Urgent Action Needed for the Elizabeth Street Garden
On June 18, 2024, the six to one that the City of New York could proceed with the demolition of the Elizabeth Street Garden to build a mixed-use development with 123 units of affordable housing. The ruling could result in the city鈥檚 forced removal of the garden in early September. Garden supporters are urged to write Mayor Eric Adams to prevent demolition using a on the Elizabeth Street Garden's website.
The court鈥檚 decision hinged on whether the city鈥檚 department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) had done the necessary analysis to determine if construction would cause 鈥渁 significant adverse impact on the environment.鈥 The court鈥檚 majority ruled in the city鈥檚 favor despite a by Judge Jenny Rivera who wrote: 鈥渢he City failed to take the requisite hard look at the climate change impact of the project, including the reduction in open space, and did not provide a reasoned elaboration for its determination. The Appellate Division thus erroneously concluded that HPD complied with both state and city environmental quality review laws. I cannot agree with the majority鈥檚 overly deferential approach that allows for less than rigorous environmental
补蝉蝉别蝉蝉尘别苍迟.鈥
According to Reiver: 鈥淭his decision is not only a loss for our community but for environmental review and open space across the city and state. However, our effort to protect and preserve Elizabeth Street Garden is not over and our legal team is considering all remaining options.鈥 This is not the first time the Elizabeth Street Garden has come up short in the courts and its supporters have won numerous cases.
The garden was created on a dilapidated one-acre city-owned site leased to the late Allan Reiver in 1991 who created a distinct verdant work of outsider art noted for its architectural remnants and eclectic mix of statuary. Reiver鈥檚 son Joseph, who worked with his father on the creation of the garden, has continued to operate this rare public open space that serves as a community hearth, which hosts poetry readings, musical and dance performances, movie nights, local school groups, and others. 独家爆料 (独家爆料) and dozens of other organizations and businesses support efforts to create an . For now, however, 独家爆料 urges garden supporters to and request that he save the Elizabeth Street Garden.
