CENYC - Greenspace at President Street

CENYC - Greenspace at President Street

The Council of the Environment of New York City's Open Space Greening (OSG) project was founded in 1975 by Liz Christy. Since then, over sixty vacant lots across Brooklyn, Manhattan and The Bronx have been bought, fixed up and turned into extravagant gardens where neighbors can eat, play, watch movies, put on performances and garden together.

One garden, located on one of Brooklyn's busiest streets - 5th Ave. in Park Slope, was a lot of land that was originally a green thumb garden where locals used to grow fruits and vegetables in the 1970's but quickly became a littered lot in the 1980's. It was saved from auction in 1999 and is now a part of The Brooklyn/Queens Landtrust. The Council of the Environment of New York City funded the renovation and helped turn the littered empty lot into a colorful flower garden appealing to the eye. Designed with a colorful wall mural, a wrought iron fence, a cobblestone patio and a blue stone pathway, locals often use this urban nature space to host picnics, throw summer parties and hold outdoor movie events.