De Niro, Scorsese join fight to save garden in Little Italy
LITTLE ITALY, Manhattan (PIX11) – The fight to save a community garden in Little Italy has attracted some star power.
The Elizabeth Street Garden is facing demolition to make way for affordable housing for seniors. The city is moving ahead with construction, and the garden will be evicted in September, the New York Times reported.
On Thursday, Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, and Patti Smith sent letters to Mayor Eric Adams pledging their support for the garden and urging the city to reconsider its plan.
“When I was growing up, Little Italy was more or less a concrete jungle. We used to play in the alleys. There was no shade, no greenery, no respite — something that every neighborhood needs. The make-up of Little Italy may be different, but the need for a beautiful, refreshing oasis like the Elizabeth Street Garden has not changed,” Scorsese wrote in his letter to the mayor. “I wish it had been there when I was young…Mr. Mayor, I am urging you to put a halt to this project before the September start date for demolition. The space is relatively small, and I have no doubt that there are many other spots around the city that would yield more space and a greater number of units.”
A spokesperson for the mayor’s office told PIX11 News on Friday the administration stands behind the affordable housing project.
“The fight over this land highlights how difficult it can be to build affordable housing, especially in neighborhoods that offer strong economic opportunities, but HPD and the Adams administration is undeterred,” the spokesperson said. “We look forward to delivering new affordable homes for older New Yorkers and we will continue advancing projects in every corner of the city to tackle the severe housing shortage driving this affordable housing crisis.”
The affordable housing development, called Haven Green, is located on Elizabeth Street between Prince and Spring streets. It will include 123 affordable housing units for seniors, office space, retail, and 7,600 square feet of open space for the public.
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“The public space design seeks to recreate many of the existing features and layout of the site, including passive spaces, sculptures and art pieces, lawns, diverse plantings, space for gardening, and open seating,” the Department of Housing Preservation and Development website states.
Supporters of the garden, which has been a neighborhood fixture since 1991, argue the neighborhood already boasts one of the lowest open space ratios in the city at 0.07 acre per 1,000 residents. While they support the need for more affordable housing, they argue there are alternative sites in the neighborhood that would not sacrifice much-needed green space.
Lauren Cook is a digital journalist who has covered local news in the New York City area for over a decade. She has been with PIX11 since 2020. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter.
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