Urban Design Week: By the City / For the City Blog

Over & Under: Public spaces beyond the streets

Wouldn’t it be great if…

Below the Tracks

The passage along 138th Street under the Grand Concourse in the Bronx were open and inviting and colorful? [Mott Haven, Bronx]
highway underpasses had light installations-slash-pigeon repellers. [Cobble Hill, Brooklyn]
We could reclaim the underutilized spaces adjacent to the Franklin Ave Shuttle train? [Crown Heights, Brooklyn]
stormwater was displayed under bridges in an interesting way. [DUMBO, Brooklyn]
there was a way to thoughtfully shield train noise at the both ends of the Manhattan Bridge. [DUMBO, Brooklyn]
Something was done to clean, brighten and beautify Broadway under the JMZ and make the street more bike and pedestrian friendly. [East Williamsburg, Brooklyn]
The MTA opened up a park under the elevated F line across the street of my house. [Gowanus, Brooklyn]
The Gowanus expressway had art integrated on its base rather than that terrible green paint? [Gowanus, Brooklyn]
The space underneath the commuter rail in Park Avenue became a space for co-op/community exchange, along with the renewal of La Marqueta. [East Harlem, Manhattan]
all that unused (or underused) land underneath the Williamsburg Bridge (Manhattan side) could be put to some productive or recreational use?? [Lower East Side, Manhattan]
existing under-used infrastruture were transformed into a multi-functional, human-friendly marketplace with green open space, a library, and a transportation hub with residential units? [Astoria, Queens]
The J Train el in woodhaven and richmond hill were not allowed to deteriorate so that the street below looks like hell? [Richmond Hill, Queens]
all the left over spaces under the highways and/ bridges/ subways could be better lit and the space be used more creatively. [Citywide]

Above it All

building owners had more incentive to convert their rooftops into landscaped spaces, thereby reducing heat island gain and creating more open space for their residents? [Lower East Side, Manhattan]
More apartment buildings allowed tenants rooftop access. [Lower Manhattan]
We had small rooftop bars/dining areas! [Morningside Heights, Manhattan]
there were free public observation towers at high points around the city. [Forest Park, Queens]
they restored the old Clocktower building in L.I.C. [Long Island City, Queens]
more rooftops in NYC were open to the public, accessible (with clear info provided where they are, opening hours and how to get there) [Citywide]
there was a “Vista Project” that noted places across the City where there were great views that offered an opportunity for sculpture or siteworks or graphics and promoted it (perhaps sponsored?) [Citywide]
The old, abandoned LIRR running from Forest Park to Rockaway Beach was turned into a simpler version of the HighLine with native plants, an edible garden, along with a bike and pedestrian path? [Richmond Hill, Queens]

Farm the Rooftops!

Down Underground

underground thruway corridors were resources of economic development and revenue generation. Including diverse housing stock, fresh, contextual commodity-type retailing and small business services. [Harlem, Manhattan]
An AVAC system that sucks garbage through large underground suction tubes was installed along Second Ave while they are digging the subway. [Upper East Side, Manhattan]
Manhattan’s underground streams were exposed, creating mini canals and overlooking walkways. [All Manhattan]
there were an underground bus terminal for local buses in Flushing? [Downtown Flushing, Queens]

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Over & Under: Public spaces beyond the streets

The passage along 138th Street under the Grand Concourse in the Bronx were open and inviting and colorful? [Mott Haven, Bronx]

highway underpasses had light installations-slash-pigeon repellers. [Cobble Hill, Brooklyn]

We could reclaim the underutilized spaces adjacent to the Franklin Ave Shuttle train? [Crown Heights, Brooklyn]

stormwater was displayed under bridges in an interesting way. [DUMBO, Brooklyn]

there was a way to thoughtfully shield train noise at the both ends of the Manhattan Bridge. [DUMBO, Brooklyn]

Something was done to clean, brighten and beautify Broadway under the JMZ and make the street more bike and pedestrian friendly. [East Williamsburg, Brooklyn]

The MTA opened up a park under the elevated F line across the street of my house. [Gowanus, Brooklyn]

The Gowanus expressway had art integrated on its base rather than that terrible green paint? [Gowanus, Brooklyn]

The space underneath the commuter rail in Park Avenue became a space for co-op/community exchange, along with the renewal of La Marqueta. [East Harlem, Manhattan]

all that unused (or underused) land underneath the Williamsburg Bridge (Manhattan side) could be put to some productive or recreational use?? [Lower East Side, Manhattan]

existing under-used infrastruture were transformed into a multi-functional, human-friendly marketplace with green open space, a library, and a transportation hub with residential units? [Astoria, Queens]

The J Train el in woodhaven and richmond hill were not allowed to deteriorate so that the street below looks like hell? [Richmond Hill, Queens]

all the left over spaces under the highways and/ bridges/ subways could be better lit and the space be used more creatively. [Citywide]

building owners had more incentive to convert their rooftops into landscaped spaces, thereby reducing heat island gain and creating more open space for their residents? [Lower East Side, Manhattan]

More apartment buildings allowed tenants rooftop access. [Lower Manhattan]

We had small rooftop bars/dining areas! [Morningside Heights, Manhattan]

there were free public observation towers at high points around the city. [Forest Park, Queens]

they restored the old Clocktower building in L.I.C. [Long Island City, Queens]

more rooftops in NYC were open to the public, accessible (with clear info provided where they are, opening hours and how to get there) [Citywide]

there was a “Vista Project” that noted places across the City where there were great views that offered an opportunity for sculpture or siteworks or graphics and promoted it (perhaps sponsored?) [Citywide]

The old, abandoned LIRR running from Forest Park to Rockaway Beach was turned into a simpler version of the HighLine with native plants, an edible garden, along with a bike and pedestrian path? [Richmond Hill, Queens]

we greenroofed the Gowanus? [Gowanus, Brooklyn]

the penthouses with terraces were accessible for urban farmers who would utilize the space in a more sustainable way…I’ve got one in mind close to being foreclosed. If only I could save it! [Upper West Side, Manhattan]

there were a park and ride structure with a rooftop farm and a farmers market. [Long Island City, Queens]

there were more organic, edible community gardens as they are far and few in neighborhoods I grew up in. If they can be on rooftops that would be awesome and would utilize unused space. [South Queens]

all buildings were required to grow a roof or vertical garden? / building owners were required to either convert part of their roofs to green space or paint it a reflective white? / Every building had a rooftop garden. / we turned all our roofs into green roofs? [Citywide]

underground thruway corridors were resources of economic development and revenue generation. Including diverse housing stock, fresh, contextual commodity-type retailing and small business services. [Harlem, Manhattan]

An AVAC system that sucks garbage through large underground suction tubes was installed along Second Ave while they are digging the subway. [Upper East Side, Manhattan]

Manhattan’s underground streams were exposed, creating mini canals and overlooking walkways. [All Manhattan]

there were an underground bus terminal for local buses in Flushing? [Downtown Flushing, Queens]

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