union square

About Union Square Park

• 3.59 acres large• Located between 14th and 17th street

and between University and 4th Avenue /Broadway and Park Avenue South

• Given it’s name because it is the “union of the two principal thoroughfares of

the island.”

–Stephen Jenkins, The Greatest Street in the

World: The Story of Broadway, Old and New

History• 1807- Area was designated as Union Place by the

Commissioner's Gridiron Plan• 1831- Union Square was authorized as a public place by the

New York State Legislature • 1833- Land was acquired by New York City • 1839- The park was opened to the public • 1872- Park’s plan was completely redesigned by Frederick

Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux• 1882- At least 10,000 workers paraded down Broadway to

rally at Union Square during the first ever Labor Day celebration

• 1928-29- Park was demolished to allow for the building of the underground subway concourse

• 1976- Greenmarket farmer’s market opens• 1997- The park was designated a national historic landmark

due to its significance as a part of labor history.

Union Square Today• Within there is a dog run, playground, paths lined with

benches, and lots of grassy area.• Art vendors line up around the park making up the artists

market.

Union Square Today• Within there is a dog run, playground, paths lined with

benches, and lots of grassy area.• Art vendors line up around the park making up the artists

market.• Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays the

Greenmarket, the city’s largest farmer’s market, is open.– Goods range from fruits and vegetables to meats,

cheeses, breads, etc.– The Greenmarket also hosts occasional events.

• Every year after Thanksgiving the Holiday Market opens up with over 100 vendors selling unique gift items for the holiday season.

Union Square Today• Within there is a dog run, playground, paths lined with benches,

and lots of grassy area.• Art vendors line up around the park making up the artists

market.• Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays the Greenmarket,

the city’s largest farmer’s market, is open.– Goods range from fruits and vegetables to meats, cheeses,

breads, etc.– The Greenmarket also hosts occasional events.

• Every year after Thanksgiving the Holiday Market opens up with over 100 vendors selling unique gift items for the holiday season.

• There are oftentimes various celebrations, political demonstrations, or performers at the west end of the park.

Union Square Partnership• Union Square Park is run through a public/private

partnership with the Union Square Partnership and the Department of Parks & Recreation.

• USP targets the demands of park goers and sets goals for the necessary improvements to be made.

• Beautification:– USP arranges for the painting of railings and benches.– Employs a landscaping team that aerates and fertilizes soil

on a regular basis and allot funds for a gardener during the summer.

– Plan to install a new irrigation system and reseed the center, eastern, and southern lawns this year.

Union Square Partnership• Cleanliness:

– USP employs extermination services and sanitation efforts, such as washing garbage cans.

– Also employs a five person sanitation team to clean the park and help manage the increased activity during summer months.

– Plan to install a new irrigation system and reseed the center, eastern, and southern lawns.

• Safety:– USP employs Public Safety officers to patrol the park daily.– There is also a Parks Enforcement Patrol Officer assigned

by the Parks Department to patrol in the day and evening

Renovations

• Park was designed following examples of London’s residential garden squares.

Clapton Square, London

Golden Square, London

Soho Square, London

Kensington Gardens Square,

London

Renovations

• Park was designed following examples of London’s residential garden squares.

• Park was surrounded by iron fencing.

• Park’s original focus was its large fountain.

• Renovations have been sporadic over the years.

• Have been ongoing since 1986.

Renovations• 1872: Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux removed the iron

fencing, added a number of thick trees, and widened the walkways.

• 1948-49: Park was destroyed to build the subway concourse, followed by many alterations— straightening of the paths and the construction of the colonnaded bandstand pavilion.

• 1985: Mayor Edward Koch began renovations that included creating a new plaza at the south end of the park, reworking pathways within the park, planting a central lawn, installing new lighting, and building of two subway kiosks.

• 1993-94: Two new playgrounds were constructed.

• 1994: The open-air Luna Park restaurant was opened.

• 2002: Park’s triangle at the southeast end was reconstructed and expanded.

North End Restoration Project

• Most recent phase of renovation began in Spring 2008.

• Multi-faceted plan to revamp the north end of the park.

• Scheduled to be done by Winter 2010.

