Alliance for Downtown New York Displays New Holiday Lights Designed by Lower Manhattan’s Cooper Robertson

The Alliance for Downtown New York has kicked off Lower Manhattan’s holiday season with the display of new holiday lights throughout the district. The 200 lights have been installed along Lower Manhattan’s streets and will remain on display throughout the season.

The new design was developed by Lower Manhattan architecture and design firm Cooper Robertson and was selected as the winner among several entries to a design contest held this past spring. Cooper Robertson’s design embraced the concept of the star as a symbol of guidance and hope. The 7-pointed star is meant to connect New York’s and Lower Manhattan’s diverse population and orients itself slightly off of true north at the same angle as the island of Manhattan. 

“These lights are inspiring and a beauty to see along the streets of Lower Manhattan,” said Downtown Alliance President Jessica Lappin. “They instill a wonderful sense of hope during the holiday season, for residents, workers and visitors alike. We thank Cooper Robertson for this very special contribution to our neighborhood and community.”

“Designing the new holiday lights was an incredible way to commemorate our new location in Lower Manhattan and our long history of work in the neighborhood,” said Cooper Robertson partner and design director Earl Jackson, AIA.

The 200 lights are currently installed at the following locations:

The Downtown Alliance first installed the lights in the mid-1990’s as a way to help brighten downtown during the holiday season. They were created to look like shooting stars, and the same design has been in use for more than ten years. Earlier this year, the Alliance launched a competition for new ideas to reimagine the lights. A total of seven architecture firms submitted proposals, from which Cooper Robertson’s was ultimately selected.