New Plaza Could Replace Parking Spaces On UES Street

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — A proposal to add a new plaza in the parking lane on East 69th Street won key support from Community Board 8's Transportation Committee on Wednesday night, advancing plans for a new public space that city officials say could open this fall.

The proposed plaza would replace two parking spaces with an 8-foot-wide, 138-foot-long seating area with planters on East 69th Street between Park and Lexington avenues.

The plan, developed by the New York City Department of Transportation in partnership with students from Hunter College's Placemakers Club, was approved by the committee in a 7-1 vote, with one abstention.

“We really believe that vibrant public spaces made for people can be great assets to the community and help strengthen the connections between Hunter and the neighborhood," Placemakers Club president John Hocknell said.

What's Being Proposed

Under the proposal, the plaza would occupy the existing parking lane, replacing two parking spaces and extending into part of a nearby no-parking zone.

To separate the space from traffic, the design includes planters along the perimeter, granite blocks, flexible delineator posts and double white lines marking the plaza's outer edge.

The plaza would feature movable bistro-style tables and chairs that would be set up each morning and removed each evening, according to DOT officials.

"We intend them to be a permanent addition to the street," Clay Grable, the NYC Department of Transportation’s public plaza program manager, said. "It's not a pilot program or a seasonal program. It is a new pedestrian space that is open 24/7 365, just like the sidewalk."

Hunter College would enter into a maintenance agreement with the DOT, making the school responsible for daily setup, cleaning and responding to complaints related to the space.

Although Hunter College would operate the plaza, officials said it would be open to the public, regardless of affiliation with the school.

The college would also enforce bans on alcohol consumption, smoking and vending within the plaza. Standard city noise regulations that apply to sidewalks would also apply to the space, DOT officials said.

At least one longtime resident backed the plan at the committee meeting.

"I am a resident for 30 years on this block, and I think this is a very positive idea, and something that would be perceived and accepted as a benefit for the block and the community," Mitchell Gordon, who lives on East 69th Street, said.

But not everyone is sold on bringing more activity into the roadway.

"I am generally not in favor of bringing living onto the streets, and in light of the fact that Hunter has its own plaza right out in front of this building, and in light of what could go awry here, I don't think that this is a good thing to have happen on this street," Community Board 8 member Michele Birnbaum said.

The proposal now heads to the full Community Board 8 for consideration during its June 17 meeting.

If approved, the school club is aiming to have the seating area installed by the beginning of the fall semester.

For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.