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PLAZA DE LAS AMERICAS
The NYC Plaza Program, led by the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT), converts underutilized street space into pedestrian plazas—reclaimed areas of the public right-of-way designed to improve safety, walkability, and access to public transit while supporting community life, commerce, and culture; NYC DOT works with community partners to design, build, and maintain these spaces, prioritizing neighborhoods with limited access to open space.
As part of this initiative, HWPLZ009M (Plaza De Las Americas) was an award-winning, high-profile infrastructure project in Upper Manhattan that reconstructed over 14,000 SF into a new pedestrian plaza featuring intricate decorative paver patterns, installation of hundreds of Silva Cells, and multiple amenities including pedestrian lighting, benches, tree planting, and four distinctive features: a storage utility column, a drinking fountain, an automatic public toilet, and public artwork.
Infrastructure upgrades included installation of water mains on W 175th Street (between Broadway and St. Nicholas Avenue), construction of catch basins, curbs, sidewalks, street lighting, traffic signals, utility upgrades, and roadway resurfacing, resulting in a pleasant, attractive, and high-quality open space with enhanced infrastructure.
The project was completed on schedule and within the approved budget; NYCDDC selected and submitted it for the 2016 ENR Best Regional Project Awards, and it received the 2017 ACEC New York Diamond Award for Engineering Excellence.
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project overview
project highlights
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Program: NYCDDC project under the NYC Plaza Program
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Scope/Size: Over 14,000 SF pedestrian plaza in Upper Manhattan
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Sustainability/Design: Installation of hundreds of Silva Cells to support pavement and stormwater management; decorative pavers and tree planting
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Amenities/Placemaking: Pedestrian lighting, benches, storage utility column, drinking fountain, an automatic public toilet (APT)—the fifth installed in New York City—and culturally relevant public artwork.
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Infrastructure Upgrades: Water mains on W 175th Street (Broadway to St. Nicholas Avenue), catch basins, curbs, sidewalks, street lighting, traffic signals, utility upgrades, and roadway resurfacing
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Recognition/Delivery: NYCDDC-selected submission to the 2016 ENR Best Regional Project Awards; 2017 ACEC New York Diamond Award; completed on schedule and within the approved budget
engineering leadership
Mirabal led the engineering consulting team providing resident engineering inspection services, in charge of the full construction implementation of the project including management, inspection, coordination and administration.
MIRABAL Role
MIRABAL served as a subconsultant providing Resident Engineering Inspection (REI) services, through:
• Resident Engineer:
Led construction-phase oversight and coordination supporting the reconstruction of Plaza De Las Americas under the NYC Plaza Program.
• Inspection support for in-city infrastructure upgrades, including water mains, curbs, sidewalks, street lighting, traffic signals, roadway resurfacing, and utility upgrades
• Verification and documentation support associated with installed plaza features and amenities, including decorative pavers, Silva Cells, and site furnishings