A long-standing Manhattan parking lot by the East River is slated for a transformation into an outdoor gym and community space, signaling a shift in the city's approach to its waterfront property. The city-owned parking lot, situated at the end of 34th Street, will be revamped with fitness equipment and benches as part of a temporary public open space initiative set to open next spring, Gothamist reports. With a budget of approximately $1.1 million, the goal is to breathe new life into a space that has served NYU as a private parking lot for more than 30 years.
The redevelopment of the approximately 11,000-square-foot lot is part of a larger effort to rejuvenate Kips Bay, envisioned as a scientific research hub, while Iris Rodriguez-Rosa, Parks department Commissioner, highlighted the initiative's broader goal of creating "vibrant waterfront destination" the redevelopment being tapped as an "early win" in a more extensive $1.6 billion plan, according to Gothamist. The lot, in use since at least 1991, housed about 70 cars and brought in $9,492.50 a month in rent from NYU.
Councilmember Keith Powers expressed a sense of transformation at the project's potential, recalling a time when the lot served as nothing more than a space for parked cars, according to Gothamist; Powers has been an advocate for improving the East River waterfront, with aspirations to rival the popularity of the Hudson River Greenway. Meanwhile, Sandy McKee, the chair of Community Board 6, praised the conversion, telling reporters that it represents a shift from serving a few to benefiting the entire community, as per a statement obtained by Streetsblog.
The design of the revamped space hasn't been released, but it is expected to enhance the waterfront experience, potentially even extending the plaza next to the ferry pier, EDC President and Chief Executive Officer Andrew Kimball admitted the changes are "temporary" because "there is going to be a lot of work happening around here, really, for the next couple of decades" though contending that the resulting public space will likely be enduring, Streetsblog reports. Community Board 6, in their push for returning waterfront space to the public, also targets another parking lot further downtown.
