The Park at Essex Crossing, designed with help from residents of the Lower East Side, reflects the top desires of the local community: access to nature, a playground, safety elements and flexible seating. With a few simple moves, the Park at Essex Crossing delivers a calm, inviting, verdant island within the urban fabric. An entirely native palette of trees and groundcovers, from majestic Honeysuckle trees to Blueberry shrubs, are located in raised planters around a central open plaza. Layers of canopy and understory trees, swaths of woodland planting, and vine-covered vertical plantings to create a woodland garden in the city.

Meandering geometries and an oblong central gathering area give the illusion of a larger park, while also offering flexibility for small events and performances to occur simultaneously. At the southwest of the site, younger visitors will discover a playground featuring wooden animal springers, a freestanding mini net and an undulating balance beam allowing for boundless exploration and interactive play. Multifunctional planter edges offer seating throughout the park, with robust wooden details that are both comfortable and offer a soft antidote to the typical glass and steel of the city. A community table area at the Broome Street edge offers seating for larger groups or the opportunity for families to sit and gather at a table in the Park.