The City of New Rochelle has concluded its revival of Anderson Plaza, reopening this public space in the heart of the downtown with a new and innovative array of uses for residents, small businesses, and visitors to enjoy. 

A celebratory ribbon cutting held on Friday, April 21 featured City officials, development partners Wilder Balter Partners and LMXD, and representatives from New Rochelle’s business community including the Downtown BID and Chamber of Commerce. 

Through mindful planning, design, and community-driven construction, the new Anderson Plaza is both functional and flexible, supporting local small businesses and civic and community programming. Features include new seating options, refreshed landscaping that gives an updated natural aesthetic feel, a café space that complements retail and local services, and a seasonal splash pad. Removable bollards will contract and expand the plaza as needed for farmers markets, festivals, and live performances. 

Designed by Starr Whitehouse, this transformative project will enrich the public realm, enhance walkability and neighborhood vibrancy, and improve the quality-of-life of residents, while increasing foot traffic and activity. 

"We are excited to invite residents, business people, and visitors to experience the changing face of downtown New Rochelle," said Mayor Noam Bramson. "Anderson Plaza illustrates New Rochelle's commitment to pedestrian-friendly urban design and to the activation of public spaces, with historic growth fostering a cityscape that is attractive, accessible, engaging, and fun." 

“Investing in our community by offering new and improved experiences for existing public spaces is an important part of New Rochelle’s evolution,” said City Manager Kathleen Gill. “Anderson Plaza is a great example of how a community can reimagine an established neighborhood focal point and, in doing so, create more value for everyone living, working, or visiting downtown New Rochelle.” 

“New Rochelle continues to shine throughout New York as a leading case of what mindful civic expansion looks like outside of New York City – and it’s working – attracting an increased

number of young professionals growing families each year,” said Adam Salgado, Development Commissioner for the City of New Rochelle. “The redevelopment of Anderson Plaza offers residents, new and old, a welcoming, engaging, quality space for our everyone.”

“We are thrilled to have reached this milestone, thanks to the hard work and teamwork of our companies and the City of New Rochelle. Both LMXD and WBP Development believe in contributing to the communities in which we build, and a public-private partnership that delivers a beautiful plaza to the residents of New Rochelle demonstrates that commitment,” said James Wendling, Chief Operating Officer of Wilder Balter Partners. 

“We thank the City of New Rochelle and our partners for their collaboration in making this redevelopment of Anderson Plaza possible, and look forward to watching it become a vibrant civic space in the heart of downtown,” said Katherine Kelman, Managing Director, LMXD, an affiliate of L+M Development Partners Inc.

“I am a proud small business owner and devoted community member of New Rochelle. I applaud the City for utilizing efficient and effective approaches to the evolution of our community,” said Nikolaos Gliatis, owner of Town Pizza in New Rochelle. “This innovative new renovation to Anderson Plaza is a living example of meaningful development initiatives impacting and improving all facets of not just our own, but our families’ lives, too.” 

The reopening of Anderson Plaza was timed for the Earth Day Weekend. On April 22, the plaza will host New Rochelle’s first Earth Day celebration, “Invest in our Planet” featuring a sustainable marketplace with community gardens, green businesses, non-profits, crafters and a petting zoo. The event complements New Rochelle’s annual citywide Parks Cleanup weekend. 

Anderson Plaza is a product of extensive, collaborative public-private planning and action, because of the Downtown’s revitalization efforts. Other notable community amenities that have resulted from public-private partnerships include the Black Box Theater space at 595 Main Street, and a community and gallery space to be operated by The Lincoln Park Conservancy, Inc. at 393 Huguenot Street.