Rendering of the new Duffy Square by William Fellows Architects.
On May 2, 2006, 69 years to the day after Mayor LaGuardia dedicated Father Duffy Square, the Groundbreaking ceremony was held for a new, revitalized central meeting place at the Crossroads of the World. This tiny but totemic island stands not only at the intersection of Broadway and Seventh Avenue, but also the intersection of theatre, history, commerce and the church.
May 2, 1937
Mayor LaGuardia presides over the dedication of Duffy Square.
Times Square's dramatic transformation over the past 10-15 years is known worldwide, but the transformation of its core public spaces, which are ordinary at best, has only just begun. As part of the millennial celebration, Theatre Development Fund (TDF) and the Van Alen Institute held an international competition for a new design for the booth and surrounding plaza. The 683 entries made it the largest architectural design competition in New York City history at that time.
"The great function of the city is to encourage the greatest possible number of meetings, encounters, and challenges between all persons, classes and groups, providing a stage upon which the drama of social life may be enacted with the actors taking their turns as spectators and the spectators as actors."
