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.

Anne Ruthmann on 146 West 57th Street | Metropolitan Tower:
Sign posts 196 linear feet of seating- yet metal rail sitting deterrents are installed on all but approximately 8ft of public seating surfaces.
Anne Ruthmann on 146 West 57th Street | Metropolitan Tower:
The only two areas where metal rails have been removed to allow public seating again- approx. 8 linear ft out of the required 196 linear ft. April 2017.
Anne Ruthmann on 146 West 57th Street | Metropolitan Tower:
Site specifies 196 linear feet of seating- yet has installed sitting deterrent rails to prevent seating.
Anne Ruthmann on 146 West 57th Street | Metropolitan Tower:
Metal rail sitting deterrents have been installed on planter ledges.
jim ryan on 825 Third Avenue:
This is an ON-GOING issue. a look using Google Street View shows the placement of tables and limiting access behind a barrier on every view going back to 2007. There are more than 10 individual views shown. see: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.755693,-73.9703988,3a,75y,31.15h,88.26t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1ssk9w3CbDAUNLQWaa8kuRBQ!2e0!7i3328!8i1664!6m1!1e1
MP on 108 Fifth Avenue:
The benches for sitting have been removed and there is no drinking fountain or artwork.
Susan Evans on 1991 Broadway | Bel Canto:
A new restaurant called the Sugar Factory (apparently a Vegas-based chain) has moved into the space Ollie's once occupied. It has remodeled the public plaza so that it looks like part of the restaurant and even has waiters standing in the plaza among the tables, handing out menus and taking orders. It has also installed TVs in the plaza that play videos of celebrities (the Kardashians, Britney Spears) endorsing the Sugar Factory. The photos included in this message were taken over the weekend of 4/14--as you see, it is very difficult to tell that the plaza is open to the public. According to the DOB website, there are two active complaints: "PRIVATELY OWNED PUBLIC SPACE/NON-COMPLIANCE" and "CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY -NONE/ILLEGAL/CONTRARY TO CO". There is also a Stop Work Order dated 3/7/17 issued because "WORK @ COVERED PLAZA WITHOUT DCP APPROVAL IS APPROX 90% COMPLETE". It is hard to understand how the plaza can be open given the stop work order and current treatment of the POPS. The photo on the right also shows that there is a waiter present in the space.
Kim on 590 Madison Avenue:
Regarding chess: Sadly, you now have to go across the street to the Plaza Public Arcade at 550 Madison Ave... :( It is not as sunny or cheerful as 590 Madison Ave., but at least you can play games.
Kim on 590 Madison Avenue:
Sony Wonder Technology Lab is closed. This building is now owned by Olayan America.
Russ on 108 Fifth Avenue:
Construction has been over for five years, before my first comment in 2012. Flowers are put into the planter annually but no other amenities have been replaced. There is no plaque to alert the public that this is a POPS with required amenities. Photo is from Google Street View Nov 2016.
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