If you have lived in or visited New York, and have experienced the Elizabeth Street Garden, you know that you have been truly blessed. Folks like Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese have submitted letters to the City of New York advocating to protect this landmark. Nestled between Prince and Spring Streets, it is more than just a patch of green space; it’s a cherished sanctuary that has woven itself into the heart of New York City’s Nolita neighborhood. For many, it serves as a core memory—an oasis of tranquility amidst the bustling streets, frequented by locals and travelers alike. As I write this, Elizabeth Street Garden is at risk. At the heart of the legal dispute, is a potential development project for affordable housing. The problem is that there are other much more viable options. In fact, many members of the NYC community- far and wide- have been fighting to save this space. But within the last few weeks, it seems like the development project that will take the garden away from us has been greenlit. The truth is that we are still hopeful.
Once a derelict lot left vacant after the demolition of P.S. 21 in the 1970s, the garden’s transformation began in 1991 when Allan Reiver took the initiative to breathe life back into the forgotten area. As the owner of the neighboring Elizabeth Street Gallery, Reiver saw potential in the barren land. Leasing it on a month-to-month basis, he meticulously cleaned it up, and filled it with sculptures and architectural artifacts from his extensive collection. Today, the garden is a fairytale-like safe haven with an eclectic mix of plants and sculptures, creating a tranquil retreat for all who visit. In September of 2022, Patti Smith famously played a free concert to raise awareness about the garden, drawing over 600 attendees who came together to celebrate its importance.
The garden has become a sanctuary for many in a city that lacks green spaces, which is undeniably valuable for everyone’s mental health. It has hosted countless stories of connection and joy: couples have proposed and gotten married among its flowers, while families have raised their children within its tranquil embrace. Renee Green, the garden’s Chair, often recounts how it has become a vital meeting point for seniors in the community. This is crucial in a city like New York which doesn’t have many natural third spaces, and isn’t necessarily always accessible for some folks. Elizabeth Street Garden has created a place where folks get to know their neighbors and a culture where that extends outside of the garden. When asked to share some stories or experiences from visitors that illustrate the impact of the garden on the community, Rieves mentioned there are many elderly who come to the garden on a daily basis. He tells a story of an elderly Chinese woman who speaks little English, who has formed a unique bond with the space. She helps weave vines through the gates and along sculptures. It is people like her that exemplify the importance of this garden.
The garden is maintained by devoted volunteers and the nonprofit Elizabeth Street Garden Inc. (ESG), and it has become a vital communal space. Since 2013, ESG has worked diligently to keep the garden open year-round, hosting community events that nurture both body and soul. In a city where green space is a precious commodity, they invite people to partake in yoga sessions, eco-gardening workshops, and cultural collaborations with organizations like MoMA and the Lower East Side Ecology Center. The garden has also served as an outdoor classroom for local elementary school students, where they learned about sustainable practices during the pandemic. Through ongoing workshops with local public schools, children are not only given the opportunity to connect with nature but also to get their hands in the dirt and contribute to a shared space. They learn about planting and sustainable stewardship, while also expressing their creativity through poetry and garden design. An example of environmental stewardship and sustainability, the garden teaches visitors about the significance of community- led green spaces in urban environments—not merely as pockets of nature amidst concrete but as vital havens for mental health. Knowing there are spaces for communities to gather, interculturally and intergenerationally while building neighboring relationships, is essential in the West with big cities like New York. We have been stripped of our community and the interconnected support in places we call home. The garden fills a void many New Yorkers seek.
Elizabeth Street Garden is a vibrant community space and artistic haven. It blends nature with architectural elements and sculptures, which are recognized both locally and globally. Its preservation underscores the importance of prioritizing public green spaces in urban development. It is also free to the public, which embodies the community spirit and the nurturing power of nature. Spaces like these help us all foster connections and create cherished memories. Ultimately, the garden’s magic can be described in a quote by Joseph Reiver, the garden’s director who reflects on his experience: “I’ve learned a lot about how to shape a place while accepting how it grows organically, balancing vision with the need to listen to the garden.”
Get Involved! Go to elizabethstreetgarden.com/volunteer to find out how to support this rare and historical “third space” in New York city.
