'Field of Light' In Midtown's Vacant Freedom Plaza Revealed

MIDTOWN, NY — This long vacant lot is about to be turned into a field of dreams.

The artist Bruce Munro unveiled his plans for a long anticipated light scape installation at Freedom Plaza, Manhattan's largest undeveloped lot next to the United Nations between East 41st and 38th streets.

"Field of Light at Freedom Plaza stands for boundless imagination and the freedom to dream," said Munro. "It is my hope that it warms hearts and inspires both young and old to take from it and create something of their own to pass on to others."

17,000 stemmed fiber-optic lights, resembling sci-fi, glowing flowers, will cover the over six-acre site in an array of color and light. Guests will be invited to meander through the "ethereal muted landscape," the announcement reads.

According to the New York Times, the Soloviev Foundation, a charitable branch of the developer who owns the site, will foot the $1.5 million bill for the installation.

"New York City has always been and continues to be a global epicenter of freedom and the creative spirit," said Michael Hershman, the CEO of Soloviev Group. "We are thrilled to share this transformative experience with our community and the world."

The Soloviev Group has long aimed to develop the site as the home of one of Manhattan's first casinos. Community Board 6 has so far disapproved the project, spurring many design changes, like nixing a ferris wheel and also reducing the proposed casino size.

In an April meeting, some seemed pleased that the group announced that the casino's share of the development would be scaled back, but the Community Board 6 chair, Kyle Athayde, told the New York Times back in May that the board remained steadfast in their opposition.

“These are just distractions to get the real moneymaker through,” Athayde told the Times. “In the end, we get the bread crumbs.”