Touring Edenwald to Learn About Green Infrastructure & Climate Change Resiliency in NYC 

In May, Edenwald Houses was featured as one of the destinations for Jane’s Walk NYC, an annual walking tour of free, citizen-led conversations where tour guides make connections with neighbors, fellow New Yorkers, and visitors through the sharing of stories about neighborhoods and communities. 

The “A Resilient Garden of Eden(wald)” tour was guided by NYCHA’s Green Infrastructure Program Manager Adam Benditsky, who led 10 participants through half of Edenwald’s 48 acres. Mr. Benditsky discussed the development’s green infrastructure features to show how the City of New York is preparing for the effects of climate change. 

On the tour, Mr. Benditsky also discussed how NYCHA’s growing green infrastructure is helping to clean NYC’s waterways and prevent flooding while offering residents amenities, the importance of community engagement and cross-agency partnerships and collaboration, and the challenges and opportunities facing the City as it attempts to become more resilient in the face of climate change. 

In 2018, green infrastructure improvements were completed at Edenwald — NYCHA’s largest development in the Bronx — to divert rainwater from the sewer system and the nearby Hutchinson River so it can be absorbed into the ground. The upgrades included rain gardens and special pavement in courtyards, pedestrian areas, and parking lots that allow water to be absorbed on the development’s grounds. By capturing stormwater, the system reduces sewer backups, eases pressure on the sewer system during heavy rain, and decreases sewer overflows into the Hutchinson River.  

“I am very excited about the good work that we are doing at NYCHA to beautify our campuses while protecting our residents and the city at large against the risks of global climate change,” Mr. Benditsky said. “I think Jane Jacobs would have approved of our work, and I’m honored to celebrate her birthday in this way.” 

Jane’s Walk NYC is organized by the Municipal Art Society of NYC, which encourages thoughtful planning and urban design; works on policy reform that shapes the city; and protects historic and cultural landmarks, neighborhood character, legacy businesses, and public art.  

The walk at Edenwald was one of 165 walks held this year in NYC. Jane’s Walks are held annually and grew from its 2006 founding in Toronto to walks in more than 500 cities around the world. New York boasts the largest chapter of the festival, hosting approximately 10,000 attendees this year. The walks were inspired by the late Jane Jacobs, a writer, urbanist, and activist who advocated a community-based approach to urban planning and brought her ideas to both New York City and Toronto.