By Gus Saltonstall
Those who frequent the Lincoln Center campus might have noticed construction equipment, staging, and fencing going up in recent days.
The work is part of Lincoln Center’s West Initiative, which will open up the Amsterdam Avenue side of the Upper West Side arts center to “create a more welcoming edge on the west side.” Specifically, the work will center on a redesign of the current site of Damrosch Park, the tree-lined concrete plaza that includes seating areas and performance spaces.
In this redesign, the southern part of the wall that blocks access to Lincoln Center from the Amsterdam Avenue side of the campus will be knocked down.
Lincoln Center first announced its $335 million West Initiative in June of 2023, and now the construction process has begun.
Here’s what to know and what to look out for:
Fencing, which began going up this week, will continue to be erected on the east side of Amsterdam Avenue and the north side of West 62nd Street along the perimeter of Damrosch Park. Due to this fencing, the transverse off West 62nd Street that runs along the Koch Theater will be closed to the public during the construction period.
This walkway is frequently closed even when there isn’t construction, as it used for event load-ins. The Lincoln Center plaza can still be accessed from Columbus Avenue, about half a block away.
Along with the construction fencing, signage related to the work has also been posted in the surrounding area.
The signs, which will be posted weekly, indicate this first stage of work will take place Wednesday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., with an “attempt to do everything possible to mitigate noise.”
The work at Damrosch Park is expected to be completed in 2028, with these changes when it reopens:
- New entrances along Amsterdam Avenue
- Gardens with increased biodiversity
- 50 percent more trees than currently in the park
- An interactive water feature
- A world-class amphitheater
Here is a rendering of what Damrosch Park will look like after the work.
The plan calls for replacing the trees currently in the park. The majority of the large trees will be repurposed; the smaller trees, many of which are struggling, will be recycled into mulch for use in gardens, according to a spokesperson from Lincoln Center.
Finally, the northbound M11 bus stop at West 63rd Street and Amsterdam has been moved — to make room for construction — to a temporary stop one block south on the corner of West 62nd Street and Amsterdam.
You can read more about Lincoln Center’s West Initiative — HERE.
Read More:
- Lincoln Center’s Push to Reimagine Amsterdam Side of Campus: First Phase to Focus on 62nd Street Park
- Proposed Lincoln Center Redesign Promises More Green Space and a Warmer Welcome to Its West Side Neighbors
- New Renderings Show More Details of the Park and Performance Space planned for Lincoln Center’s West Side
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Damrosch Park is a City Park adjacent to Lincoln Center, albeit Lincoln Center treats Damrosch Park as its “own”.
At least this rendering hasn’t excised a large part of the Met Opera’s building the way the original renderings did.
300+ million for this, but Lincoln Center can’t keep red granite paving panels from [utterly predictably] cracking does not bode well for this City park renovation.
Been living across from Lincoln Center for 40 years and I never saw a red granite paving panel anywhere. Lincoln Center is off-white travertine. Travertine marble is extremely porous and suited for dry, Southern weather, not the north. Ice, snow, and water get in the holes and expand and thus crack the marble. It needs constant repair.
You seem fun.
Just as the New York (Koch) State Theater is owned by New York City, so is Damrosch Park. Both are maintained and operated by Lincoln Center Inc,
Yes, LC contributes to the park’s upkeep. That does NOT mean LC has the complete control it assigns itself.
Fun fact: Original name of that theatre: Empire State Theatre.
If you insist.
Indeed, I work in one of Lincoln Center’s buildings and we all know that NYC owns the buildings (I’ve been told the annual rent is $1).
Is this the end of the Big Apple Circus using th park?
it must be, there’s nowhere to put the tent now
Love that there will be 50% more trees – much needed! There’s so many entertaining programs there in the summer but if the sun is out, and you are not under a tree, forget it!
The trees will be wonderful for the dogs. Let’s see how long they can survive!
So true. Trees die every day because of dog pee.
LOL
Such a waste of money.. Totally unnecessary.
I agree. If Lincoln Center desires a “warmer welcome to its west side neighbors”, try lowering ticket prices or offer more relevant events.
Like any of them care. If they care to go, they can go.
Another positive, uplifting UWSer
Perhaps if you lived in Amsterdam Houses (across Amsterdam Avenue from Lincoln Center) you might have a different opinion. You might recall that residents attempted to sue Lincoln Center for use of the park, one of the results of which Fashion Week had to relocate.
Bob,
Although LC has explained the need for the project so that NYCHA residents don’t feel excluded, anecdotally don’t know anyone who cares that the wall is there.
Seems to me the cost of tickets and type of programming would be the thing to focus on. And provide free instrument instruction for kids in the NYCHA buildings.
