2022 Holiday Open Streets Drove $3 Million, 6.6 Percent Increase in Spending at Local Businesses, According to Mastercard Study
Our Bureau
New York, NY
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has unveiled plans to bring back and expand the popular holiday season Open Street along Fifth Avenue and around Rockefeller Center in Midtown Manhattan this December. Building on the success of last year’s groundbreaking program, the 2023 version will set a record for New York City’s largest-ever holiday season-specific Open Street — expanding geographically by nearly 25 percent to reach Central Park and running again on three Sundays in December (3, 10, and 17) between noon and 6:00 PM.
This year, the iconic Fifth Avenue corridor will be fully open to pedestrians between 48th Street and 59th Street, in addition to the area around Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall that will be pedestrianized throughout the holiday season. This dramatic expansion of public space in one of the world’s busiest neighborhoods at this time of year will significantly ease crowding — facilitating access to the iconic holiday window displays and creating a more pleasant holiday environment while also enhancing public safety for New Yorkers and visitors.
Mayor Adams’ bold vision for a pedestrian- and family-friendly Fifth Avenue has also proven beneficial to local businesses. During the program in 2022, businesses saw an additional $3 million in spending — a 6.6 percent increase — according to a study conducted by Mastercard, in partnership with the New York City Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI) and Chief Public Realm Officer Ya-Ting Liu. To deliver these commercial and safety benefits all year round, the Adams administration is working with the “Future of Fifth” partnership and their core consultant team to permanently reimagine Fifth Avenue as a safer, less congested, pedestrian-centered boulevard.
“Open Streets are good for people and good for business, and we can’t wait to bring back the iconic Fifth Avenue Open Street this holiday season — bigger and better than ever,” said Mayor Adams. “I felt the energy walking down the middle of Fifth Avenue last year — it was electric. And as we get excited for more of the same this December, we’re moving full speed ahead on permanently reimagining Fifth Avenue, so people can have this incredible experience every day of the year.”
“We look forward to welcoming New Yorkers and tourists alike to Fifth Avenue Holidays Open Streets again this year,” said Chief of Staff Camille Joseph Varlack. “These events offer a model of public-private partnership to boost our economy and available open space. We appreciate the significant effort of our city’s agencies — including DOT and NYPD — in making these events happen.”
“We are excited that under Mayor Adams’ leadership, we are bringing back the Fifth Avenue Open Street,” said New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “Whether you are window-shopping or taking in the Rockefeller Center tree, we are building upon last year’s successful program to add improvements this year that will make the Open Street an absolute must-visit part of the holidays for New Yorkers and visitors. And with expansion of the number of days to include the Sunday of the busy Thanksgiving weekend, we expect the Open Street will be more popular than ever.”
“The Fifth Avenue Holiday Street was a tremendous success last year, and I’m delighted that we will be expanding the program and working to design a Fifth Avenue that works for pedestrians and local businesses year-round,” said Chief Public Realm Officer Ya-Ting Liu. “As we learned recently through our partnership with Mastercard, the Fifth Avenue Open Street can result in millions of dollars in additional spending at local businesses, and a delightful holiday experience for New Yorkers and visitors alike.”
“The mayor’s Open Streets plan is a Christmas gift to the millions who will descend upon Midtown Manhattan next month,” said New York State Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar. “In a month where each day we will see 350,000 visitors to Times Square and 750,000 to the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, additional open spaces will allow for an enjoyable holiday experience for everyone. This year’s Holiday Open Streets will be almost 25 percent bigger than last year’s, which generated an additional $3 million in revenue for local businesses. Under the leadership of Mayor Eric Adams, this holiday season will feature unprecedented energy throughout the five boroughs, part of the year-round energy he brings to New York City.”
