in and around the park, public space, NYC & more
Updated 5/27 3:23 p.m. and 5/28 9:03 a.m. When Private Influence Controls Public Parks You are probably aware of the secret scheme to privatize Washington Square Park: A private conservancy was hatched and developed over … Read more…
Updated 4:42 p.m. Yesterday, the New York City Council’s Parks Committee held a hearing on parks’ equity at City Hall in the Council Chambers. It was pretty well attended, but, like the hearing on oversight … Read more…
As artist/activist Robert Lederman commented in relation to this piece: “Non-profit sure is profitable!” Sunday, April 6th New York Post: Nonprofit parks executives get big paydays as city funds lag by Kate Briquelet These park honchos … Read more…
My report-back piece on the meeting is coming shortly! A few unanticipated factors got in the way, apologies. In the meantime, if you haven’t seen The Villager piece, check it out. The Villager: Conservancy, C.B. … Read more…
The years-long battle over the proposed restaurant in the historic Union Square Pavilion took an unanticipated turn last month when New York State’s appeals court ruled that it was just fine to place a restaurant … Read more…
Two responses to the recent Gotham column by Michael Powell in the New York Times, City’s Parks Department Takes a Seat Behind Nonprofit Conservancies (Feb. 4): First from former Parks Commissioner Veronica White, who now works for … Read more…
Today’s New York Times features a piece, Parks Department Takes a Seat Behind Nonprofit Conservancies, by Michael Powell outlining some of the larger issues with private groups being handed the reins at public parks across … Read more…
The Villager: Hot Dogs Will return to park, but questions simmer, January 30, 2014 BY LINCOLN ANDERSON | To the joy of frankfurter fans everywhere, the Parks Department recently reversed itself and decided wieners will, … Read more…
New! This Downloadable Excel Document traces the Washington Square Park Conservancy Budget E-Mail Trail and Raises Additional Questions: Washington Square Park Conservancy Budget Email Trail ______________________________________________________________________ This is Part VII in a series, WSP Private … Read more…
What do you do when the City Council passes a law that applies to a city agency and then that city agency ignores it and the Council does not enforce it? Such is the case … Read more…
Updated January 6, 2013 — This is Part V in a series — The private Conservancy at Washington Square Park was only able to gain approval from local Community Board 2 (headed by a real estate … Read more…
In the Letters to the Editor section in this week’s Villager, all but one is in response to last week’s article about the documents this blog obtained that show the Washington Square Park Conservancy founders misrepresented their organization … Read more…
[Note: Link to documents below.] At the one public meeting dedicated to discussing a conservancy at Washington Square Park in June of 2013, the founders of this private group came before the public and presented a minimum … Read more…
Updated Today’s (Sunday) New York Post: Update: The print version of the Post’s story has a slightly different title than the online version — it also features photos of John & Justine Leguizamo and Mario Batali … Read more…
Updated — Written seven months ago in late April, this letter from New York State Senator Brad Hoylman, former Chair, Community Board 2, and New York State Assembly Member Deborah Glick to NYC Parks Commissioner … Read more…