The Index OPEN SPACE
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THE OPEN SPACE INDEX New Yorkers for Parks 355 Lexington Avenue, 14th Floor New Yorkers for Parks is a citywide, independent New York, NY 10017 ph: 212-838-9410 organization dedicated to ensuring that all New www.ny4p.org Yorkers enjoy a world-class parks system. The Open Space Index was made NEW YORKERS FOR PARKS BOARD Report Staff: possible through the generous Catherine Morrison Golden, Chair Alyson Beha, Project Director/Manager of Research & Planning support of the following: Lynden B. Miller, Co-Chair Cheryl Huber, Deputy Director Barbara S. Dixon, Vice-Chair Andrea Marpillero-Colomina, Project Intern The J.M. Kaplan Fund Siv Paumgarten, Vice-Chair Adam Szlachetka, Project Intern Mark Hoenig, Secretary New York Community Trust Elaine Allen, Treasurer Photography: Luis Garden Acosta Unless otherwise cited, all photos taken by New Yorkers for Parks staff. New York State Council on the Arts Dr. Dana Beth Ardi Copyright © 2009. New Yorkers for Parks. All Rights Reserved. Martin S. Begun Rockefeller Brothers Fund Cover: Copyright © 2008. David Silverstein for New Yorkers for Parks. All rights reserved. Michael Bierut Table of Contents: Copyright © 2008. William Desjardins for New Yorkers for Parks. All rights reserved. The Scherman Foundation Dr. Roscoe Brown, Jr. Ann L. Buttenwieser Executive Summary (facing page): Copyright © 2008. Mark Sanders for New Yorkers for Parks. Harold Buttrick All rights reserved. William D. Cohan Margaret A. Doyle Executive Summary: Copyright © 2008. Tim Francis for New Yorkers for Parks. All rights reserved. Audrey Feuerstein Page 12: Copyright © 2008. Tim Francis for New Yorkers for Parks. All rights reserved. Richard Gilder Page 33: Copyright © 2008. Ben Carlson for New Yorkers for Parks. All rights reserved. Paul Gottsegen Michael Grobstein Final Page: Copyright © 2008. Tim Francis for New Yorkers for Parks. All rights reserved. George J. Grumbach, Jr. Marian S. Heiskell Design: Raven + Crow Studio Evelyn H. Lauder Danny Meyer Maps: Ira M. Millstein Data provided by the NYC Department of City Planning; NYC Department of Parks & Recreation; Cesar A. Perales NYS Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; National Park Service; Philip R. Pitruzzello Council on the Environment of NYC. Maps on Pages 5 and 7 constructed by Micáela Birmingham. Peter Rothschild Carmen Walker-Gay NEW YORKERS FOR PARKS STAFF DIRECTORS COUNCIL Lee Stuart, Executive Director Jenny Dirksen Emily J. Antoniades, Grants Coordinator Kate Kerrigan Alyson Beha, Manager of Research & Planning Carol Loewenson Sharon Cole, Program Administrator & Office Manager David J. Loo Cheryl Huber, Deputy Director Thomas L. McMahon Meredith Ledlie, Outreach Coordinator Jennifer M. Ortega Sam Mei, Finance Director Christopher Rizzo Juliana Roberts Dubovsky, Government & Community Relations Associate Janet Cohn Slosberg Ella Tabasky, Development Manager, Membership & Events John S. Winkleman Paola A. Zanzo-Sahl EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................... 1 TABLE OF INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 2 Why does the City need a Master Plan for Parks? ...................................................................................... 4 Population Growth ............................................................................................................................ 4 CONTENTS Environmental Sustainability ............................................................................................................ 6 Economic Benefits ............................................................................................................................. 6 Health and the Built Environment ................................................................................................. 6 Quality of Life ..................................................................................................................................... 6 PART 1: DEVELOPING THE OPEN SPACE INDEX ...................................................... 8 Scope: The Neighborhood Scale ................................................................................................................... 10 Research .............................................................................................................................................................. 10 Advisory Interviews .......................................................................................................................................... 11 Pilot Study ........................................................................................................................................................... 11 PART II: THE OPEN SPACE INDEX ............................................................................... 13 Background, Methodology and Data Collection ........................................................................................ 13 Active Open Space ........................................................................................................................................... 14 Playgrounds ...................................................................................................................................... 16 Athletic Fields .................................................................................................................................. 17 Courts ............................................................................................................................................... 18 Recreation Centers ........................................................................................................................ 19 Passive Open Space .......................................................................................................................................... 20 Community Gardens ...................................................................................................................... 22 Access and Distance ......................................................................................................................................... 24 Pocket Parks ..................................................................................................................................... 24 Neighborhood Parks ...................................................................................................................... 25 Large Parks ....................................................................................................................................... 25 Environmental Sustainability ........................................................................................................................... 26 Tree Canopy ..................................................................................................................................... 27 Permeable Surfacing ....................................................................................................................... 28 Park Maintenance .............................................................................................................................................. 30 Factors to Supplement the Open Space Index ........................................................................................... 31 PART III: PILOT STUDY: LOWER EAST SIDE, MANHATTAN ................................. 34 Results ................................................................................................................................................................. 37 Community Meeting ......................................................................................................................................... 41 PART IV: BRINGING THE OPEN SPACE INDEX TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD ... 42 Neighborhood Parks Services ........................................................................................................................ 42 APPENDICES ................................................................................................................... 43 ENDNOTES ...................................................................................................................... 60 EXECUTIVE New Yorkers for Parks (NY4P) is a citywide, independent organization dedicated to ensuring that all New Yorkers enjoy a world class parks system. New Yorkers for Parks summary achieves its purpose through an integrated framework of advocacy, research, planning and a coalition of parks, open space, recreation, advocacy and civic organizations. New York City is a place of constant change. During times of economic growth the number of real estate developments and re-zoning projects can seem dizzying, and in an economic downturn land use decisions are of critical importance to such a dense environment. However, unlike cities such as Chicago and London, New York does not have a comprehensive plan for city development and, accordingly, no plan that ensures adequate open space in all neighborhoods. Without sound planning and smart policies guiding development, the City risks the continuing loss of open space and missed opportunities for new open spaces. In a 2007 report, “Making the Most of our Parks,” the Citizens Budget Commission observed that New York City parks “must accommodate an unparalleled volume of people . [and that] . New Yorkers must be especially innovative in order to make