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LandmarkWashington HeightsBroadway at 175th St (United Palace)

Plaza de las Americas

A rare car-free civic space for a sit-down or a market stop beside the United Palace; programming varies, so check before a special trip.

W 175th St between Broadway and Wadsworth AveBroadway & Wadsworth Ave

Early-morning light along the paved pedestrian plaza on W 175th St looking east from Broadway, with pigeons on the ground and walkers in the distance.
NevinThompson (opens in a new tab)CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)
Looking east down W 175th Street from Broadway at dawn
NevinThompson (opens in a new tab)CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)
The United Palace at Broadway and W 175th Street, next to Plaza de las Americas
Beyond My Ken (opens in a new tab)Public domain

What it is

Plaza de las Americas turned the block of W 175th St between Broadway and Wadsworth Ave into about 16,000 square feet of pedestrian space, according to a November 2015 NYC Department of Transportation press release announcing the ribbon cutting. The plaza has pedestrian lighting, benches, tree plantings, decorative paving, an automatic public toilet, and a fountain artwork by artist Ester Partegàs celebrating the cultures of the neighborhood.

Who it’s for

Anyone visiting the United Palace, shopping on Broadway, or looking for a place to sit. In the release, officials said the plaza could host a farmers’ market and public events, and Council Member Ydanis Rodríguez said it would be a focal point for Northern Manhattan and a boon to street vendors.

Standout details

The plaza was built through a partnership between NYC DOT, the Department of Design and Construction, and community groups; the release credits the Washington Heights and Inwood Development Corporation, the designers Victoria Milne and Xenia Diente, and the artist Ester Partegàs. The release gives figures of 16,000 square feet and 10,000 square feet in different places, so the exact size is not settled in the sources.

Honest verdict

The setting is the draw: a pedestrian block next to the United Palace that locals use as a gathering place. The sources describe the plaza’s intended uses rather than a current event schedule, so check the plaza’s partners before planning around a market.