Straus Square Proposal

Manhattan Community Board 3 Parks Committee

June 15, 2017
the Borough of ChooseOne.
Public Scope Meeting
Month Day, Year
Parks Capital Design
Tonight

1. Recap of Parks Without Borders Program

2. Community Outreach and Feedback
3. Straus Square Proposal
4. Questions and Discussion

Straus Square Looking West from E. Broadway

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Parks Without Borders Goals

Accessible Parks
Make parks more welcoming and
accessible to everyone
Improved Neighborhoods
Extend the beauty of parks out
into communities
Vibrant Community Spaces
Transform underused spaces into
centers of community

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Parks Without Borders is a new
design approach focusing on
improving the areas where parks
and neighborhoods meet:
entrances, edges, and park-adjacent
spaces.

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Public Outreach

We asked New Yorkers to nominate parks

for eight new showcase projects through
our online map.

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Public Outreach

Held 37 public meetings and presentations at Distributed literature at NYC Parks

community boards, libraries, and computer recreation centers and every public
resources centers citywide library in the city

IN
PARQUES SS

FRONTERA

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Seward Park and
Straus Square:
What We Heard

I loved to see this attached to Seward Park.

Add the triangle to the park.

Add Straus Square to Seward Park.

Park adjacent area would be a great

gateway

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Letters of Support
THE CITY OF NEW YORK Caf Petisco
189 East Broadway
MANHATTAN COMMUNITY BOARD 3 New York, NY 10002
5 9 E a s t 4 t h S tr e e t - N e w Y o r k , N Y 1 00 0 3 212-387-0366
Phone (212) 533-5300 - Fax (212) 533-3659 Board of Directors:
www.cb3manhattan.org i n f o@ c b 3m a n h a t t a n . or g Zach Aarons
Steven Lenard (Steven.Lenard@parks.nyc.gov)
Deputy Director - Planning and Parklands February 5, 2016
Serena Altschul
New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
Gigi Li, Board Chair Susan Stetzer, District Manager Dan Barasch
The Arsenal, Central Park
David Barry
830 Fifth Avenue, Room 3 Steven Lenard (Steven.Lenard@parks.nyc.gov)
Jennifer Blumin
New York, NY 10065 Deputy Director - Planning and Parklands
December 23, 2015 Vin Cipolla
New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
Boykin Curry Dear Director Lenard, The Arsenal, Central Park
Hon. Mitchell J. Silver, Commissioner Paul Hoffman
830 Fifth Avenue, Room 3
New York City Department of Parks & Recreation Jolie Hunt-Potter On behalf of the Lowline, a local organization representing tens of thousands of supporters
The Arsenal Signe Nielsen and focused on promoting green space and community-centered parks on New York Citys New York, NY 10065
Central Park James Ramsey Lower East Side, I am writing to urge you to consider selecting Seward Park for much-
830 Fifth Avenue Peter Shapiro needed improvements and better neighborhood integration through the Parks Without Dear Director Lenard,
New York, NY 10065 Joshua Sirefman
Borders program.
Marquise Stillwell As an organization with a long-term presence and many constituents on the Lower East Side,
As you know, the Lower East Side is one of the neighborhoods most in need of green
Dear Commissioner Silver, space across New York City, offering only one-fifth the average park acreage available to Caf Petisco sincerely hopes you will select Seward Park for much-needed improvements and
Board of Advisors: New Yorkers city-wide. The oldest city playground in the United States, Seward Park is an better neighborhood integration through the Parks Without Borders program.
At its December 2015 monthly meeting, Community Board 3 passed the following resolution:
Sunny Bates historic beauty, providing much needed respite to a diversity of local residents. But it is
David Bolotsky sorely in need of public support. If selected for funding, Seward Park would use these As you know, the Lower East Side is one of the most under-parked neighborhoods in all of
VOTE: Support for Seward Park as a Candidate for Parks Without Borders Program James Capalino resources to directly address all the Parks Without Borders goals: New York City. Selecting Seward Park for funding hits all the Parks Without Borders goals:
Wellington Chen
WHEREAS, NYC Parks announced the Parks Without Borders program, which will award 8 parks around New and improved entrances will make Seward Park more accessible and
the City with capital grant funding for improvements; and
Scott Conti
welcoming to everyone. New and improved entrances will make Seward Park more accessible and welcoming to
Craig Covil
everyone.
Joshua David
WHEREAS, the criteria for eligible parks to be considered for Parks Without Borders are very specific, Rethinking and renovating Straus Square will extend Seward Parks beauty into
Lena Dunham
including but not limited to adjacent plazas and other city owned spaces that could potentially be combined the community. Rethinking and renovating Straus Square will extend Seward Parks beauty into the
Megan Ellison
and programmed together with park land for improved uses and entrances; and community.
Robert Hammond Creating a vibrant green space will transform the underused area between the
park and the Seward Park Library.
WHEREAS, the only park eligible under such criteria in CB 3 is Seward Park; and Jan Hanvik
Creating a vibrant green space will transform the underused area between the park and the
Jeremy Heimans
Improving the Essex Street border, restoring the Schiff Fountain, and opening all Seward Park Library.
WHEREAS, NYC Parks indicated Seward Park would be an extremely viable candidate for the program; and Marc Kushner
of the gates will create a welcoming grand entrance to the park.
Tim Laughlin

