▁and ▁public ▁officials ▁were ▁to ▁final ize ▁the ▁plans ▁for ▁development . ▁ ▁On ▁October ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁Council ▁approved ▁the ▁project , ▁then ▁still ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁SP UR A , ▁in ▁a ▁un anim ous ▁vote . ▁On ▁September ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁the ▁then ▁Mayor ▁Michael ▁Blo om berg ▁un ve iled ▁a ▁definite ▁plan ▁for ▁the ▁Es sex ▁Cross ing ▁project . ▁ ▁Const ruction ▁progress ▁In ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁demol ition ▁of ▁structures ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁comm enced ▁to ▁make ▁way ▁for ▁the ▁development . ▁ ▁On ▁August ▁ 2 , ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁it ▁was ▁revealed ▁that ▁a ▁municipal ▁par king ▁lot ▁at ▁Bro ome ▁and ▁Es sex ▁Stre ets ▁would ▁be ▁closed ▁for ▁soil ▁testing ▁and ▁for ▁planning ▁of ▁the ▁future ▁War hol ▁museum . ▁Gr ound bre aking ▁for ▁the ▁crossing ▁was ▁said ▁to ▁come ▁as ▁early ▁as ▁spring ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁though ▁a ▁definite ▁ground bre aking ▁tim eline ▁had ▁not ▁been ▁published . ▁Another ▁par king ▁lot ▁was ▁closed ▁on ▁December ▁ 3 1 , ▁this ▁time ▁a ▁private ▁one ▁on ▁Su ff olk ▁Street . ▁ ▁Final ▁designs ▁for ▁Es sex ▁Cross ing ▁were ▁to ▁be ▁released ▁on ▁January ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁The ▁Es sex ▁Street ▁Market ▁and ▁a ▁fire house ▁on ▁Bro ome ▁Street ▁were ▁to ▁be