A rendering of what 97th street between Columbus and Amsterdam could look like if the Stryker Park group can rally support.
By Eliza Newman
For a group of Upper West Siders, the mission is simple: “Less concrete. More Green!”
The community organization Friends of Stryker Park (FoSP) is petitioning to create a linear park along the length of the north side West 97 Street block between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues on the Upper West Side. The sidewalk is over 50 feet wide—almost double the width of the average New York City block. The total area under consideration is approximately 40,000 square feet.
FoSP wish to partner with one of the main occupants of the street, P.S. 163, and create a green space where the students can learn from a community garden and locals can unwind.
Co-founders of FoSP, Bob Leonard and Jim Henderson, were inspired by the increase of foot-traffic in the area due to the recent addition of the Columbus Square shopping area in the neighborhood. It includes a Whole Foods, Sephora, TJ Maxx, Michael’s, a private preschool and other shops.
Leonard has stated that the group has received an overwhelmingly positive response. He stated, “We have support from a number of local businesses… We’ve met with Donny Lopez, principal of P.S. 163 who has been supportive… Over 350 of our neighbors have signed our petition.”
Henderson has a background in sustainability and energy reduction measures for residential buildings in the City. He is also a board member and treasurer of GreenHomeNYC, a group that helps NYC buildings maintain sustainable building methods and materials.
According to the FoSP website, the name of the park comes from the Stryker family. The family dates back to the Revolutionary War and owned the area roughly between 96th St. to 100th St., and from Columbus Avenue to the Hudson River.
To sign the petition, volunteer, or learn more information, the public may visit www.strykerpark.org.
Two potential designs for the site, by the Department of Transportation:
This article is astoundingly well written!
I’m relieved to see this would not at all encroach on the97th street area west of the parking lot entrance, where our wonderful year-round Greenmarket is held Friday mornings.
This design seems just to add street furniture, especially planters and umbrellas, to the benches there already. A welcome improvement if well-maintained. Be sure to allow for the existing peddler stand. It brightens and humanizes the area and is a convenient way to get some fruit without descending into the depths of Whole Foods.
Funny thing. There actually was more green in the area before the luxury buildings were put up…
Love it! The more green the better.
I’m sure that will be a prime spot for Citibike when it gets up here on the UWS. But more trees are always welcome.
Not necessarily. My UWS block was one of the first blocks to receive trees back in the early 1990’s under Rudy’s push to ‘green the city.’ Twenty-five years later, these tree have grown resulting in three (3) issues:
1) The underground roots have push upward and moved the sidewalk, at times causing a trip hazard.
2) Come summer time, when the trees are in full bloom, they tend to obstruct the street lights causing a dimly lit block at night.
3) Come fall time, the leaves get soak, fall off, and litter the sidewalk, causing a slipping hazard.
Before you go sprucing up the block with trees, learn from the poor decisions made in the past.
Pouring concrete everywhere and having trees and nature be an afterthought in our city is what I would call a “poor decision”. I’ll gladly deal with the “slippery sidewalks”, thanks very much.
This is such great news for the UWS. That concrete wasteland was always a mysterious example of bad planning. Delighted to read the news in such a cogent article. Keep ’em coming, Ms. Newman!
Glad to read about this! Great idea! Good article, Ms. Newman- keep them coming.
What a great idea! And what an excellent article Ms. Newman! I look forward to hearing more.
Yes, this looks very attractive, but who is going to keep this area clean? Why not let the developer of the Jewish Home provide this space as seating for their senior residency.
You know none of this is going to fly as it is definite that the Jewish Home will be built as Gluck owns Park West Village and Columbus Square and he is not going to give in to “public space” being so close to his developments.
What’s going to happen is people will buy the prepared food from the Whole Foods Market and then they will come around the corner — eat and leave their discarded garbage right there for the next person to throw it on the ground or toss it in a trash can.
An unmanaged café seating area? Have you ever noticed the garbage left on our metal benches after being occupied? Now we need garbage cans nearby in the hopes that they will know enough to use them. Just look at the sitting area outside of the IRT Subway station on Broadway & 96th Street — or the center island (median) on Broadway or the trees enhancing the bike lanes — filthy with garbage!
So if people think that the NYC Parks Department is going to manage and manicure an outdoor café, a vest size park or garden, then they are sadly mistaken. That is just the plain truth.
All this attention on these new young fair market families and their multitude of children seems to be the new focus of the neighborhood and not the concerns of the majority of its residents. What is actually happening to our community?
Central Park is only one block away!
Thank you.
IMO L. Kelly raises some important points – that NYC generally is unable to properly maintain trees and green spaces (for example, a Bloomberg Administration initiative was to plant trees but did not sufficiently budget for long-term maintenance.) And that, sadly, in many places in NYC, an unintended consequence of green space is garbage.
Would love to see some more bike racks as well — seems odd that WHM isn’t behind a few more secure hoops for those of us who ride our bikes to shop there.
(Sorry, WFM. Late.)
WHY MUST PEOPLE INSIST ON SITTING ON THE SIDEWALK ?
GO HOME OR CENTRAL PARK IS ONE BLOCK AWAY.
Ask Emily