Comments Archive

Our website is a digital space for collaboration about physical space. We invite you to participate  in the creation of knowledge designed to secure greater public use of New York City’s 525 or so POPS, those zoning-created plazas, arcades, and other outdoor and indoor privately owned public spaces. Here is an archive of comments from visitors like you.

Gloria on 26 Astor Place:
This public space is located south of Astor Place in a nook immediately south of the mixed-use Town residential building, also home to Chase Bank and Coup cocktail bar. The center of the space houses four circular concrete tables with chess boards engrained on the surface and surrounded by four concrete, immovable chairs. A long, curvy concrete bench snakes around the perimeter of the space. The bench's seat is slightly too high and deep for the typical user- I found myself laying along the bench, leaning against the divider. The shrubs lining the south and west sides combined with the trees on the east side encompass the space, providing not only a visual barrier but a sense of escape. Bike parking on the north side of the space, was overcrowded; a rack designed for just a few bikes had several bikes precariously attached. The plaque annotating the space states that it closes at 10 pm though it does not appear there is a physical gate to support the rule. The nook provides a shady spot to each lunch or pass time, a welcome getaway from the adjacent busy streets.
Isabel McRae on 8 Spruce St | Beekman Plaza:
The West Plaza of the New York by Gehry POPS is a good public space that attracted me due to its proximity to my office building, which is just two blocks away. I visited the space during my lunch break to eat and observed others doing the same. The space is clearly public as it provides open entry from both the Beekman and Spruce Street sidewalks yet is obviously linked to the residential high-rise at 8 Spruce Street, which has a driveway adjacent to the plaza. Despite being surrounded by tall buildings, direct sunlight hit about one-third of the space midday. I enjoyed the water features as well as the maintained landscaping. Movable tables and chairs were being used by groups to socialize and eat around, so I sat on a wooden bench. I will definitely return to this space! The William Street Plaza on the other side of the Gehry building is smaller than the West Plaza and is not as well-used. While people were using the benches provided, it was not as sunny or comfortable and seemed to have more people passing through than staying. There is an entrance to New York Presbyterian Hospital on one side with an access ramp and staircase which take up a significant portion of the space as well as a cordoned-off area surrounded by construction fencing. It wasn’t clear that any construction was actually going on, even though there was a sign saying “Construction Area”. From the sidewalk, this area seemed to be the entrance to a cellar-level garage beneath the adjacent high-rise. Because of the extent of the construction fencing, there is a smaller pathway to get between Spruce and Beekman Streets which makes passing through more difficult.
Joanna Farley on 622 Third Avenue:
Photo five of landscaped terrace
Joanna Farley on 622 Third Avenue:
Photo four of landscaped terrace
Joanna Farley on 622 Third Avenue:
Photo three of landscaped terrace
Joanna Farley on 622 Third Avenue:
Photo two of landscaped terrace
Joanna Farley on 622 Third Avenue:
Photo one of landscaped terrace
Joanna Farley on 622 Third Avenue:
This profile is specifically about the landscaped terrace between East 41st street and East 40th street that is accessible by stairs from 3rd Ave and by elevator through the plaza between Lexington Ave and 3rd Ave. The terrace is nicely set up, with many planters offering pleasant greenery. Most of the seating is fixed, but there are some movable chairs, as well, that people use to create gathering spots to have a shared lunch with colleagues. The space is heavily used during lunch time, especially on nice days, but not enough that there are never any places to sit. Part of this may be because it is difficult to access. The terrace can only be reached by a steep set of stairs or by an elevator. For much of last year, the stairs were "out of order", and only the elevator could be used to reach the terrace. My most recent visit found that the elevator is currently out of order, significantly reducing its accessibility. Beyond this major flaw to the terrace, the space also lacks trash cans. Though it is well maintained, and there does not appear to be much trash left behind, recycling and trash containers could be useful. Finally, more movable seating could also add to the terrace, as currently there are a few tables with connected chairs that lead to awkward seating compositions, or leave some of those seats unused.
Bill H on 325 Fifth Avenue:
33rd Street frontage, looking southwest. The mural would be better appreciated if the public could approach and view it in an off-sidewalk environment that is more relaxing.
Bill H on 325 Fifth Avenue:
33rd Street frontage, looking south. The POPS space supposedly extends further south towards 32nd Street, but the view (and space) is blocked by the inaccessible frontage and the scaffolding and construction materials.
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