Responding to the desire for continued outdoor dining and experiences, the City of New Brunswick retained DMR to complete an impact study and design concepts for a reimagination of George Street.
A new vision for the popular commercial corridor was first explored during the COVID-19 pandemic. A complete closure of a three-block area allowed local restaurants to provide outdoor dining, but soon morphed into a lively area that also hosted art shows, football watch parties and live music.
DMR studied how four options – the existing, summer-only closure, a complete closure and pedestrian mall or one-way traffic conversion for either buses or vehicles – would impact traffic on nearby streets, emergency vehicle access, public transportation routes for NJ TRANSIT and Rutgers University buses, as well as parking, wayfinding, and trash and recycling pickup.
Option 2, the complete closure of George Street between Bayard and Albany Streets, calls for a pedestrian-only mall that features year-round activation including outdoor dining, performance spaces and winter festivals. Option 2 is proposed to be implemented in two phases, with phase 2 calling for permanent structures such as trellises, a gallery and a pavilion and stage (pictured above).