Tribeca Initiative Aims to Green the Streets
A special project sponsored by a Lower Manhattan community group seeks to beautify the neighborhood by planting young trees on local streets.
The Trees for Tribeca initiative is a collaboration between the Friends of Duane Park, artists in Soho, and the Association of Community Employment Programs for the Homeless (formerly the SoHo/Tribeca Partnership).
Owing to the prevalence in Tribeca of vaulted sidewalks with underground chambers beneath (which preclude excavation and prevent trees from taking root in the ground) and because stone slab sidewalks (which cannot be cut) are also common, most saplings are in planters—specially designed to comply with City Department of Transportation regulations for weight, height, and materials. These containers are available in 30- and 48-inch sizes, and faux cast iron, terra cotta, or concrete finishes. They contain space to hold enough soil to allow a small root ball to grow into a moderately sized tree in 15 to 20 years. Tree installations take place in the spring.
The benefits of trees to the local streetscape are manifold: providing seasonal shade, filtering the air, and offering aesthetic beauty. Building owners and residents are offered a choice of four kinds of tree, based on the availability of direct light and informed by research and advice from Dr. Nina Basak, an urban horticultural specialist at Cornell University. The options include Serviceberry (“Amelanchier”) and Calicarpa Crabapple (both recommended for low-light locations, usually on sidewalks lining the southern edge of a street) or Kwansan Cherry and Chokecherry (both recommended for areas with more direct sunlight, typically on the north side of a street).
The cost of both tree and planter is $2,800, which includes installation. Maintenance and tree care services are also available. For more information, please email trees@duanepark.org.
Much as I love trees, and I do, much of original Tribeca was purposely treeless as it was a wholesale market place with giant stone slab sidewalks holding produce. Etc . Putting tree pots on every slab takes away from the original Washington Market vibe.