• Estimated total cost: $20,000

• Designed by landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburg.

Hudson River Park

The Apple, Hudson River Park

Brooklyn Bridge Park

North End Restoration: Plaza

• Completed in September 2009.

• Plaza was elevated to sidewalk level and re-paved, to feature a multi-tonal geometric pattern.

• A strip of trees was planted along the north edge of the park.

• Vertical posts with electric feeds for Greenmarket

Electric feed posts

North End Restoration: Playground

• Completed in October 2009.

• Opened to the public in early January 2010.

• Park previously contained two small playgrounds which were demolished to build a new a 15,000 square foot playground.


Features:• SofSurfaces rubber tiles

• Japanese cryptomeria trees planted throughout

Japanese cryptomeria




• Greenery planted on the periphery of the playground

• A “Tot Lot” area designed especially for toddlers

Tot Lot sandbox

Tot Lot jungle gym






• Various futuristic structures for climbing and spinning

The Mountain

Icarus

Spinning Dish

Life-sized swaying cattails







• Playground essentials like swings and slides

Tunnel Slide

Another slide







• Playground essentials like swings and slides

• Still in construction is a family bathroom

Comfort Station in

progress

North End Restoration: Pavilion

• Estimated completion: Winter 2010.• To be completely restored. • Will have an elevator and stairs for

access to the basement level. • A comfort station will be built, including

restroom facilities. • The pavilion will be lit to glow during

the nighttime. • Plans for use are undecided.

More Improvements

• Despite all of the improvements that have been made over the years, room for improvement still remains.

• Each year USP emails a Community Opinion Survey to local residents, businesses, and other stakeholders in the area.

• Based on the responses to these surveys over the past two years, the community desires an increased sense of safety and more of an artistic identity in the park.

Safety

• USP employs public safety officers to patrol the area, in addition to a Parks Enforcement Patrol Officer.

• 8 out of 10 people stated that the presence of public safety officers did not effectively increase their sense of safety.

• They do not patrol past park operating hours.

• They have a limited amount of power and authority.

• The NYPD presence in the Union Square subway station is only the District 4 Traffic Bureau.

• The best way to create an above ground NYPD presence is to build a police booth by the park.

• Proposed location: Union Square East between 14th and 15th street.

Proposals for Change

• The best way to create an above ground NYPD presence is to build a police booth by the park.

• Proposed location: Union Square East between 14th and 15th street.

• Booth will be adequately sized to fit two officers.

• Officers will make rounds through the park.


Statues: • Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

Arts & Entertainment

Statues: • Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi • Union Square Drinking Fountain


Statues: • Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi • Union Square Drinking Fountain• Abraham Lincoln


Statues: • Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi • Union Square Drinking Fountain• Abraham Lincoln• Marquis de Lafayette


Statues: • Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi • Union Square Drinking Fountain• Abraham Lincoln• Marquis de Lafayette• George Washington


Statues: • Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi • Union Square Drinking Fountain• Abraham Lincoln• Marquis de Lafayette• George Washington

But what else…


• At least two art exhibits or sculptures must be installed each year:– One during the spring months: March – May– One during the summer months: June – August


• At least two art exhibits or sculptures must be installed each year:– One during the spring months: March – May– One during the summer months: June – August

• USP must coordinate free events such as:– Art classes– Yoga– Plays – Musical Performances– Etc…

• Legislation must be passed preventing the pavilion from becoming an open-air restaurant concession so it can be used to host free community events.


• A number of free events are currently offered in the Union Square area.

• Information can be found on the USP website.




• No advertising within the area to inform the public that the site exists.




• No advertising within the area to inform the public that the site exists.

• Signs need to be placed strategically throughout the park in high traffic areas to notify the public of the USP website.


Over the years “Union Square” has come to refer to not just the park itself, but to the bustling community around it. Union Square Park has developed, expanded and improved drastically through numerous renovations and has comeone step closer to perfection every time. Setting the proposals in this presentation in motion is the key to moving Union Square yet another step closer…

Conclusion

union square

Business

renovations park

union square today

hudson river park

park avenue south

demands of park goers

luna park restaurant

brooklyn bridge park

clapton square