Mission

We live on the Upper West Side. This is our home. Like most Upper West Siders, we shop here, take the trains, visit our incredible parks, ride our bikes, and walk constantly. We think our streets, sidewalks, and other public spaces could serve us ALL better. That’s our mission: to shift our landscape from one that is dominated by cars and trucks to one that is built around beauty, interaction, health and connection. Instead of hostile streets, we want hospitable streets. We are re-envisioning what the word “neighborhood” really means and asking people to join together to create something inspiring. Our vision is Upper West Side streets that are lively, green, and healthy places where neighbors meet, kids play, and people move efficiently and safely on foot, by bike and in transit. Please join us.

What we do

Through outreach, advocacy, and activating our streets, we inspire Upper West Siders to see neighborhood streets as public spaces that should enhance their quality of life & community and connect them with the strategies and tools to realize their vision.

Check out our current campaigns below:

History

In 2007, The Upper West Side Streets Renaissance Campaign (UWSSR) launched with a kick-off event at The Jewish Community Center featuring the Danish public space reformer Jan Gehl. Following this launch, for the next year, UWSSR hosted a series of speakers, walking tours, and design charrettes that presented the current state of public space on the Upper West Side and solicited community feedback and ideas for creative ways to make public space more accessible, livable, equitable and connected. UWSSR integrated this feedback into The Blueprint and spent the next few years presenting The Blueprint and educating/activating neighborhood groups such as school communities, faith-based institutions, block associations, BIDs, the police precincts, and Community Board 7 on how to make positive changes within the Upper West Side. This work led to countless redesigns including the “bowtie of death” at 71st and Broadway; the Lincoln Center bowtie; West End Avenue in the 60’s and then later in the 80’s and 90’s; Columbus Avenue; Amsterdam Avenue.

In the last decade, New York City has seen the successful installation of just over 100 miles of protected bike lanes, the implementation of Vision Zero, increasing calls for safe and human-centered streets from elected officials and community members, and a growing awareness of how detrimental building our cities around cars has been for our communities. The time is right to build on the existing momentum and lead a conversation about how Upper West Siders want to experience their public space and to advocate for the physical changes that create those experiences. This led the team behind Upper West Side Streets Renaissance to re-launch as Streetopia UWS with a renewed focus on quality-of-life and community values. Fundamentally, we want more connection with one another, better access to our phenomenal parks, healthy and safe ways for our families to travel, and more green space. And, we think you do too. Join us as we advocate for a neighborhood that reflects our values and feeds us all, emotionally, physically, and psychologically. Let’s breathe in new air together!

Team