Lincoln Center Plaza will transform into a green space

During the pandemic, having access to outdoor space has been considered a luxury -- especially if you live in New York City.

One New York landmark, the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, is getting in on the outdoor action and will debut an open green space on May 10. The Lincoln Center's theaters have been closed due to the coronavirus pandemic but will move outdoors for some performances.

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A set designer has been hired to "reimagine" Josie Robertson Plaza and will transform 14,000 square feet of concrete into a park-like space, complete with a synthetic lawn. People visiting the space will have access to books, which can be borrowed, a snack bar and outdoor performances.

"The arts can be the centerpiece of New York's economic, social and spiritual revival — a powerful vehicle to reconnect as we enter the spring season,” said Henry Timms, the president and CEO of the Lincoln Center.

The pandemic has forced urban planners to rethink and reimagine space, especially as many Americans remained largely at home in 2020. And it appears that spaces that went largely unused will be repurposed in a post-pandemic world to cater to people who want space to run, play, relax and physically distance themselves from others outdoors.

Experts have noted that parks and outdoor spaces are essential during the pandemic for reducing quarantine-related stress and could even lower the risk of contracting COVID-19 through outdoor activity.