Wald Houses Community Celebrates Newly Accessible Open Space
For years, a group of Wald Houses residents believed there was a greater purpose for a grassy, fenced-off area at the edge of the Lower East Side development.
Now, after a decade of collaborating with neighbors and NYCHA partners, including the Design Trust for Public Space, local residents have finally realized their vision of creating a more accessible, inviting open space for the community to enjoy.
On November 12, community members were joined by representatives from the Design Trust for Public Space and NYCHA for a ribbon-cutting celebration to officially unveil the “Opening the Edge” project on Avenue D, between 3rd and 4th streets, at Wald Houses. The newly transformed, fence-free site now features seating areas, a sloped platform for performances, tables, paved paths, and lighting.
“This ribbon-cutting marks the successful culmination of the ‘Opening the Edge’ project, demonstrating that when NYCHA works in partnership with residents, we can transform our communities for the better,” NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt said. “It is a pleasure to unveil this resident-led, beautifully designed open space that will serve as a gathering place for residents for years to come. This new space is a testament to our commitment to enhancing the quality of life for all NYCHA residents by investing in spaces where the community thrives.”
The project was first proposed in 2014 by local artist Jane Greengold, who hoped to create a more lively outdoor space that would allow NYCHA residents and neighbors to make new connections. Working with the Design Trust for Public Space, Ms. Greengold encouraged removal of the fencing around one unused grassy area at Wald Houses, enabling community members to decide how the space should be used.
“I hope residents of Wald Houses will enjoy the use of their new open space, and that it will lead to the opening of other grass spaces at NYCHA,” Ms. Greengold said of the completion of “Opening the Edge.”
The resident-designed, fence-free space features seating areas, a sloped platform for performances, tables, paved paths, and lighting. (courtesy of the Design Trust for Public Space)
Thanks to a partnership between NYCHA and the Design Trust, the project was launched as a participatory design initiative that allowed local residents to lead the way in reimagining the underutilized open space at the Wald development, home to more than 3,500 residents. The process is also modeled under NYCHA’s Connected Communities program, which seeks to enhance physical and social connections between residents and their communities through public-private partnerships.
In collaboration with Davies Toews Architecture, the PARC Foundation, and NYCHA’s Asset and Capital Management division, more than 25 meetings and dozens of outreach events were held throughout the project, in which community members expressed design ideas such as the need for more seating and space for cultural programming, including planned or impromptu performances.
“Opening the Edge has fought for a simple improvement, but in doing so, has served as a catalyst for a new way of thinking around resident ownership of public spaces in NYCHA neighborhoods,” Design Trust for Public Space Executive Director Matthew Clarke said. “We are ecstatic to see this idea finally come to life and for Lower East Side residents to enjoy a thriving new open space.”
The project received early capital funding from the offices of then-City Councilmember Carlina Rivera and then-Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer. Additional funding was provided by the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, PARC Foundation, Trinity Church Wall Street Foundation, Public Housing Community Fund, National Endowment for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts, NYC Building Congress Foundation, and Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation. Project contracting was provided by Dubner Landscaping & Construction, with support from Sterling Project Development, Langan Engineering & Environmental Services, and TYLin.
Wald Houses residents hailed the long-awaited opening of the new community gathering space, calling it a “source of pride” as they’ve helped bring the space to life and made it their own.
Featured photo caption: A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on November 12 to welcome the “Opening the Edge” community space at Wald Houses. (courtesy of the Design Trust for Public Space)