the implications of the NYU Core Project for members of the University community.
After 18 months of analysis, a 26-member faculty-led working group has concluded that "faculty and students at New York University need more space in which to study, teach, and live. The best place for that space is the current site of the Coles Sports Center."
- USPWG Final Report (Executive Summary), March 4, 2014
- USPWG Final Report (Full Report), March 4, 2014
- Letter from John Sexton: Accepting the Recommendations of the University Space Priorities Working Group
Open Space Oversight Committee Minutes
February 25, 2014
NYU sent an update to the OSOO to follow up from the 12/18/2013 meeting. The minutes of that meeting are also available. Learn more »
Washington Square Village Community Facility Update
February 12, 2014
New community facilities have been completed at Washington Square Village.
- Classes have begun at the Creative Steps Early Child Care Center. Enrollment is currently ongoing.
- Visiting Neighbors is open and serving clients from their new office space.
- Meeting and activity space has been provided for the WSV Tenants Association.
- A large ground floor studio has been retrofitted for use as playspace for tenant families.
Update on Public School Commitments
January 24, 2014
According to the terms of the 2012 ULURP agreement between NYU and the City, the NYC School Construction Authority has the option to build a school which would be incorporated into the Bleecker Building. The SCA must provide NYU with notice of intent to build a school by December 31, 2014, and commence construction by July 1, 2018. NYU will provide the SCA with annual updates regarding NYU's anticipated construction schedule until the SCA's construction window has elapsed. NYU sent their second annual update letter to the SCA on December 12, 2013.
Open Space Oversight Committee Recommendations
January 15, 2014
OSOO members held two stakeholder meetings and one public forum in November 2013. In mid December, OSOO members presented recommedations based on these meetings to the landscape architects. Learn more, or explore their recommendations.
Regarding the Legal Decision on Elements of the NYU Core Plan
January 10, 2014
On January 7, a judge issued a ruling in the lawsuit seeking to overturn the City approvals that NYU received to build, over the coming decades, new University facilities on the Silver Towers and Washington Square Village blocks.
Read the memorandum from the NYU Office of the General Counsel to the NYU community in response to the judge's decision »
2013 Updates
MWLBE Plan Utilization
November 1, 2013
Certain details of NYU's MWLBE Utilitization Plan, focusing on the inclusion of minority-owned, female-owned, and locally-owned Business enterprises, have been finalized. Learn more about our MWLBE plan »
Open Space Oversight Committee Timeline
October 1, 2013
The members of the Open Space Oversight Organization requested a three-month extension of the proposed September 15, 2013 date to December 15 to provide feedback on open space concept ideas to NYU. Learn more about the OSOO »
Updated Core Plan Fact Sheet
September 18, 2013
We've posted an up-to-date fact sheet on the NYU Core Plan. You'll find it a useful guide to the Core Plan's background, the shape of the project as approved, the features required by the City as components of the approval, the process going forward, and what’s happening now. Explore this and other materials in our Relevant Documents section »
Open Space Oversight Organization Meeting
September 13, 2013
Earlier this summer, NYU provided the OSOO with initial design concepts for areas along LaGuardia Place, Bleecker Street, and Mercer Street for group members to review with their constituencies. The University asked that the OSOO provide written feedback, based on their constituent interactions, by September 15, 2013 in order to move forward with the design process in a timely manner. Learn more »
WSV Community Facility Construction
August 15, 2013
Construction has begun in Washington Square Village 4 for Creative Steps, and in Washington Square Village 3 for Visiting Neighbors. Both sites are expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Update on Commitments
June 12, 2013
Washington Square Village (WSV) Community Facility: NYU has begun renovations in 4 WSV to create a 6,000-square-foot children's daycare, directed of Creative Steps/University Settlement, and in 3 WSV to create a 900-square foot home for Visiting Neighbors.
Open Spaces and Parkland: A legal challenge which had impeded NYU from carrying out commitments at the Sasaki Garden has been dismissed, and a study is currently underway to establish next steps. In the immediate term, improvements such as the renovation of the fountain are underway. Regarding commitments at LMNOP, the Bleecker Street Seating Area, and the LaGuardia Temporary Playground, the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation and the sites’ architects are setting up meetings with the Open Space Oversight Organization (OSOO) to establish next steps. See more »
OSOO: New York State has confirmed the OSOO's not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) status, and the group held an organizational meeting on May 1, 2013. See more »
