Central Park

You don't have to go upstate to experience the magic of fall foliage--right here in Central Park, there are 20,000 trees, many of which "transform into golden shades of yellow, orange, red, and more." Which is why the Central Park Conservancy has released its 2018 Fall Guide, complete with a map of the best spots to catch the autumnal bliss, as well as a list of upcoming fall tours.
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Events & Things To Do

To live across from Central Park, you’ll pay 25% more than every bordering neighborhood

Via Wikimedia

September 25, 2018

To live across from Central Park, you’ll pay 25% more than every bordering neighborhood

To make Central Park your front yard, you'll have to fork over $277,000 more than the median sale price of every bordering neighborhood. A new report by Property Shark looks at just how much more New Yorkers are willing to spend to be near the 843-acre oasis, a real estate trend which the group calls the "Central Park effect." According to the analysis, the median sale price of units along the first row of blocks across the park was 25 percent more expensive than that of every nearby area. And in the priciest section, the Upper East Side's Lenox Hill, that rose to a 93 percent difference.
More on the Central Park effect

Real Estate Trends

Central Park’s horse-drawn carriages are getting ‘designated boarding areas’

A carriage near Central Park South, amongst traffic, via Flickr cc

August 30, 2018

Central Park’s horse-drawn carriages are getting ‘designated boarding areas’

In an effort to "reduce the amount of time that horses spend alongside vehicular traffic... thereby promoting the safety and well-being of the horses," the de Blasio administration announced today that Central Park's well-known (and equally notorious) horse-drawn carriages will only be able to pick up and drop off passengers at designated boarding areas within the park. But for many groups, this will not be enough to improve conditions for the horses.
All the info

City Living

An archive of 24,000 documents from Frederick Law Olmsted’s life and work is now available online

Early designs for Central Park. Image courtesy of the National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.

August 1, 2018

An archive of 24,000 documents from Frederick Law Olmsted’s life and work is now available online

When thinking of influential creators of New York City’s most memorable places, it’s hard not to imagine Frederick Law Olmsted near the top of the list. Considered to be the founder of landscape architecture–he was also a writer and conservationist–Olmsted was committed to the restorative effects of natural spaces in the city. Perhaps best known for the wild beauty of Central and Prospect Parks, his vast influence includes scores of projects such as the Biltmore estate, the U.S. Capitol grounds and the Chicago World’s Fair. In preparation for the bicentennial of Olmsted’s 1822 birth, the Library of Congress has made 24,000 documents providing details of Olmsted’s life available online, Smithsonian reports. The collection includes journals, personal correspondence, project proposals and other documents that offer an intimate picture of Olmsted’s private life and work. The collection is linked to an interactive map at Olmsted Online showing all Olmsted projects in the United States (and there are many). You can search the map according to project name, location, job number and project type.
Explore the documents and map

Design unveiled for Central Park’s first statue dedicated to real women

Photo by Tia Richards for 6sqft

July 20, 2018

Design unveiled for Central Park’s first statue dedicated to real women

By Lucie Levine

Coinciding with the 170th Anniversary of the Seneca Falls Women's Rights Convention, members of the Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Statue Fund unveiled on Thursday the official design of the first statue of non-fictional women in Central Park. Designed by Meredith Bergmann, the sculpture includes both legible text and a writing scroll that represents the arguments that both women -- and their fellow suffragists -- fought for. There is also a digital scroll, which will be available online, where visitors are encouraged to join the ongoing conversation. The sculpture of Stanton and Anthony will be dedicated in Central Park on August 18, 2020, marking the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote nationwide.
Learn more about this monumental monument

$150M revamp announced for Central Park’s Lasker pool and ice rink

Via Central Park Conservancy

July 18, 2018

$150M revamp announced for Central Park’s Lasker pool and ice rink

Central Park's Lasker pool and ice rink is set to undergo a major makeover, funded collectively by the Central Park Conservancy and the city. As first reported by the Daily News, the pool and rink will close for construction in 2020 for three years. The refurbishment will better connect the North Woods and the Harlem Meer, both currently blocked from one another by the rink.
Get the details

Architecture And Design

Executive director of Transportation Alternatives Paul Steely White drives a vintage Mustang as the last car in Central Park. Via NYC Parks.

June 27, 2018

Central Park is officially car-free!

At 7pm last night, the last car to ever drive through Central Park marked all of the park’s loop drives being permanently closed to traffic. Mayor de Blasio first made the announcement in April that after banning cars north of 72nd Street three years ago, the city would now prohibit them south of 72nd. Although vehicles will still be able to travel along the transverses, the new policy frees up a significant amount of space for pedestrians, runners, and bikers. To that end, Transportation Alternatives, a nonprofit advocacy group that has been pushing for the car ban since the '70s, teamed up with city officials last night to host a celebratory bike ride that trailed the last car to drive through the park.
More info ahead

Transit

Central Park Boathouse returns this week with a new look, a new menu and a $2.9M makeover

Image: Andrew Batram via Flickr

April 27, 2018

Central Park Boathouse returns this week with a new look, a new menu and a $2.9M makeover

