A Portfolio for Beautifying Lower Manhattan’s Construction Fencing

Are you tired of unattractive sidewalk sheds and construction fences plaguing our streets? As part of its continued commitment to beautify the district, the Downtown Alliance partnered with local arts organization ArtBridge to create a unique portfolio of Lower Manhattan-specific artwork that can be easily and affordably installed on temporary protective structures. The portfolio is designed to make selecting and installing artwork straightforward, ultimately improving the neighborhood’s streetscape. Check out the portfolio here to learn more about how you can participate; interested parties should contact Stephen Pierson at [email protected], (917) 975-3027.

In 2023 the Dept. of Buildings codified Local Law 163 (LL163) — a law that could dramatically improve the sidewalk sheds and construction fencing that have long been a ubiquitous eyesore of Lower Manhattan’s streetscapes. LL163 requires property owners erecting a temporary protective structure to either display artwork or proactively opt out of the program. 

The benefits of adding artwork to a protective structure include a more vibrant streetscape, improved relationships with the community, and positive press for the project.  

To help make the process as simple as possible, the Downtown Alliance has partnered with ArtBridge, an NYC nonprofit with a long history of working with property owners and developers to successfully implement these projects.  

Working with ArtBridge we have developed a unique, Lower Manhattan-focused portfolio of artwork that we hope you’ll display on your protective structures. ArtBridge offers a one-stop-shop project management service (including permitting, installation, etc). 

If widely implemented, we believe this program can go a long way towards making Lower Manhattan a more visually appealing and culturally vibrant neighborhood. 

ART: Site owners can select one of six artworks from this deck (see page 10), or produce a customized exhibition. These six artworks were obtained via an open call for art that features Lower Manhattan-specific imagery. Alternatively, ArtBridge can work with you on a customized exhibition, based on your site’s branding and/or community engagement needs. 

COST: Site owners must pay the costs for these installations.

SURFACES: Art can be installed on any flat surface of your construction site, including elevated sheds, ground level fences, and netting above the sheds. 

MATERIALS: Most installations will print the artwork onto a DOB-approved vinyl, which is adhered to your fence or shed using DOB-approved methods. Alternatively, art can be painted directly onto plywood, or installed via PVC boards (useful if your fencing will frequently move). 

TIMELINE: It takes roughly five weeks from contracting to install art (which is inclusive of permits), if one of the six artworks from this deck is used. Customized exhibitions require more time. 

SCOPE: ArtBridge can handle all aspects of the project, from artist contracting, to permits, artwork fabrication, and installation and maintenance. 

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: If engaging local stakeholders is important to your needs, ArtBridge can work with you to build partnerships and an artwork design/selection process that furthers those goals. 

CONSTRUCTION LIFECYCLE: We can receive permits and install art at any point in your construction’s lifecycle. To maximize impact, we recommend that the construction is scheduled to remain up for at least 4 months after installation. New construction, existing construction, renovations, and Local Law 11 are all eligible. 

BUDGET NOTES:

For hand-painted exhibitions, add 20%. 

For PVC boards, add 25%. 

For ground level 8’ tall fences, add 15% 

For customized art, contact ArtBridge to discuss. 

All project costs are included (artist payment, ArtBridge staff time, permits, artwork fabrication, artwork installation), except for maintenance. ArtBridge can handle any maintenance issues as they arise, billing the site owner at-cost. Or the site owner can handle this internally. Most ArtBridge installations do not ever require maintenance.

These six artworks were selected from 86 submissions, by a jury that included the Downtown Alliance, ArtBridge, Sarah Cunningham of PACE University Art Gallery and Gabriela Lopez Dena of the Public Art Fund. All six pieces feature Lower Manhattan-specific themes and imagery by New York City-based artists. Each artwork can be fully customized to your site. 

This artwork offers a vibrant interpretation of the sky’s  colors as seen throughout the day in Lower Manhattan,  whether between towering buildings or from the edge of Battery Park. By blending fabric patterns from various cultures, Linardaki reflects the neighborhood’s diversity and historical richness. The sky connects all, from Wall Street to the Hudson River, highlighting the mingling of cultural  histories within the iconic architecture and natural surroundings of Lower Manhattan.