WHEREAS, utilizing Parks Without Borders for Seward Park capital improvements will free up scarce Scot Medbury
Improving the Essex Street border, restoring the Schiff Fountain, and opening all of the gates
The Lowline is proud to support Seward Park for this program. These improvements would
discretionary funding for other parks in great need of capital funds in our district; so Bentley Meeker truly strengthen the vitality and vibrancy of the Lower East Side and our community. will create a welcoming grand entrance to the park.
Mark Miller
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, CB 3 endorses and selects Seward Park as its candidate for the Parks Shantelena Mouzon Sincerely, Caf Petisco fully supports Seward Park for this program. These improvements would have a
Without Borders program. Jon Neidich tremendous positive impact on the Lower East Side and the people we serve.
Craig Newmark
If you have any questions, please contact the community board office. Miriam Parker Sincerely,
Sincerely, Kenny Scharf
Dan Barasch
Jamie Springer
Co-Founder and Executive Director
Louisa St. Pierre

Michael Tumminia Anat Sror

Gigi Li, Chair Thomas Yu, Chair
Community Board 3 Parks, Recreation, Cultural Affairs & Waterfront Committee
Morris Vogel cc: Margaret Chin (chin@council.nyc.gov) Owner
Stephan Walter Amy Robinson, The Seward Park Conservancy, Inc. (amyr677@gmail.com)
Thomas Yu Susan Stetzer (info@cb3manhattan.org)

Cc: Steve Simon, Office of Manhattan Borough Commissioner, DPR cc: Margaret Chin (chin@council.nyc.gov)
Helen Yanolatos, Office of Manhattan Borough Commissioner, DPR Amy Robinson, The Seward Park Conservancy, Inc. (amyr677@gmail.com)
Paul Evans, Parks District 3 Interim Manager, DPR Susan Stetzer (info@cb3manhattan.org)

Councilmember Chin Community Board 3 Lowline Educational Alliance Dishful Catering

SEWARD PARK
A VISION FOR PARKS WITHOUT BORDERS

AN AR

Hester Street Fair Seward Park Conservancy Borough President Brewer DLJ Two Bridges Condominium

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MOST COMMONLY-
DESIRED
FOCUS AREAS

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Community Input Meeting
Nov. 14, 2016
120+ attendees
Kicked off design
of project
While Straus
Square important,
more interest in
reconstruction of
other two areas

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PWB CAPITAL
PROJECT

PROPOSED
SITE

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Existing Conditions

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Proposed lements ersey Barri ade urniture

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Proposed lements Bike epair Shippin Container

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Proposed Plantin s

Sil er Mound

uonymous olden
Spirea

Pennisetum utumn oy Chamae yparis

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Proposed esi n ption Summer

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Proposed esi n ption Sprin

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Proposed esi n ption Summer

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Proposed esi n ption Sprin

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Implementation

Installation: Summer 2017 n n 1

Maintenance: NYC Parks and rogramming artners
Exploring opportunities for activation this summer

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QUESTIONS?