UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — An empty lot that has blighted an Upper East Side block for nearly a decade should be converted into a park or garden, according to neighbors and community leaders, who rallied in support of the idea over the weekend.
The site, on the southwest corner of East 78th Street and First Avenue, has been vacant since around 2013, when the pair of low-rise brick buildings that formerly stood there were torn down by its owner — a neighborhood developer with a controversial history.
At the time, owner Robert Chou said his family planned to build a 12-story condominium on the block. A handful of rent-stabilized tenants were set to be evicted to make way for the development, the New York Sun reported in 2007.
But in the ensuing eight years, no new development has sprung up there: instead, the lot has become overgrown with weeds, boarded up with plywood, and filled with rodents — 13 rat complaints have been filed at the site since 2011, according to 311 records.
Earlier this fall, a group of neighbors who first met as volunteers for Bernie Sanders's presidential campaign began brainstorming ways to transform the lot. Among them was Susan Gitlin, a retiree who lives around the corner and marvels at the sprawling vines that snake around the unused property.
"I often looked at that place and said, would this be gorgeous or what?" Gitlin told Patch. "It's like a jungle — the trees are like 20 feet tall."
Their efforts led to Saturday's rally, where Gitlin and her neighbors were joined by U.S. Rep. Councilmember Carolyn Maloney and Councilmember-elect Julie Menin, who pledged to work to get the space opened up.
But that may depend on the property owner. City records show the site is still owned by an LLC connected to the family of Robert Chou, whose colorful past included a conviction for bribing a city official and a host of safety violations at his other neighborhood projects.
The demolitions on 78th and First caused a stir when plans first emerged 14 years ago. Those concerned included State Sen. Liz Krueger, who highlighted the safety issues and noise complaints that characterized Chou's recent development at 406 East 79th St.
Backers of the green space project are still in the early stages of outreach to the owners. A man who answered a phone number listed for the Chous' company Monday morning said he was unable to comment on the idea.
Menin, who will take office on Jan. 1, told Patch she will work with the Parks Department and the owners to explore opening a garden while the lot is vacant. She also pledged to pursue legislation that could allow similar spaces to undergo temporary conversions.
"It is a win-win for the city, the community and the property owner if we can improve these lots and have them serve a public purpose rather than be a public nuisance while they are vacant," Menin said in an email.
Gitlin said the push is especially urgent on the Upper East Side, which has long been starved of green space but lacks the community gardens that exist in neighborhoods like Harlem and the Upper West Side.
Saturday's rally also featured a "vision board" where neighbors could share how they would spend time in the garden, if it ever opens. Ideas included poetry readings, concerts, or just "sitting and reading a book," Gitlin said.
"We deserve this," she said. "Maybe a dream, but I think it's a cool dream."
"filled" - Google News
December 06, 2021 at 11:18PM
https://ift.tt/31BgTdQ
Rat-Filled UES Lot Should Become Green Space, Neighbors Say - Patch.com
"filled" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2ynNS75
https://ift.tt/3feNbO7
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Rat-Filled UES Lot Should Become Green Space, Neighbors Say - Patch.com"
Post a Comment