70 Mulberry Street, Chinatown, Manhattan, NY
November 12, 2026
Design: Grimshaw, Architects
Location: 70 Mulberry Street, Chinatown, New York City, NY, United States of America
Grimshaw, Together with the NYC Department of Design and Construction and Hunter Roberts Construction Group, Announces Groundbreaking of 70 Mulberry Street Restoration and Expansion
The project will preserve the historic building’s remaining facades and introduce 16,500 square feet of additional community space
images courtesy of architects practice
New York, NY, November 12th, 2026 – The Grimshaw-designed restoration and expansion of 70 Mulberry Street, a historic community center in Manhattan’s Chinatown, has broken ground.
Led by the NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC), with Hunter Roberts Construction Group serving as construction manager, the 85,720-square-foot project will preserve portions of the building’s historic facades while introducing new community facilities and improved accessibility. The reconstruction will also return five longstanding cultural and community organizations to their former home following a devastating fire in 2020.
Grimshaw‘s design retains the building’s historic street-facing facades, preserving its recognizable presence within the neighborhood. The expansion will introduce 16,500 square feet of additional space, including a double-height multipurpose room for recreation and community events. Smaller meeting rooms and offices will provide additional facilities for local organizations, with flexible spaces available for reservation and shared use.
The design also incorporates improvements to the building’s environmental performance and accessibility. Operable windows will allow for natural ventilation, while landscaped terraces and street trees will help address the urban heat island effect. Three new elevators will improve access throughout the building.
Originally constructed as Public School 23 in the late nineteenth century, 70 Mulberry Street later became home to several of Chinatown’s cultural and nonprofit organizations. A fire in January 2020 destroyed the building’s upper three floors and displaced its five tenants. The reconstruction will return approximately 51,000 square feet to the Chinese-American Planning Council, Chen Dance Center, Museum of Chinese in America, United East Athletics Association and Chinatown Manpower Project.
“Our design for 70 Mulberry is simply about the balance of heritage and innovation for a new community center,” said Stephen Pitman, Associate Principal at Grimshaw. “The preserved historic facades at the base and corner anchor the building in its past, while the modern facility above looks to the future with renewable energy and natural ventilation. But the most vital transformation is internal: creating highly accessible, flexible spaces tailored to the five returning organizations while welcoming the wider neighborhood.”
“Today is a momentous day for Chinatown as we begin the reconstruction of 70 Mulberry Street, a place that for generations embodied the memories, culture and spirit of this community,” said NYC Department of Design and Construction Commissioner Paul A. Ochoa.
“The devastating fire years ago was a profound loss, but the community’s resilience never wavered. Today marks the beginning of a new chapter as the City transforms that loss into renewal, building a larger, more beautiful permanent home for the vital cultural organizations that were displaced. This project will restore a cherished cultural hub at the heart of this historic neighborhood, preserving and celebrating Chinatown’s rich heritage while creating a vibrant space for future generations to learn, gather and thrive.”
“Hunter Roberts Construction Group is proud to be part of the reconstruction of 70 Mulberry and to help return this important cultural and community center to the people it serves,” said Kevin Barrett, Executive Vice President, General Manager at Hunter Roberts Construction Group. “We look forward to working collaboratively with the City and our project partners through the CM Build process to bring this significant project to life.”
The project follows a community engagement process involving former tenants and neighborhood representatives, whose feedback helped inform the reconstruction plans. A permanent public artwork by Jennifer Wen Ma, commissioned through the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs’ Percent for Art program, will also be incorporated into the building.
70 Mulberry Street, Chinatown, Manhattan, New York City images / information received on 121126 from Grimshaw
Address: 70 Mulberry Street, Chinatown, New York City, NY, United States of America.
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