About 50 community representatives, elected officials, and residents gathered at Essex Crossing Park last week to formally dedicate the park to families displaced from the Seward Park Urban Renewal Area between 1965-1973.

Council Member Chin, representatives from Delancey Street Associates, and former site tenants unveiled the plaque that honors the displaced families, as well as the local community’s commitment to helping these residents return home after 50 years.

Essex Crossing, which spans the former Seward Park Urban Renewal Area, will include 1,079 units of housing (more than half affordable) once complete. Former site tenants receive priority on roughly a quarter of the project’s affordable units.

The event also included a live performance of Sonny Rollins’ tunes by the talented members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Youth Program, as well as food from longtime neighborhood staples Veselka and Nom Wah Tea Parlor.

The 15,000-square-foot park is located on Broome Street between Clinton and Suffolk streets and is adjacent to The Rollins, which was named after the legendary musician. It opened to the public on June 12, 2019 and features a children’s play area, ample planter-seating and a community table area along Broome Street.

Delancey Street Associates comprises BFC Partners, L+M Development Partners, Taconic Investment Partners, the Prusik Group and the Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group.