Grimshaw Begins Rebuild of 70 Mulberry Street

The reconstruction of the historic Chinatown building will restore space for five former tenants displaced by a 2020 fire.

Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Construction

Historic brick street facade of a late-nineteenth-century building partly wrapped in scaffolding, with rebuilt upper floors rising above a narrow city street under overcast light. — Grimshaw has begun reconstructing 70 Mulberry Street in Manhattan's Chinatown, returning 51,000 square feet to five tenants displaced by a 2020 fire. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Grimshaw has begun reconstruction of 70 Mulberry Street in Manhattan's Chinatown, a building originally constructed as Public School 23 in the late nineteenth century. The project will return approximately 51,000 square feet to five former tenants displaced after a January 2020 fire.

Why it matters

The January 2020 fire destroyed the building's upper three floors and displaced five tenants, and the rebuild restores neighborhood cultural and nonprofit space in Chinatown. The project is being delivered by the New York City Department of Design and Construction.

The rebuild totals 85,720 square feet, adding 16,500 square feet of community facilities and returning about 51,000 square feet to five displaced tenants. The project's total cost and completion date were not disclosed in the source material.

The players

Grimshaw

Grimshaw is an international architecture firm leading the design of the 70 Mulberry Street reconstruction.

New York City Department of Design and Construction

The New York City Department of Design and Construction is the city agency that manages the design and construction of public buildings and infrastructure.

The details

The historic street-facing facades are being retained while the upper floors are rebuilt, and the design includes a double-height multipurpose room and three new elevators. The reconstruction followed a community engagement process involving former tenants and neighborhood representatives.

Late nineteenth century: Building originally constructed as Public School 23.
January 2020: Fire destroyed the upper three floors and displaced five tenants.
November 10, 2026: Reconstruction of 70 Mulberry Street began.

Roadmap

The 70 Mulberry Street project reuses a late nineteenth-century civic school building, retaining its historic street-facing facades while rebuilding the upper floors for community use. The rebuild follows the pattern of adapting older public buildings in dense urban neighborhoods rather than demolishing them.

The rebuild will restore about 51,000 square feet to five former tenants, giving neighborhood groups and nonprofits in Chinatown a return to their home. Residents will see the historic facades preserved while the interior gains community spaces, elevators, and a multipurpose room.

The takeaway

Adaptive reuse of historic civic buildings can preserve neighborhood character while meeting modern community needs. The 70 Mulberry Street project shows how retaining street-facing facades can anchor a rebuild that serves former tenants.