Editing Holland Tunnel (section)

==== Freeman Plaza ====
[[File:NEW YORK TUNNEL ENTRANCE, DETAIL SHOWING BUST OF CLIFFORD MILBURN HOLLAND - Holland Tunnel, Beneath Hudson River between New York and Jersey City, New York, New York County, NY HAER NY,31-NEYO,166-21 (cropped).tif|thumb|upright=1.1|A bust of [[Clifford Milburn Holland]], the tunnel's first chief engineer, at the Holland Tunnel's entrance]]
Originally used as the toll plazas for New Jersey-bound traffic, the small triangular patches of land at the mouth of the westbound tube entrance are referred to as '''Freeman Plaza''' or '''Freeman Square'''. The plaza is named after Milton Freeman, the engineer who took over the Holland Tunnel project after the death of Clifford Milburn Holland.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1927/11/12/archives/coolidge-will-open-holland-tube-today-flash-from-white-house-will.html|title=Coolidge Will Open Holland Tube Today|date=November 12, 1927|work=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=May 9, 2018|archive-date=May 10, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180510052803/https://www.nytimes.com/1927/11/12/archives/coolidge-will-open-holland-tube-today-flash-from-white-house-will.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The Freeman Plaza received its name just before the tunnel opened in 1927. The toll plaza was removed circa 1971 when the Port Authority stopped collecting tolls for New Jersey-bound drivers, and the square was later fenced off by the Port Authority.<ref name="nris" />{{rp|7}}<ref name="Blakinger 2016">{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/history-little-known-nyc-plaza-article-1.2709281|title=A look at the history of the little-known Freeman Plaza named after a forgotten NYC tunnel engineer|last=Blakinger|first=Keri|date=July 13, 2016|website=New York Daily News|access-date=May 9, 2018|archive-date=May 10, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180510115332/http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/history-little-known-nyc-plaza-article-1.2709281|url-status=live}}</ref> The small maintenance buildings for toll collectors were removed around 1982 or 1983.<ref name="nris" />{{rp|7}} A bust of Holland sits outside the entrance to the westbound tube in Freeman Plaza.<ref name="Gillespie 2011" />{{Rp|16}}

A [[business improvement district]] for the area, the Hudson Square Connection, was founded in 2009 with the goal of repurposing the square for pedestrian use.<ref name="Blakinger 2016" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://thevillager.com/villager_364/hudsonsquare.html|title=Hudson Square BID thinking freely about Freeman Plaza|last=Amateau|first=Albert|date=April 21, 2010|website=The Villager|access-date=May 9, 2018|archive-date=September 1, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130901190426/http://thevillager.com/villager_364/hudsonsquare.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Hudson Square Connection and the Port Authority collaborated to create a five-year, $27&nbsp;million master plan for Freeman Plaza.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/10/nyregion/park-is-proposed-for-holland-tunnels-entrance-in-manhattan.html|title=Park Is Proposed for Holland Tunnel's Entrance in Manhattan|last=Flegenheimer|first=Matt|date=October 9, 2012|work=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=May 9, 2018|archive-date=May 10, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180510124511/https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/10/nyregion/park-is-proposed-for-holland-tunnels-entrance-in-manhattan.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2013, Freeman Plaza West was opened to the public. Bounded by Hudson, Broome, and Watts Streets, it features umbrellas, bistro tables and chairs, and tree plantings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20130514/REAL_ESTATE/130519953/pretty-plaza-sprouts-in-hudson-square|title=Pretty plaza sprouts in Hudson Square|last=Karni|first=Annie|website=Crain's New York Business|date=May 14, 2013|access-date=June 27, 2016|archive-date=April 3, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170403114152/http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20130514/REAL_ESTATE/130519953/pretty-plaza-sprouts-in-hudson-square|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2014, Freeman Plaza East and Freeman Plaza North were opened on [[Varick Street|Varick]] and [[Broome Street|Broome]] Streets, respectively. The plazas contained [[chaise longue]]s, bistro tables, and umbrellas.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20140918/hudson-square/small-parks-with-chaise-lounges-open-near-holland-tunnel-entrance |title=Small Parks With Chaise Lounges Open Near Holland Tunnel Entrance |website=DNAinfo New York|access-date=June 27, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160819164939/https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20140918/hudson-square/small-parks-with-chaise-lounges-open-near-holland-tunnel-entrance |archive-date=August 19, 2016}}</ref> In 2016, the Hudson Square Connection added solar powered charging stations to both plazas, and introduced a summer lunchtime music series, called live@lunch.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hudsonsquarebid.org/liveatlunch/|title=live@lunch {{!}} The Hudson Square Connection a Business Improvement District|access-date=June 27, 2016|archive-date=July 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160708100241/http://www.hudsonsquarebid.org/liveatlunch/|url-status=dead}}</ref> A statue by the artist [[Isamu Noguchi]] was also installed within the plaza.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20161222/hudson-square/12000-pound-sculpture-installed-hudson-square-near-holland-tunnel/|title=12,000-Pound Sculpture Installed in Hudson Square Near Holland Tunnel|last=Tcholakian|first=Danielle|date=December 22, 2016|website=DNAinfo New York|access-date=May 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180510115635/https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20161222/hudson-square/12000-pound-sculpture-installed-hudson-square-near-holland-tunnel/|archive-date=May 10, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> To the south of Freeman Plaza, between Varick, Watts, and Canal Streets is [[One Hudson Square]], a [[New York City designated landmark]] in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kurshan|first=Virginia|url=http://www.nyc.gov/html/lpc/downloads/pdf/reports/2537.pdf|title=Holland Plaza|publisher=[[New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission]]|date=August 6, 2013|access-date=May 9, 2018|archive-date=September 6, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130906154617/http://www.nyc.gov/html/lpc/downloads/pdf/reports/2537.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>