Photo by Gretchen Berger.
Septuagesimo Uno, a teeny-tiny park on 71st street between Amsterdam and West End Avenue, is being reconstructed to add new benches, plantings, and drainage.
The park is located on the site of a former 15-foot-wide brownstone that was converted into a tiny pocket park in 1969. It got an upgrade in 2000, and local residents have pitched in to keep it green.
What the site looked like prior to construction. Photo courtesy of NYC Parks Dept.
But poor drainage and lackluster plantings have stolen some of its sparkle. The parks department will be adding 10 new benches, permeable bricks and new drains, as well as new trees. It’s expected to be completed in August. The full plan is below.
Septuagesimo Uno, by the way, means 71 in Latin.
Plans for the site (click to enlarge).
They should put in a hiking trail and a baseball field.
…and a bike lane
… and a starbucks
hahahahahahahah
septuaginta unus = 71 in Latin
septuagesimus primus = 71st in Latin
I don’t see a water source or plans for irrigation! I recall a conversation with two regulars who said that people have to bring water. They were not sure that Parks came in to water or to care for the paltry plant collection.
Here’s hoping the plans include a strong drainage solution and a well maintained irrigation system.
Without those things, they will be sentencing any new trees and plantings to death.
It’s adorable! Hope it can be a safe respite when a little peace and calm is needed.
What do the abbreviations and terms in the schematic mean?
Sweet – With all the new skyscrapers being built in the hood, we’ll need all the green spaces we can get.
How many of the new skyscrapers at least plant greenery on the roof?
Re: “With all the new skyscrapers being built in the hood, we’ll need all the green spaces we can get.”
Ever hear of a lovely little spot, full of all sorts of green stuff, called CENTRAL PARK ???
And its perfectly-nice cousin, RIVERSIDE PARK?
Wow, wotta great ‘nabe’…we got lots of modern tall buildings AND lots of traditional green places.
Sometimes one might want a cozy hideaway closer to home.
I agree but with all the skyscrapers there will be no sun. It’s important to select shade appropriate plantings.
Like the plastic ones they well in K-marts.
Poor tree. It ran out of directions in which to go to find a small piece of sun.
there is a “quick coupler” shown which would indicate a hose connection – perhaps it will store water from the rain garden for use (though that may be a bit ambitious!)
Yes, they’re planning on installing a hose (not sure about the rain garden). WSR
Adorable.
Looks even smaller than this one.
Great. Finally a link that does not take you to John Derbyshire.
Why did the brownstone come down?
Because it wanted to ???
darling!
It would really be nice if it had a restroom.