As the anniversary of 9/11 approaches this year, the topic of whether to reopen Park Row, which was closed after the terrorist attacks 23 years ago, has become increasingly prominent. Particularly, with New York City preparing to invest $56 million to expand the transportation zone near Park Row, the Chinese community is eager to know: will Park Row reopen? And when will it happen?
On September 9, Congressman Daniel Goldman, representing the 10th Congressional District of Chinatown, reiterated to Chinese media his determination to help reopen Park Row. He promised to convene a meeting with all parties involved in the near future to advance this vision.
“So far, the vast majority of the community seems to want Park Row to reopen. Our first step now is to obtain a commitment from the city government for reopening and to consider safety issues and any other concerns in conjunction with that. Then we need to clarify how to reopen Park Row,” Congressman Goldman told reporters in his office. “What I want to do is work with my colleagues and the city government so that we can execute the plan in the best way possible based on the community’s desire for how to reopen.”
Furthermore, regarding concerns in the community about whether the Street Improvement Project (SIP) around Park Row could hinder its future reopening, Congressman Goldman emphasized that these are temporary modifications by the Department of Transportation and “will not prevent the reopening of Park Row.” However, he also acknowledged that the city spending so much money on what he sees as “marginal value” projects does pose an “obstacle” to reopening Park Row.
He believes that reopening Park Row must be a part of the overall plan to revitalize and rebuild Chinatown.
“This is a leisure area that has not been given enough attention. It separates Chinatown from Manhattan, South Street Seaport, and the Financial District, which is a significant disadvantage for Chinatown. Therefore, it is a community that the city should focus on, in line with the city’s revitalization plans for the central district and federal laws.”
Goldman stated that reopening Park Row is a matter for New York City itself and does not require overturning any laws. He plans to convene meetings with city government agencies and the community in the coming weeks to advance the Park Row reopening project.