New Washington Heights pedestrian plaza opens with mural honoring Dominican community
A new pedestrian plaza and mural in Washington Heights opened this week, setting a city record for the most temporary public art installations on city land. On Thursday, Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez celebrated the opening of a new pedestrian plaza on Audubon Avenue between 165th and 166th Streets, adding 10,890 square feet of car-free space, and unveiled “De Lo Mio,” a vibrant asphalt mural honoring Dominican culture by artist Talisa Almonte. The artwork marks a record 151 temporary public art pieces installed across DOT property.
“Public art enlivens our shared spaces to be places of connection and joy, and Audubon Plaza stands as a testament to the transformative power of Open Streets in celebrating neighborhoods, supporting local businesses, and making our streets safer,” Rodriguez said.
“De Lo Mio” pays tribute to Dominican culture and the neighborhood’s strong Dominican community. Inspired by Liliana Mera Limé’s “Muñeca Sin Rostro,” the mural celebrates the richness and diversity of Dominican identity.
In the mural, plátanos and their leaves honor the flavors of Dominican kitchens, while dominoes evoke sidewalk games that connect today’s neighborhood gatherings with everyday life in the Dominican Republic.
The plaza’s opening also represents a continuation of DOT’s record-breaking production of public pedestrian space, with more than 1.5 million square feet created since the start of the Adams administration. This includes new plazas, wider sidewalks, pedestrian islands, and more.
DOT first completed safety upgrades at Audubon Avenue and 165th Street in summer 2020, simplifying a complex intersection and improving pedestrian crossings. In summer 2024, the agency launched an Open Street here with Street Lab, with daily maintenance handled by the Horticultural Society of New York.
Building on the Open Street’s success, DOT has turned the block of Audubon Avenue between 165th and 166th Streets into the city’s newest pedestrian plaza. Tables and chairs provide a place to relax, while bike corrals offer parking for students and community members.
“When a city commits to creating space for its people, it chooses dignity, safety, and a future rooted in community,” New York State Sen. Robert Jackson said. “With DOT’s investment and Talisa Almonte’s vibrant vision rising from the asphalt, Audubon Plaza is more than a traffic-calming intervention—it’s a declaration of who Washington Heights is and who we insist on becoming.”
“This is what it looks like when public art and public policy move together—transforming concrete into connection, and turning streets into spaces where culture, safety, and belonging can thrive.”
To activate public spaces, DOT has issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) to identify organizations to run programming at plazas and Open Streets. The Public Realm Programming Initiative connects these spaces with local groups to offer arts, culture, fitness, environmental, transportation, and educational activities.
City officials are inviting United States-based artists to submit their past works for a chance to create temporary murals across the five boroughs. Selected artists will design site-specific pieces that can remain on display for up to 11 months on DOT property, including pedestrianized asphalt, concrete bike barriers, bridge walls, step streets, and fences.
Interested artists can learn more and apply through the RFQ. Applications for the mural program are open until February 8, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EST.
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