ELIZABETH STREET GARDEN 2017 ANNUAL REPORT COMMITTED TO PROTECTING & PRESERVING ELIZABETH STREET GARDEN WWW.ELIZABETHSTREETGARDEN.COM Mission Letters from the Chairman and Executive Director TO PROTECT & PRESERVE THE MAGIC OF ELIZABETH STREET GARDEN AS A PUBLIC COMMUNITY GREEN SPACE AND TO Looking at all aspects of the Garden, I can honestly say it has been the corner and is a regular participant in the exercises, has said that DETERMINE HOW NYC PARKS & RECREATION TOGETHER WITH THE a wonderful year. We offered a full range of programs, for everyone these classes have saved her life! from toddlers to seniors; attendance at the Garden continued to be The Garden has become so important in the lives of literally COMMUNITY CAN PROTECT THE SPACE FOR GENERATIONS TO ENJOY. high; comments made about the Garden are always in superlatives; thousands of people that it is incredulous to think the City pits the we continue to improve the appearance of the Garden; we are Garden against affordable housing for seniors, without considering financially sound; and we continue to flight to keep the Garden from another lot recommended by CB2 that could accommodate five destruction and to make sure it survives, not just as another New times as many seniors. Not only does it defy all logic, but it rings York City Park, but as the magical space it is. of mean spiritedness. We, on the Board, refuse to give up the fight! About ESG I would like to relate an experience I had in the Garden on a Board of Directors blustery cold Sunday afternoon, that I think exemplifies what the Sincerely, Garden means to the multitudes that visit. Renee Green - Chair Elizabeth Street Garden is a unique community sculpture garden located in the Given the weather, I was surprised as I walked by to find it open, Little Italy neighborhood of Manhattan, between Prince and Spring streets. but I was astonished to see what was going on inside the Garden. A Joseph Reiver group of about two dozen people were participating in a breathing class. Young people were sitting on the ground, bundled up in Elizabeth Street Garden, Inc. (ESG) is a volunteer based 501(c)(3) non- Renée Green blankets. Seniors were there, also bundled in blankets, but sitting on for-profit organization committed to exploring every option available to Poppy King stools. One senior, who lives on the fifth floor of a walk up around Chairman protect & preserve Elizabeth Street Garden and save our much needed Simon Roberts - Vice Chair community green space in Little Italy. I am truly moved by how much our community has grown with of an Elizabeth Street Garden no longer under threat. Aziz Dehkan Our founding members have been involved with the community lead Elizabeth Street Garden. From when my father first transformed the There are alternative sites where the City can build more permanent effort since it’s start in 2013. In April 2017, united by the desire to empty lot into a green space, to when neighbors first came together Nathaniel Doyno affordable housing and save the garden as it exists. All urban green change the way we save the garden, they formed ESG. in 2013 to save what many see as the heart of Little Italy, it has been spaces are living breathing entities. We care for them, maintain an honor to work day after day to share the garden’s magic. Over them, enjoy them, and they care for us, give us breath, bring us Elizabeth Street Garden, Inc. filed it’s nonprofit Certificate of Incorporation the past 5 years, thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds together, and heal us. Elizabeth Street Garden is as essential as Officers have volunteered in the garden and our base of supporters has with New York State in October 2016. On January 26 2017, Elizabeth affordable housing, and with proper long-term city planning, neither expanded throughout the city and all around the world. has to exist at the expense of the other. Street Garden, Inc. received federal tax-exempt 501(c)(3) determination Joseph Reiver As a native New Yorker, I’ve often felt the sense of community fading Though the City may be moving forward with it’s destructive plans, from the IRS. Executive Director away with the fast pace changes that sweep this city’s streets. But our efforts continue to strengthen. ESG is prepared to do whatever as my neighbors, old and new, grow to be my friends and as it takes to save the garden and has devised a legal strategy to Patricia Squillari We are a 100% volunteer-run organization. Our committed team volunteers that sense of community revives, I become evermore aware of how stop the City’s development. With your help, we can save our Secretary their time and energy to organizing hundreds of free programs, tending vital Elizabeth Street Garden is and how devastated our