New York City is no stranger to change, but few opportunities come along that have the potential to redefine one of its most iconic streets. Historic Park Ave. stands at the brink of a transformation that will benefit everyone who lives, works, or visits this great city. This is not just another beautification project — this is a chance to create world-class open space that will secure New York’s standing as a leading global city for decades to come. Over the years, New York City has consistently met or beat the challenges to its status as the greatest city in the world posed by up-and-coming cities by drawing on our creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship. One of the most visible examples of this is how new approaches to open space have reinvigorated communities around the city, from the High Line to Governors Island to Domino Park. Imagine a revitalized Park Ave., not just as a thoroughfare but as a dynamic, green oasis in the heart of Midtown East. Such a transformation would elevate the city’s competitive edge, attract tourists, boost local businesses, and provide a renewed sense of community for residents.  Mayor Adams and Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez recently released a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking landscape architects and urban designers to put forward their best and boldest ideas on how to create a cohesive, connected, and active public park on Park Ave. from 46th to 57th Sts. This new open space would replace the existing “malls,” or enclosed flower beds, that look nice but aren’t meeting Midtown East’s needs. We need the most creative, forward-thinking landscape architects to partner with the city to deliver a creative, inviting, and awe-inspiring design.  As talented designers are drawing inspiration for their vision for the future of Park Ave., a good place to start would be looking back more than 100 years. In 1919, the malls were a distinctive pedestrian promenade designed for people to enjoy. Over the years, they shrunk to make way for cars and were cordoned off and filled with flowers and trees. This inaccessible space was overlooked and underappreciated as an asset. As the city and private sector invested in central business district improvements in other areas like Hudson Yards and the World Trade Center, Park Ave. was slower to see changes to the streetscape. Now Park Ave. has about 80% less open space per office worker compared to other business districts. We recognized it was time to change that.  In 2018, Fisher Brothers launched the “Beyond the Centerline” design competition to reimagine the malls. Hundreds of submissions came in. These ideas evolved into a plan with support from the Grand Central Partnership and stakeholders from the design, preservation, and open space communities. Now, a landscape architect or urban designer can win up to $1.5 million to reimagine one of the most famous stretches of Manhattan.  When completed, this project will transform the malls from one acre of underutilized decorative space to two acres of active open space. A recent study from Gensler found that 35% of New Yorkers want to see more green space in Midtown and Lower Manhattan, which would in turn create more leisure space, areas for programming and activation, and new design standards that can enhance social cohesion and economic benefits. In fact, this project is projected to bring up to $1 billion in potential incremental property tax revenues to the city according to a study done by HR&A Advisors.  Executing this ambitious project from concept to built environment is of equal importance. It shows that New York City is still capable of thinking big and delivering for New Yorkers. Additionally, this project creates a canvas for whoever is selected to demonstrate that New York City is where the most creative and innovative ideas come to life.  While this project has spanned several administrations, we applaud the mayor and his administration for embracing it. It should be used as a model going forward for transforming underutilized public space into curated and engaging landscapes that will spur economic activity for years to come.  Reimagining the streetscape along Park Ave. is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to put your mark on a historic piece of New York City, help maintain New York’s status as a top-tier forward-thinking international city, and position Midtown East for the future. We urge landscape architects and urban designers to rise to this challenge and submit their vision to put the park back in Park Ave.  Fisher is a partner at Fisher Brothers and a commissioner of the Port Authority. Cerullo is the president and CEO of the Grand Central Partnership and a member of the New York City Planning Commission.