Downtown Jamaica Partnership brings temporary light installation, entitled “Light Lane” to downtown Jamaica this winter
Media Contact:
Whitney Barrat
President, Downtown Jamaica Partnership
wbarrat@downtownjamaica.org
718-526-2422
For Immediate Release:
DOWNTOWN JAMAICA PARTNERSHIP BRINGS TEMPORARY LIGHT INSTALLATION, ENTITLED “LIGHT LANE” TO DOWNTOWN JAMAICA THIS WINTER
Jamaica, Queens, February 7, 2024 – The Downtown Jamaica Partnership Business Improvement District (BID) is excited to unveil, a first of its kind, temporary light installation, titled “Light Lane,” in Downtown Jamaica. Funded through a grant provided by the NYC’s Department of Small Business Services (SBS), and with support from the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) and Con Edison, the Light Lane installation is currently installed at three locations in Downtown Jamaica and features distinctive and interactive light and sound activations to enhance and enrich Jamaica’s open public plaza spaces.
“It’s such a welcome sight in Downtown Jamaica to have these interactive public art installations, and to see the impact they’re already having on our community. We’re grateful to SBS for awarding this grant to the Downtown Jamaica Partnership, and for their ongoing support for the BID,” said Sari Kulka, Board Chairperson of the Downtown Jamaica Partnership BID.
Designed and engineered by LeMonde Studio, a Montreal-based design and production firm, Light Lane is a light-based, interactive artwork featuring three rideable, stationary bicycles aligned in a row at each location. The bicycles are intended for interactive play, and, when pedaled, emit familiar music inspired by iconic and globally celebrated Queens-based musicians, including Salt-N-Pepa, A Tribe Called Quest, and Run DMC. While the bikes are in motion, rotating projections appear on adjacent sidewalks, depicting recognizable icons such as musical notes, snowflakes, crowns, hearts and saxophones, spreading light-filled joy, and celebrating Jamaica’s rich musical and cultural history.
“These artistic bikes are a great reminder to all of us that Jamaica was – and still is – a center for innovation, arts and culture, and the light projections and music bring a sense of wonder and fun to our winter streets,” said Aaron Schwartz, property owner and Vice Chair of the Downtown Jamaica Partnership BID.
“’Light Lane’ is the perfect example of a unique and creative project that enriches public life in our communities,” said SBS Commissioner Kevin D. Kim. “SBS is proud to support the creation of this installation in the heart of Jamaica, and I want to thank President Whitney Barrat and the entire team at the Downtown Jamaica Partnership BID for making this eclectic piece of public art come to life. Brighter days—and nights –are in store for Queens!”
Light Lane is located on the 165th Street Mall, a public pedestrian plaza known for its Hip-Hop music history and the storied Colosseum Mall. On Jamaica Avenue at Union Hall Street, situated outside of the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning (JCAL), three Light Lane bicycles can be found in the newly established pedestrian plaza, bringing movement and activity to the busy sidewalk extension. Finally, on the Parsons Boulevard Plaza located between Jamaica and Archer Avenues, another set of three bicycles creates a welcoming and enjoyable scene for the thousands of workers, residents and visitors to Jamaica who enter and depart the Parsons-Archer subway station each day.
“The wonderful feedback we’re receiving every day from community members and visitors here in Jamaica, as they hop on the bikes and take pictures with friends, has affirmed how important these types of interventions are,” said Whitney Barrat, President of the newly merged BID. “We will continue to bring beauty, energy, and inspiration to the streets of Jamaica through public art, and we hope to contribute to the success of our small businesses through these programs, events, and activities. We are so grateful for the support of NYC’s agencies and elected officials, and we look forward to deepening our partnerships.”
“Temporary public artworks beautify and reimagine our city’s public spaces as well as help make our streets more vibrant,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “I thank the Downtown Jamaica Partnership BID, NYC SBS, Con Edison, and LeMonde Studio for their collaboration in bringing the world’s borough to life with this interactive installation.”
Light Lane will be on display through mid-March, serving as a beacon for the neighborhood, and showing off Jamaica's vitality, its potential, and its community’s faith in and excitement for its very bright future.
Visit Downtown Jamaica through March 15th and hop on a bike alone or with a friend to experience Light Lane.
To learn more about the Downtown Jamaica Partnership and stay up-to-date on all happenings on Jamaica Avenue, make sure to visit www.downtownjamaica.org, sign up for our e-newsletter and follow us on Instagram.
About the Downtown Jamaica Partnership (a Business Improvement District)
Newly consolidated and expanded in 2023, the Downtown Jamaica Partnership Business Improvement District (BID) is a central stakeholder in one of New York City’s fastest growing communities. Downtown Jamaica is the proud home to national and regional retailers, several major cultural and educational institutions as well as City, State and Federal Offices, and more than 600 businesses. The Downtown Jamaica Partnership seeks to maintain downtown Jamaica as a thriving business hub and premier destination to shop, work, live and play. For more info visit www.downtownjamaica.org.
About the New York City Department of Small Business Services
The NYC Department of Small Business Services helps unlock economic potential and create economic security for all New Yorkers by connecting New Yorkers to good jobs, creating stronger businesses, and building a fairer economy in neighborhoods across the five boroughs. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/sbs, @nycsmallbiz.
About NYC DOT Art
The New York City Department of Transportation’s Art Program (NYC DOT Art) partners with community-based not-for-profit organizations and professional artists to present temporary public art on NYC DOT property throughout the five boroughs for up to eleven months. Artists transform streets with colorful murals, dynamic projections, and eye-catching sculptures. A variety of public spaces serve as canvases for temporary arts, including sidewalks, fences, triangles, medians, bridges, jersey barriers, step streets, public plazas, and pedestrianized spaces. Since 2008, NYC DOT Art has produced nearly 450 temporary artworks citywide. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/dotart, @nyc_DOT, @nyc_DOTArt.