SEE WHAT THE CITY HAS IN STORE FOR CHATHAM SQUARE: 1/21/9 @ 6:30PM.

Thanks to Rob Hollander for the heads up.

There is a lot of history in Chatham Square. Seven streets converge in the spot originally named for the Prime Minister of Great Britain right before the American Revolution.  It was originally an open air market where horses were sold, then became an area of ill repute as part of the notorious Five Points neighborhood during the mid-19th century. In the mid-20th century it was renamed Kimlau Square, with a Memorial Arch erected to honor the many Chinese American soldiers who died in the line of duty. The new name hasn’t entirely stuck, but the Square remains a vital part of Chinatown and New York as a whole.

So now that the City has plans to renovate the square, it’s up to us to make sure that they do it with a fair regard for the neighborhood’s needs. Community Board 3’s own traffic engineer, Brian Ketchum, will be present at the meetings listed below to answer questions and to review the City’s plans. Considering all of the ire that was raised when the Washington Square renovation plans were announced, we’d all be wise to see what’s in store here.

Wednesday, 1/21/9 @ 6:30pm
Confucius Plaza Community Room
33 Bowery

Wednesday, 2/18/9 @ 6:30pm
Confucius Plaza Community Room
33 Bowery