New Park Planned, a Decade After Developer’s Unfulfilled Promises
A new nonprofit organization is aiming to revivify a forlorn vest-pocket park in at the convergence of Church Street, Sixth Avenue, and White Street. Barnett Newman Triangle (named for the renowned abstract expressionist painter who lived nearby, on White Street) was originally supposed to be brought to life under the terms of a 2014 deal with real estate developer DDG, when that firm received valuable zoning variances for a new building it was erecting at nearby 100 Franklin Street on the site of a former parking lot.
The need for the variances arose from a legal requirement that would have made the structure narrower on its upper floors, because of the unusual configuration of the plot on which it was located. (The erstwhile parking lot was shaped like two triangles, joined at a single, narrow point.) The developer claimed that this requirement was unworkable and asked for a waiver, while also proposing a quid pro quo, under which it would transform the adjacent triangular concrete island into a green oasis. Even with this concession, the proposed development aroused significant opposition in the community.
The City’s Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA), however, granted the exemption and allowed the project to proceed. The waiver on the requirement for the building to taper back at its upper floors created more than a thousand additional square feet of valuable space within the structure, arguably increasing its value by several million dollars. But the BSA’s decision approving the variance did not contain any mention of DDG’s promise to beautify the traffic island. Five years later (in 2019), when Community Board 1 (CB1) inquired about the status of this agreement, the City’s Department of Transportation said there was no paperwork documenting it anywhere in their files. In the years since, DDG has refused to reply to inquires from CB1. (The firm also did not respond to a request for comment from the Broadsheet.)
Now, architects Alice Blank and Marie Stargala have formed Friends of Barnett Newman Triangle, hoping to kickstart the stalled process of creating a new, 8,570-square-foot park that runs the length of the block between Franklin and White Streets. Ms. Blank says the group’s mission “is to create a vibrant and resilient green space through thoughtful landscaping and sustainable design.” She adds, “the design will seek to honor Barnett Newman’s enduring legacy and contribute to Downtown Manhattan’s global recognition as an art mecca.”
The organization founded by Ms. Blank and Ms. Stargala is now raising funds, refining its design concepts, and seeking to bring together multiple City agencies that have shared jurisdiction over the site to form a partnership that will translate into an achievable plan. At its October 22 meeting, CB1 enacted a resolution supporting “the mission of the Friends of Barnett Newman Triangle and their proactive approach in addressing this long-standing community need to improve and complete the plaza.”