community neighborhood’s oasis for the generations to come. With all my would be if the City were to destroy it. The garden is a wistful to greenery and maintaining the space and keeping the garden open to heart, I promise to continue working day after day to ensure that this anomaly of mysterious sculptures and lush green space. It is a magical place is protected and preserved forevermore. Barry Ranganathan the public year-round - over 50 hrs/week during the summer and 28hrs/ community garden, a place to grow plants, fruits and vegetables; Treasurer week during the winter - all the while working with local elected officials it is a center for learning, relaxing and coming together; it is a museum for wandering amidst statues of bronze and stone; it is Sincerely, and organizations to protect and preserve Elizabeth Street Garden for a place for artists, nature enthusiasts and gardeners, seniors and Staff our community. children, and everyone in between. Since ESG assumed management of the garden in April 2017, We are forever greatful to all those who volunteered in 2017. Thank Ella Barnes we’ve continued to build upon the garden’s free public programs Creative Director you for helping us spread the magic of Elizabeth Street Garden! and accessibility. As part of our initiative to protect and preserve the Joseph Reiver garden, we’ve composed a future plan envisioning the full potential Executive Director 2 ESG 2017 Annual Report | ElizabethStreetGarden.com ElizabethStreetGarden.com | ESG 2017 Annual Report 3 1980 Aerial - Garden in Green 1981 - LIRA housing asso- Timeline 1927 - Architect C. B. ciation builds affordable Present - ESG contin- 2005 - Upon J. Snyder expands PS housing on lower lot 41. ues to pursue a course acquiring the adja- In August of 2014, 21 to include the rest of The City grants LIRA access of legal action to halt Did you know the Garden cent building, Allan the community the lower half of block to current Garden lot under the development. With Reiver provides members involved lot has an almost 200 493, adding more public condition that it be convert- community and elected public access to with the garden year history as a public outdoor space & a larger ed to a public recreation official support, we the garden through forms Friends of community space? community auditorium, area - this never happened remain confident in our Elizabeth Street and the lot became a the Elizabeth Street plan to protect and the see the full timeline online at while further increasing 1991 Elizabeth Street Garden Gallery. Garden (FESG). elizabethstreetgarden.com/intro 1905 - A PS 21 outdoor PE class enrollment capacity. neglected dumping ground. Garden at any cost. 1904 1970’s 1981 2005 2014 Present 1822 1927 1991 2013 2017 1822 - The Free School 1904 - Master School 1970s - PS 21 is 1991 - The City enters 2005 - Original garden sign In 2013, a group of In April 2017, members of Society builds Public school Architect C. B . J. closed and the into a month-to-month community members FESG and the original commu- No. 5 (PS 5) that offeres Snyder builds entirely entire building is lease of the lot with works with Allan Reiver nity group branch off to form free night school for people new PS 21 with more torn down in the late Allan Reiver who to revitalize the space Elizabeth Street Garden, Inc. of color, public lectures, school seats, outdoor 70’s, leaving lot 41 plants trees, a lawn and open the front gates (ESG) which now manages the and community space in classrooms / recreation leveled and vacant. and other plants, to the public, introducing Garden, keeping the space addition to schooling for / public space, & a showcasing sculptures public programming and open to the public seven days a children of all races and public-use auditorium. and thus transforming developing a significant week and providing free public economic backgrounds. the lot into Elizabeth base of support for saving and educational programming 1929 - PS 21’s expanded public rec area Little Italy Restoration Apartments Street Garden. the Garden. for the community. Our Need for Green Space Alternative Sites for Affordable Housing In the crowded neighborhoods of Little Italy & Our community has identified alternative sites for SoHo, Elizabeth Street Garden is the only public the proposed development. Combined, these sites green space that provides an open, tranquil provide more than 10x affordable units for Seniors! environment for locals of all ages. 388 Hudson (pictured left): Offered by Community Board 2 as an official alternative site. This vacant lot can offer Washington Square Park (0.7 miles away from the 5x the amount of units. 300,000 sq ft for housing. Garden) & Hudson River Park (1.3 miles away) make up the majority of CB 2’s open space.