And given huge budget problem faced by Metropolitan Opera, seems shocking that LC would be focusing money on this project.
Re: the lawsuit (I think more than 10 years ago?) about Fashion Week and access to Damrosch Park, the lawsuit was brought by a bunch of groups (not specifically NYCHA residents)
LC is a separate entity from the Met, ultimately the Met Opera is tenant.
Maybe the brutalist Juilliard building can be replaced. Although, brutalist is befitting the school…
A map of the project, with the areas that you describe being delineated, would be appropriate and informative.
WSR do you know what’s happening on the north side of the plaza, in front of the library and adjacent LC bldg? Usual repairs or also a redesign of the sitting area and reflecting pool? Thanks!
You need to read the WSR every day.
https://www.westsiderag.com/2026/01/14/dozens-of-trees-removed-from-uws-lincoln-center-plaza-heres-why
Damrosch Park has often seemed to me to miss its potential, both as a calming green space and an inviting space for performances and events outside of the resident arts companies. I love the expansion of these (often free) programs in recent years and hope this renovation makes even more possible.
Considering it was heavily used for performances, how did it miss its potential?
Wonder if WSR knows or would be willing to research?
As part of Lincoln Center’s big renovation in 2010 (architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro), the former elevated driveway in front for vehicles to drop-off was removed.
The campus frontage space was then extended and a new underground vehicle driveway was constructed (named Jaffe Family Drive).
However, the new underground driveway did not seem to get much use – vehicles did not go down the driveway, just dropped off on Columbus in front of LC.
Subsequently LC closed the driveway completely.
Are there any plans for that space?
Lincoln Center spent a huge amount of money on that renovation and changed the street situation entirely.
Then never used it,
A huge waste which also resulted in increased traffic on the street.
Yes would like to know story here.
They held some events under there during their summer programming this year.
The M11 did not stop at 63rd – it stopped at 62nd and Amsterdam. And there is no new stop per the MTA”s website, the northbound M11 will skip the 62nd street stop and passengers will need to use either the 59th street stop or the one on 65th. I just experienced this myself, so this info is current as of 3:30 today.
What happened to the trees & benches bordering the pond in front of the Library? That was a lovely space!
I like it Lincoln Center is trying to make their West side of the Park more accessible. However, as somebody who’s gone to see many events at Damrosch Park in the summer, it’s common knowledge that most emergency vehicles, ie ambulances, police cars, & fire engines all go up Amsterdam Avenue. That means that all that noise is going to be that much more easily penetrable to the Damrosch Park campus. I wonder if the planners and the architects have ever attended concerts there in the summer.? If they had, They would certainly know this and thought twice about opening up that whole area to more noise pollution….
The park will be full of beer drinking and pot smoking once finished and will be an extension of the projects.
Both are illegal activities, are you saying that either the NYPD won’t patrol the park, or that Lincoln Center security won’t do anything [except make sure to close the park for non-permitted LC events]?
That’s not going to happen. There is nothing keeping people out now. Clearly, you never go there. If you went there, you would no there is NO barrier to anyone going to LC.
The renderings of the plans are useful to understand the changes. Opening Damrosch Park year round especially for local residents is good for the community. For those that are not local and make long treks to Damrosch Park and the Lincoln Center campus for outdoor summer events these changes are not favorable. There are events at Damrosch Park that have long lines before and during the events attempting to enter, the planned reduced capacity from 3K to 2K (approximation based on tiered seating) will make it difficult to gain entry especially for those that make long treks after work there and arrive later than the locals. Increasing the number of trees will take up needed space due to the large tree beds NYC Parks builds. NYC Parks also plants American Basswood trees which have alot of leaf and branch maintenance and will be dropping sap at night onto those in the park. The performance stage changing to the east side of the park with the stage across from Metropolitan Opera House will make the sound distorted and echo and bounce off the walls and also be heard across Amsterdam Avenue so the loud events will have to be shut down by 9pm not the 10pm it was for years. Making a park more inviting and accessible leads to more people making use of the park and planting more trees and cutting down on performance seating is not favorable.
Like all projects the stated purpose (inclusivity by removing the wall) is probably a red herring for some economic advantage, money. Reminds me of how AMNH used public park space for its expansion, destroying the Columbus Avenue allee in the process.
Whoever WSR spoke with gave a “rosy” picture of the work. Today is Tuesday and it’s noisy. So what’s the Wed-Fri work schedule?? It’s Tuesday 11am.
Also, the large trees have been cut down…..not repurposed , and they are moving west. Smaller trees all cut down. The residents of Amsterdam Gardens use this green space a lot. This will be “hell” for the neighborhood.