Projects | Time Square & Marriott Marquis

Times Square Business Improvement District (BID) and Marriott Marquis Hotel

New York, NY

As Times Square becomes a constantly more popular destination for tourists and New Yorkers, pedestrian congestion in the area is increasing dramatically. Happy victims of their own success, the BID was looking for ways to make the area more safe, navigable, and friendly. There are eleven mid-block passageways in the District existing within private buildings and mandated for public use. Many of them are not visible, attractive, or well utilized by pedestrians. With this project, the BID hoped to draw attention to these spaces and to relieve overcrowding on Broadway, Seventh, and Eighth Avenues.

Jeanne Giordano Ltd was hired by the BID to develop a visual system to identify the mid-block passageways. In order to compete with the glitz, and the lights of Broadway, a graphic black and white rusticated terrazzo sidewalk treatment was developed to serve as a welcome mat to the entrance of each passageway. Embedded into the terrazzo is a directional signage in taxi cab yellow, black and white mosaic tile. To highlight the passageways vertically, the designer and BID are working in conjunction with Con ED to develop a steam feature to be placed at appropriate entrances

The New York Marriott Marquis Hotel hired JGL after seeing story boards of a photo mural prepared by the office on dance based on famous segments, choreographers, stars, and scenes. The photomural designed by Jeanne Giordano was installed in October 2000. It was 20’ high by 120’ long, the length of the passageway from 45th to 46th Streets.