And now for a little good news. We could do with it. And the news is that a sliver of green, a tiny urban oasis in Manhattan, has survived after a lengthy campaign by advocates and supporters and in the end a wise decision by the city led by Mayor Eric Adams.
Elizabeth Street Garden was seemingly destined for the history books to make way for affordable housing - itself no bad thing of course, though Garden supporters argued that there were alternative sites for housing.
The Garden is located in Little Italy and while owned by the city for years has been tended for those years by volunteers from the neighborhood. The garden, according to an online posting, is one acre in size.
"It's an L-shaped space located on Elizabeth Street in the Nolita neighborhood, between Prince and Spring Streets. The garden is a public green space that's been a recreational and educational resource for the community since the 1800s. It's the only public green space in Little Italy and SoHo. The garden is known for its sculpture garden, leafy hedges, and whimsical features like pear trees, cement lions, and black-eyed Susans."
The city, a while back, sold the land to the ironically named Haven Green, a developer, for $1. The developer was looking to build senior affordable housing and luxury retail and office space.
While the Garden is in Little Italy the neighborhood also has a rich Irish heritage. Saint Patrick's Old Basilica is only a few minutes walk away. The Ancient Order of Hibernians once patrolled these streets on the watch for Nativists and Know Nothings. The Irish Brigade set out for the Civil War hereabouts.
In an editorial last year this page stated: "The city wants to pave paradise, though this time not to replace it with a parking lot as might have once been the case with Grand Central and the New York Public Library. Where's Jackie Kennedy when she is so much needed?
"Once paved over and built upon, the garden will pass into memory. Or maybe not. There is always the chance of an eleventh hour reprieve. But that, we reckon, would have to come from City Hall and Mayor Eric Adams."
Councilmember Christopher Marte.
Well, cue Mayor Adams.
In a statement from the Mayor's office this week we learned that there has been an agreement to create over 620 new affordable homes in Lower Manhattan while retaining Elizabeth Street Garden as a publicly accessible park.
The park's survival is based on an agreement between the Adams administration and New York City Councilmember Christopher Marte.
Said a statement on behalf of Mayor Adams: "New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced a signed agreement with New York City Councilmember Christopher Marte to more than quintuple the amount of new affordable housing to be created in New York City Council District 1 over what was originally planned for the Elizabeth Street Garden site — building over 620 new affordable homes — while preserving the iconic Elizabeth Street Garden and making it a publicly-available garden for all New Yorkers to enjoy.
"As part of the agreement, the city will permanently pause plans for redevelopment of the garden while Councilmember Marte will support rezoning three sites in his district to create new affordable housing. Additionally, the park will expand its hours and become more accessible to all New Yorkers, and could, if the city chooses to do so, become a part of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation."
Perhaps only in politics can you "permanently pause," but this is a sensible decision, a win win as they say.
