The tug-of-war over the future of Elizabeth Street Garden continues with a recent decision by the appellate court to stay the eviction of the Nolita oasis, granting reprieve to the cherished public space and its supporters. The New York Post reports that this move effectively stalls the city's plans to construct Haven Green, a project set out to build affordable housing for seniors on the site.
Despite served on Oct. 2 with an eviction notice to vacate by Oct. 17, the green sanctuary remains open as advocates dig their heels into the fight, appealing the city's intention to replace it. "The Mayor and the 1st Deputy Mayor can still choose to work with us on developing the private site proposal in order to provide the needed affordable housing at no expense to the community whatsoever," garden activists were quoted saying in a New York Post interview. The hearing for the appeal is now pegged for February 2025.
City Hall, however, is not backing down without a grip. With more than 2,100 seniors left sleeping in shelters, a City Hall spokesperson castigated the efforts of those defending the garden, stating, "As over 2,100 seniors sleep in shelters tonight, the well-housed plaintiffs and attorneys behind the Elizabeth Street Garden can rest well tonight knowing they have prevented the city from building affordable housing for seniors and public green space for at least another few months." This statement was obtained by CBS News. The city stands behind its plan to offer housing to some of New York's most vulnerable, underscoring the imperative nature of the development.
The Elizabeth Street Garden, though a sanctuary for over 30 years and made publicly available in 2013, sits on city-leased land, which has been earmarked since inception for eventual reclamation by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). The city's resolution has not only sparked the ire of community members but also drawn attention from high-profile advocates such as Robert DeNiro and Martin Scorsese. Here's the crux of the issue: the city promises that under the proposed Haven Green Project, while 123 affordable housing units will appear, 14,000 of the garden's original 20,000 square feet will bloom as a green space – a compromise they argue achieves balance between concrete development and emerald preservation, as per CBS News.
Activists remain steadfast, questioning the long-term affordability of the planned units by Pennrose Properties, concerned that they will revert to market rates within 30 to 60 years. In contrast, city officials assure that the initial affordability is for 60 years and that rent-stabilization will protect tenants indefinitely, with perpetually publicly accessible open space incorporated into the site. While Haven Green seeks to rise, Elizabeth Street Garden's advocates stand their ground, blossoming hope for the place that has served as an urban retreat, offering reprieve from the scurry of city life.
