East Houston Street Park

What a difference a day makes. Actually, what a difference people (can) make.

Yesterday I was thinking realistically of planting a median. Now an entire park is being planned! I met with Namshik Yoon, Robert McLean and John Feely this morning, of the NYC Parks Department. Chief Yoon, as the Chief of Operations, decides what happens. Robert McLean helps make it happen. Over the last year and a half he has renovated Sara D. Roosevelt Park. It took 9,000 hours, mostly from volunteers. He describes himself as "a neurotic farmer". (He used to farm coffee in Hawaii. For Monsanto.)

I feel lucky to have met with them. All it took was picking up the phone to ask about the derelict lot on East Houston. Note to self. Pick up the phone more often. I hate phones.

They were pleased about the idea for the median, but pointed out that the whole of East Houston Street may be ripped up in 18 months' time if the budget is still there for its renovation. I don't mind planning a two year perennial garden. But their interest lay across the street. How would I feel about designing the empty strip and lot on the north side of East Houston?

How would I feel?

Fantastic!


This has been one of my favourite perplexing spots in Manhattan, ever since I started to work on the Lower East Side, six years ago. Irreplaceable Artifacts' old brick house collapsed on the corner a few years ago (one of their stone pillars crashed through several floors, and then the outside wall came down), and since then the pillars and stone pieces have lain about tragically and intriguingly. Every spring I watch here for the white violets to start blooming, which they are doing now. Apparently the city owns the land, but has not had the funds to turn it into the park it should be.

So.

The Parks Department has undertaken to dig up the tar and concrete, cart out bad topsoil, and truck in new topsoil. HWV (the garden design company I work for) provides plants and planting labor.

So few of us enjoy in-ground gardens in the city, and I can't think of anything better to plan. Having the opportunity to make something beautiful in this big city is very satisfying.

So I have some very pleasing homework this weekend. Plants, plants, plants. First the perennials and prickly shrubs for the median, which we will plant in two weeks, and then this more important project. On Monday I will be given the key (to the city, it feels like) to the wrought iron gate in the fence, and we will be able to start measuring.

Chief Nam Yoon, me, and John Feely

Chief Yoon had to rush off to another meeting at City Hall. What is it about, I asked him.

Rats, he said.

I love New York.