Eirini Linardaki is a Greek/French visual artist and public art developer. Her work spans environmental activism, social justice and human connection. She has installed art with  NYC Parks, the Mayor’s Office for Climate Policy, the NYC Dept of Transportation and Grand Central Station. You can see more of Eirini’s work on her website or Instagram.

These drawings are of architectural details the artist observed while wandering through Lower Manhattan. Most of these details were found high up on tall buildings — often so high up that they are hard to see without a zoom lens.

There are dragons, eagles, owls, fish, sailboats and heroic people. Many of them are old, fragile, and crumbling. Arkle is amazed that so many strange  and decorative features were added to buildings where hardly anyone can see them. Arkle aims to draw attention to these incredible yet overlooked historical artifacts. The drawings  presented here can be placed on whatever color background the site owner desires.

To spur engagement, perhaps an install of this art could include a sponsored scavenger hunt of the objects displayed in the art.

Born in Scotland, Arkle is an illustrator who has worked for almost every magazine and newspaper, and has also illustrated many books, websites, brands and stores. You can see more of Peter’s work on his website or Instagram.

Lower Manhattan is rich with iconic landmarks. These  sites not only captivate visitors with their beauty but also  offer a glimpse into the history of America. In this project,  each icon is depicted within the frame of a postage stamp, symbolizing the act of writing letters while traveling.

Visitors from various countries come to Lower Manhattan and send letters to different parts of the world, sharing their experiences and memories.

Born in Japan, Yukiko is a freelance graphic designer and muralist. She holds an M.A. in  Industrial Design from Designskolen Kolding in Denmark. You can see more of Yukiko’s work on her website or Instagram.

This is an interactive mural that visually narrates the rich history of Lower Manhattan through a fusion of graffiti art and augmented reality (AR). It showcases iconic landmarks and cultural hubs. Rendered in a vibrant graffiti style, the mural reflects the dynamic energy of the streets where the artist first honed his craft.

Through AR, viewers can use their mobile devices to animate the mural. “Echoes in Time” embodies the spirit of Lower Manhattan — a place where history and innovation coexist.

A lifelong New Yorker, Drysdale seeks to use technology as a tool for storytelling and human connection, rather than a cold, abstract force. You can see more of Drysdale’s work on his website and Instagram.

This is a tribute to the city where every street corner tells a story and every passerby is a thread in the tapestry  of something greater. This artwork blends the grit of  Downtown Manhattan with surreal bursts of nature — towering mushrooms sprouting between skyscrapers, oversized blooms that reclaim the cityscape and a seagull perched proudly amidst the chaos. It’s a city where the mundane becomes extraordinary: steam rising from subway  grates like the city itself is exhaling, yellow taxis weaving through rain-soaked streets and  locals pausing for a moment of stillness in bustling parks.

Growing up in the Taiwanese countryside, James spent his childhood exploring his  grandfather’s farmland, drawing inspiration from nature. His work has been shown in the Armory Show, Spring Break Art Show, and the Children’s Museum of Manhattan. You can see more of his work on his website and Instagram.

Capturing the vibrant energy of Downtown Manhattan, Folino’s design offers a glimpse of the city through a whimsical, illustrative lens. Drawn from observational studies, she distills the rhythms of urban life into intimate vignettes, celebrating the city’s quirks, characters and cultural richness. The series’ title nods to the 2024 traveling exhibit of Georgia O’Keeffe’s work, which showcases the modernist painter’s distinctive interpretations of the New York City skyline. Inspired by O’Keeffe’s ability to evoke the city’s essence, Folino shifts the focus to the countless people that bring the metropolis to life, offering a spirited tribute to its dynamic and diverse fabric.

Beyond her independent artistic practice, Folino is the art director of Glamour Magazine, overseeing Glamour’s art and design aesthetic across platforms for nearly 50 million readers. You can see more of her work on her website and Instagram.