There are a dozen benches and a water fountain. No sign of any shade just yet.
According to the Parks Department website, construction is 90% complete. Parks still lists October as the opening date.
As noted in previous posts, since the 1990s, the Department of Environmental Preservation has used this city-owned space to work on shafts connected to the underground network of tunnels that supply NYC's drinking water.
Several years ago, there were public meetings to gather ideas for "passive recreation space" here between the Bowery and Lafayette. And this is the result of those.
Top photo by Steven; second pic by Goggla.
There is another park opening soon at Grand and Lafayette which has an identical design. I’m not trying to sound like a psycho complaining about new parks, but doesn’t it look a bit sterile?
ReplyDeleteShut up psycho! We need more parks.
DeleteLove a new park but wooow is that going to be hot on a sunny day. I hope the building replacing B-Bar doesn't have any highly reflective windows or this park will be filled with human bacon on the first day over 85 degrees...
ReplyDeleteWould it have killed them to plant a beautiful tree where that ... putting green is?
ReplyDeleteTerrible design, just a waste of a potentially-vibrant space.
ReplyDeleteTo think, some person or firm got paid a lot of money to design this boring, impractical, antiseptic space. Oy vey!
ReplyDeleteAgree nice to have a space to enjoy, but geeze can we plant 4/5 trees there?
ReplyDeleteWe desperately need park space but this took forever and looks rather dystopian, like it belongs in a video game. Hoping they add some trees, shade and a more convivial atmosphere.
ReplyDeleteHopefully they will clean the vandalizing up and hopefully it will stay clean and safe for the community
ReplyDeleteThis site still belongs to the DEP. It’s filled with access points for water tunnels. One fence gate provides space for trucks to enter and maneuver. There were limitations on what could be included in the space.
ReplyDeleteThe design couldnt include planting of large trees because the space is above the water tunnel site and the roots would interfere. There will be trees in planters, I believe
ReplyDeleteThank you for the last two comments.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised how many don't know what this lot is, or what has been going on there for the last qtr century.
Get to know your neighborhood, people!
Picky picky picky. Correct they can't plant trees because the roots would interfere with the water tunnel below and also there must be access in the middle (above the admittedly awful astroturf) for the Parks Dept. trucks.
ReplyDeleteLet's just be grateful for the new space which is a big improvement over the weed-filled previous lot.
Hopefully it won't become the gathering place for the soon-to-be arriving "Crusties".