Cooper Square facts for kids

A map of Cooper Square (in red), showing some interesting places nearby:
1. Cooper Union Foundation Building
2. McSorley's Old Ale House
3. Cooper Union New Academic Building
4. Cooper Square Hotel
5. Village Voice
6. Public Theater (Astor Library)
7. Colonnade Row / Astor Place Theatre (Blue Man Group)
8. Clinton Hall (site of the Astor Opera House)
9. KMart (Wanamaker Department Store Annex)
10. Hamilton Fish House

Cooper Square is a busy meeting point of streets in Lower Manhattan, New York City. It's where several neighborhoods come together. These include the Bowery to the south, NoHo to the west, Greenwich Village to the west, and the East Village to the north.

Cooper Square looking uptown in 1957

Cooper Square looking uptown in 2008

What is Cooper Square?

Cooper Square starts where the Bowery meets East 4th Street. From there, the road splits into two parts. These two streets then become Fourth Avenue (the western street) and Third Avenue (the eastern street). They cross Astor Place between East 8th Street and St. Marks Place.

This area can be tricky for people walking because many streets meet here. Also, these streets allow traffic in both directions, including large trucks. The New York City Department of Transportation has plans to make the traffic flow better. They also want to make the park in the middle of the square bigger. This will create a new community park for everyone to enjoy.

History of Cooper Square

When this public space first opened in 1850, it was called "Stuyvesant Square." But there was already another square with that name nearby. So, in 1883, it was renamed for Peter Cooper. He was an important businessman and generous person from the 1800s.

Peter Cooper's Vision

In 1853, Peter Cooper started building the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. He believed that everyone should get a good education for free. This included women, which was a very new idea at the time. For many years, Cooper Union gave every student a full scholarship. This meant they didn't have to pay tuition. This continued until 2014.

The Cooper Union Building

The Cooper Union Foundation Building is at the north end of the square. It was designed by Frederick A. Peterson. This building opened in 1859 and is still standing today. It's special because it was one of the first American buildings to use steel beams in its frame. The inside of the building was updated in 1975. During this update, they added a round elevator, which Peter Cooper had wanted from the start. The outside of the building was also fixed up in 1999.

Other Buildings and Parks

Next to the Foundation Building is a small park called Cooper Triangle. It has a statue dedicated to Peter Cooper. Across the street, at 41 Cooper Square, is the school's newest building. It's called the New Academic Building and was designed by Thom Mayne.

Other important buildings are also on Cooper Square. The headquarters for The Village Voice newspaper are on the western side. There are also classroom buildings for Grace Church School and Kaplan, Inc.. The modern Cooper Square Hotel at 25 Cooper Square is one of the newer buildings in the area.

Future Changes to Cooper Square

The New York City Department of Transportation has a plan to make changes to Cooper Square. These changes started in 2013. The western part of the square will become a bus-only lane going north. The confusing intersection at Fifth Street will become a simpler "Village Plaza." This new plaza will have wider sidewalks and a small amphitheater. Also, Cooper Triangle will be improved and made larger. It will become a new "Cooper Walk" leading up to Cooper Union. Many new trees will also be planted along the square.

Gallery

See also

In Spanish: Cooper Square para niños