This Is What We’re Seeing, This Is What We’re Not Seeing

Contrary to certain “ghostly” claims,  at the close of a year that’s upended urban life as we know it, New  York City has, to a large degree, managed to adapt. New Yorkers’  expectations have adjusted to all sorts of new normals: social  distancing; remote working and learning; (semi-)open streets and  permanent sidewalk dining. It’s almost easy to forget the sheer  confusion of navigating and negotiating space which marked the early  days of the pandemic. Almost. For Mark Dicus of the  SoHo Broadway Initiative, that inflection point — March 16, 2020 to be  exact — ushered in a radically-altered streetscape along one of New York  City’s most heavily-trafficked pedestrian corridors. From shutdowns and  boarded-up stores, to protests and looting, SoHo (along with other  destination neighborhoods) has seen more than its fair share of jarring  contrasts in 2020. Amid a cautious reopening, Dicus reflects on the  dramatic changes he’s witnessed, and how the public realm will play a  key role in the recovery of a neighborhood — and city — whose future  remains an open question.