The Central Park Boathouse restaurant has been spruced up with $2.9 million in renovations and upgrades and is perfect-date-ready just in time for outdoor weather. The New York Post reports that the familiar structure near the park's Fifth Avenue entrance at East 72nd Street has gotten much needed capital improvements like more seats (185 instead of 160) a new flood-proof tile floor and insulated glass that keeps the lakefront chill out along with a contemporary new look, new colors and lighting and better sightlines of the Central Park West skyline and rowboats gliding by. Even better, there's more room for customers at the new ADA-compliant bar.
Find out more

Photo via Jeffrey Zeldman/Flickr

April 20, 2018

Central Park is going car-free

By Michelle Sinclair Colman

Last night Mayor de Blasio teased us by tweeting, “We're making a BIG announcement tomorrow on the future of Central Park. Stay tuned.” This morning he announced, “Central Park goes car-free in June. 24/7, 365 days a year — because parks are for people, not cars.” That is BIG news. After banning cars north of 72nd Street three years ago, the city will now prohibit them south of 72nd.
All the details right this way

Transit

City orders Central Park statue of ‘hero’ M.D. who performed experiments on slaves be removed

New York City’s Public Design Commission voted unanimously Monday in favor of removing a statue of 19th century surgeon J. Marion Sims from its Central Park pedestal, the New York Times reports. It was recommended that the statue of the controversial doctor, who conducted experimental surgeries on female slaves without their consent (and without anesthesia), be removed from its spot at 103rd Street in East Harlem after Mayor Bill de Blasio asked for a review of “symbols of hate” on city property eight months ago. 6sqft previously reported on the request by Manhattan Community Board 11 to remove the East Harlem statue of Sims, who is regarded as the father of modern gynecology. The statue, which will be moved to Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery where the doctor is buried, represents the city's first decision to make changes to a prominent monument since the review.
Find out more

Uncategorized

Central Park’s Ladies Pavilion and the disappeared ice skating cottage

Photo via Wikipedia

March 15, 2018

Central Park’s Ladies Pavilion and the disappeared ice skating cottage

By Hannah Frishberg

To get to Central Park's Ladies Pavilion, it is necessary to go on, by New York City standards, a bonafide nature hike. Perched at the edge of the Lake, in a far corner of the Ramble, the cottage-like, open-air, Victorian-style structure was built in 1871 to serve as a "shelter for the horsecar passengers" near Columbus Circle, according to the New York Times.
It was once destroyed

History

Central Park’s Belvedere Castle will close for restoration next week

Photos via Central Park Conservancy

February 23, 2018

Central Park’s Belvedere Castle will close for restoration next week

By Emily Nonko

The Belvedere in Central Park was conceived as a miniature castle by Calvert Vaux, co-designer of the park, in 1869. It opened with some of the best views of the city's prized green space--the name Belvedere was chosen as it is Italian for "beautiful view." But the years have taken their toll on the stone structure, which has not been renovated since 1983. Now the Central Park Conservancy will close it to address issues like cracked pavement, a leaky roof, and plumbing issues. Starting this Monday, February 26th, Belvedere Castle will be off-limits to the public for its restoration, and will not reopen until 2019.
More details of the reno

Architecture And Design

November 6, 2017

Parks Department approves Central Park’s first monument to historic females

On the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote in New York state, the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation will make an announcement today that it's moving ahead with a proposal to erect a monument to Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony in Central Park. First reported by West Side Rag, the statue of the two suffragists will be Central Park's first monument to historic women and only the sixth in the entire city. It will be placed on the mall, which runs from 66th to 72nd Streets in the middle of the park, and will be unveiled on another important date--the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote nationally on August 26, 2020.
Get the full story

MAP: The best loops and trails for running in Central Park

Joggers in Central Park, via Wikimedia

November 2, 2017

MAP: The best loops and trails for running in Central Park

If you're suddenly feeling inspired to start running with all the talk of the New York City Marathon, a map created by the Central Park Conservancy will help you get moving. While Central Park no longer serves as the only spot marathon contestants race through as it did during the city’s first marathon in 1970, it remains an oasis for runners of all experience levels. The conservancy's guide maps out the many loops and trails of the park to help you hit the ground running in preparation for next year's marathon, or even just starting a new hobby.
Find out more

City Living

In 1917, a German U-Boat submarine ended up in Central Park

Photo via Library of Congress

October 25, 2017

In 1917, a German U-Boat submarine ended up in Central Park

By Emily Nonko

On October 25th, 1917, New Yorkers were celebrating "Liberty Day," a holiday invented by the federal government to finance the massive effort of entering World War I. One-third of the war's funding would come from the imposition of progressive new taxes, while two-thirds would come from selling "Liberty Bonds" to the American people. The holiday was part of an unprecedented publicity campaign to convince the public to buy the bonds. New Yorkers are notoriously hard to impress, so it's no surprise the government rolled out all the punches: a three-engine Caproni bomber plane flew low among the skyscrapers, a parade of military motorcycles traveled up 5th Avenue, and a captured German U-boat submarine lay festooned with American flags inside Central Park.
Read more about the day's events

