Lou Gehrig Plaza sits at the busiest pedestrian crossroads in the South Bronx, where three subway lines, Metro-North and Yankee Stadium all converge on one hard slab of concrete. Anything installed there has to compete with that: the ballpark crowds, the vendors, the constant flow between the station and the gates. Go stand on it and watch the busiest corner in the borough go past, whatever has been built on it.
What to expect
Come to the plaza near East 161st Street and see what has gone up — the permit covers a temporary structure on the plaza for a limited run. Around it you get a fully public urban square: commuters, ballpark crowds on game days, vendors, and a steady stream of foot traffic between the subway and the stadium gates. It is a place to stop and look rather than a ticketed event.
Good to know
- B, D or 4 to 161st St-Yankee Stadium puts you directly on the plaza
- Free public space with no entry requirement
- Extremely busy before and after Yankees home games, and much calmer otherwise
- Level, paved and fully step-free
- Bring water — the plaza is hot and largely exposed
- Metro-North's Yankees-E 153rd St station is a short walk for Hudson and Harlem line riders
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Common questions
Who was Lou Gehrig?
The Yankees first baseman known as the Iron Horse, whose 2,130 consecutive-game streak stood for 56 years.
Is the plaza open to everyone?
Yes. It's public space beside the stadium, free to use and open at all hours.
How busy does it get?
Very, on Yankees home game days. At other times it's an ordinary transit crossroads.
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