A Master Plan for Essex Crossing

The lower east side is culturally diverse and rich. The Corners of Essex street and Delancy serve as the meeting point for this community. The current neighborhood suffers from a fragmented fabric, and amidst rapid development in the area, needs an anchor to meet and support the needs of the community. The community is in need of public space, specifically a space for congregation that can work to tie the neighborhood together. An existing master plan, proposed by Shop architects, has begun to introduce a retail and developer driven redevelopment plan. We propose a critique of the existing master plan. We want to critique not only the urban approach to the development, but also the arrangement of programs and their hierarchy.