History

MAP: Find the colorful fall foliage of Central Park’s 20,000 trees

Central Park in Autumn, photo via Anthony Quintano on Flickr

October 5, 2017

MAP: Find the colorful fall foliage of Central Park’s 20,000 trees

Central Park's most dazzling and vibrant season has arrived. With over 20,000 trees and 150 species of trees spread across 843-acres, Central Park in autumn remains a cannot-miss spectacle for New Yorkers. Thankfully, the Central Park Conservancy created a fall foliage map making it easy to find the leaves with the brightest shades of gold, yellow, red and orange this season.
Check it out

Events & Things To Do

712-foot observation tower proposed for Central Park would also clean the reservoir

Rendering via DFA

September 14, 2017

712-foot observation tower proposed for Central Park would also clean the reservoir

Local creative studio DFA is proposing a 712-foot public observation tower in Central Park that would double as a sustainable filtration system to clean the decommissioned and hazardous Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir and turn it into a non-toxic, useable freshwater pond. The firm says their idea is "in response to [the] growing demand for public bird’s eye views in the world’s tallest cities and an increasing need for innovative environmental cleanup strategies." Though meant to be temporary, the prefabricated tower would be the world's tallest timber structure if completed, featuring a 56-foot-wide viewing platform and a glass oculus that showcases the tower's functional elements.
All the details and renderings ahead

EVENT: Attend free movie screenings at Central Park and Marcus Garvey Park this week

Photo of the Central Park Conservancy Film Festival via Shinya Suzuki’s Flickr

August 21, 2017

EVENT: Attend free movie screenings at Central Park and Marcus Garvey Park this week

Celebrate the end of summer with the 2017 Central Park Conservancy Film Festival, which kicks off Monday night with the showing of the 2014 remake of “Annie.” In addition to Central Park screenings, the film festival will include free outdoor screenings in Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park and Jacob Riis Park in the Rockaways. This year’s lineup features movies filmed in New York, including “The Wiz,” The Great Gatsby,” and “The Godfather.” All of the movie screenings are free to attend and tickets are not necessary.
More details here

Events & Things To Do

August 11, 2017

The Urban Lens: Fantastical photo manipulations reimagine Central Park and its surroundings

6sqft’s series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment, Spanish artist Dionisio González presents two series of digital photos showcasing Central Park. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at tips@6sqft.com. Architect and photographer Dionisio González has made a name for himself with his surrealist photo manipulations, which typically combine existing buildings and urban spaces with digitally drawn structures and landscapes. His latest two series take on Central Park and how the city's giant "void" relates to its surrounding skyscrapers. In his "Thinking Central Park" series, González fills the space with futuristic shelters. Conversely, in the black-and-white series "Dialectical Landscape" he adds empty spaces as aerial extensions of the park for recreation and transportation.
See them all right here

Places

Camping in Central Park, photo via Downtown Traveler

August 10, 2017

Camp out in Central Park for free next weekend

Connect with nature under a Manhattan starry night with a camping trip in Central Park next Saturday, August 19th. This usually illegal activity is totally lawful through a free event hosted by the city’s Urban Park Rangers. The family camping program happens every summer at select venues, like Central Park in Manhattan, Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, Mccarren Park in Brooklyn and Fort Totten Park in Queens.
Find out more

Events & Things To Do

A rejected design for Central Park from 1858 shows colorful, whimsical topiaries

John Rink’s rejected design proposal for Central Park, via NY Historical Society

July 24, 2017

A rejected design for Central Park from 1858 shows colorful, whimsical topiaries

Central Park, which celebrated its 164th anniversary this month, required elaborate planning to make it what it is today: the most visited urban park in the country. New York City launched a design competition in 1857 for the development of the open space between Manhattan’s 59th and 110th Streets. Most New Yorkers know that out of 33 total entrants, the city chose Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux's "Greensward Plan." However, just five of the losing designs survived and can be seen at the New York Historical Society. One particularly unique design was submitted by park engineer John Rink, who planned Central Park to be highly decorated with whimsically shaped sections dominated by topiaries (h/t Slate).
Find out more

June 12, 2017

Controversy builds over proposed elevated path in Central Park

Central Park’s Belvedere Castle will undergo major renovations beginning this summer and early fall, to fix the 146-year-old structure’s cracked pavement, leaking roof and plumbing issues. While the plan to give the castle a face-lift was approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission last month, the plan to make its path handicap-accessible has not yet been approved. According to the New York Times, preservationists are concerned about the Central Park Conservancy’s proposal to build a ramp-like elevated walkway to the castle’s entrance, saying it would alter the experience of Central Park.
Find out more

June 6, 2017

Central Park lampposts bear ‘secret codes’ to help you find your way

We can think of worse fates than getting lost in Central Park. With its winding pathways, lovely bridges, stunning gardens, and a magical lake, it’s the most visited urban park in the United States. But a few of those visitors are bound to take a wrong turn every now and again, and if you find yourself in that predicament, Central Park's 1,600 lampposts bear a secret code that will help you get your bearings and find your way.
Find out how to use the numbers to find out where you are

History

April 12, 2017

Central Park’s Belvedere Castle and two playgrounds to close for renovations this summer