The Elizabeth Street Garden, cherished by locals as a vibrant community space in Little Italy, is under threat from city plans to replace it with affordable housing. Artist Patti Smith and other local figures gathered to celebrate the garden's role in their lives, asserting that it is a vital community resource instead of an empty lot. Executive Director Joseph Reiver argues for the coexistence of housing and the garden, emphasizing the space's annual draw of over 200,000 visitors and its various public programs, as they seek to protect it through artistic expression rather than protest.
The city says they need to destroy this garden for senior, affordable housing, and we've identified multiple sites... that can get as much housing, if not more.
This garden serves the community. This garden has over 200,000 people coming throughout the year. It has free public programs.
The decision to maintain a local piece of heaven or sacrifice it for more living space is a false choice. There is room for both.
The ceremony called for the preservation of the space using art by those who use it to inspire their work, including renowned singer Patti Smith.
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