New York Oasis Caught in City’s Housing Development Plans – By Reuters

By Liya Cui

A cherished public garden in lower Manhattan faces the threat of being replaced as New York intensifies its housing development initiatives, even with backlash from high-profile figures such as Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese.

The Elizabeth Street Garden, established in 1991 by an antiques gallery owner on city-leased land, serves as a green retreat in the bustling Little Italy neighborhood, historically linked to Scorsese’s iconic film "Mean Streets," which starred De Niro.

In 2013, the city proposed a plan for a 123-unit affordable housing project for seniors on the garden’s one-acre site. Detractors have suggested alternative nearby locations that could accommodate 700 housing units, yet city housing officials have remained skeptical. With the garden’s lease set to expire on September 10, options for legal recourse to prevent its closure are dwindling.

Numerous individuals, including Scorsese, De Niro, and musician Patti Smith, have reached out to Mayor Eric Adams, urging him to protect the garden. De Niro expressed his views by saying, "I support increasing the availability of affordable housing, but I’m also passionate about preserving the character of our neighborhoods."

This debate highlights the broader struggles New York faces as it seeks to create more housing in a city renowned for its high population density and housing costs. In February, the city’s vacancy rate fell to 1.4%, the lowest record since 1968, according to the Department of Housing Preservation and Development.

Mayor Adams has prioritized housing development during his administration. In August, he instructed city agencies to evaluate all municipal properties for potential housing projects as part of a 2022 goal to construct 500,000 new homes by 2032.

Since 2016, the city has mandated that 20-30% of new housing developments be affordable for residents earning 40-80% of the area median income. However, the nonprofit managing Elizabeth Street Garden pointed out that the site’s affordability stipulation will conclude after 60 years.

Gentrification lies at the core of the opposition to another significant project: One45 Towers, a sprawling $700 million high-rise development in Harlem.

In 2022, Adams introduced a comprehensive plan called "City of Yes" aimed at updating zoning regulations to facilitate new development. The final aspect of this plan, which the city council is expected to vote on this year, aims to "build a little more housing in every neighborhood," according to Adams. This includes repurposing underutilized office spaces and permitting residential apartments above commercial establishments in low-density areas.

Resistance has primarily emerged from low-density neighborhoods in the city’s outer boroughs. Queens Borough President Donovan Richards suggested that the opposition stems from a "fear of change." He conditional support for City of Yes last week, with Staten Island being the sole borough to issue a negative opinion.

Critics worry that zoning changes could lead to overcrowding in their communities, potentially transforming them into environments resembling Manhattan. One contentious proposal permits homeowners to convert basements, garages, and backyard cottages into rental units, while another would remove parking mandates for new developments, irking residents in car-dependent neighborhoods.

Richards has described City of Yes as a modest initiative that would not drastically alter low-density locales, yet acknowledged the pressing need for more affordable housing and parking in areas with limited public transit.

Urban planner Paul Graziano, residing in a suburban block in Queens, labeled the City of Yes plan as "apocalyptic," arguing that its ultimate aim is to convert predominantly owner-occupied single-family homes into neighborhoods dominated by market-rate or luxury apartments.

"If you build it, they will come, right?" Graziano posited. "If you enable it, it’s going to happen. This is what happens in the city of New York."

Quality of life remains a paramount concern for many New Yorkers, particularly in low-density neighborhoods that feel increasingly pressured, such as those in Queens, or in lower Manhattan, where green spaces are particularly scarce.

"There’s nothing like Elizabeth Street Garden in the city, and the city will never build anything like it again," stated Joseph Reiver, who succeeded his late father in maintaining the space. "They’re never going to tear down buildings to build gardens."