KINGSTON – The City of Kingston has awarded the contract to provide landscape design plans for greenspace at the newly-configured intersection at Broadway and Prince Street to KaN Landscape Design.
The city issued an RFP in April, which asked qualified firms to develop a landscape design plan to serve as a blueprint for creating an attractive, inviting public space at a crucial juncture of the Kingston Greenline in the heart of Midtown.
KaN is a women-owned, Kingston-based landscape design firm that has worked on many local projects including the Y Park, the YMCA playground, and the African Burial Ground.
Community engagement, stakeholder support, and the inclusion of youth groups and local organizations will be an integral part of the plan development. KaN will kick off the project at the KaN Landscape Design on September 20 to gather initial public input, and will launch a survey in September.
During the engagement process, KaN will meet with nearby residents and businesses, local organizations, and will hold a series of youth-led, interactive workshops to facilitate ideas, among other activities.
“We look forward to continuing to invest in the Broadway corridor and in particular, Midtown Kingston,” said Mayor Steven Noble. “We are excited to see what types of improvements the fantastic designers at KaN and their community partners will develop to help us create a welcoming new community space.”
The project will be managed by the City of Kingston’s Department of Health & Wellness and is funded by the Creating Healthy Schools and Communities program through the State Department of Health, supported with American Rescue Plan Act funding.
The design is expected to be completed by late spring 2023. More information can be found at EngageKingston.com/broadway-prince-landscape-plan.
The old Kingston Post Office was built at the intersection of Broadway and Prince Street in 1908. By 1969, postal operations had grown larger than the building’s capacity, and the building was sold and torn down. The destruction of this architectural gem has been lamented ever since. The Midtown area has evolved over the years, and today nearly 40 buildings are devoted to art-based uses and a significant arts identity has been established for the community. The RFP asked that these distinct neighborhood features be incorporated into the design.
