FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media contact: Michael Papagianakis, mp@buildingcongress.com
Meg Fitzgerald, meg.fitzgerald@berlinrosen.com
New York Building Foundation Grants $10,000 to the Design Trust for Public Space’s Opening the Edge Project to Create Outdoor, Community Space for NYCHA Residents
NEW YORK, NY (September 17, 2020) - The New York Building Foundation, a nonprofit organization that promotes the long-term growth and well-being of the New York City building industry and the wider community, and the charitable arm of the New York Building Congress, has allocated $10,000 as a community project grant to the Design Trust for Public Space. The grant will be used for the Design Trust’s Opening the Edge project, a collaboration with the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) to create a public, outdoor space in an underutilized grassy area of Lillian Wald Houses on the Lower East Side for residents to enjoy.
“Outdoor recreational spaces are more important now than ever before, and creating this area for NYCHA residents to enjoy and come together is a wonderful opportunity to improve both the property and the residents’ quality of life,” said Carlo A. Scissura, President of the New York Building Foundation. “We are very proud to contribute to the Design Trust for Public Space’s Opening the Edge project and look forward to continuing to work with them to create beautiful community spaces across the five boroughs.”
“The New York Building Foundation is committed to enhancing the diverse communities that make this city the greatest in the world, and Opening the Edge is a wonderful project that aligns perfectly with our mission,” said Milo E. Riverso, Ph.D., P.E., Chair of the New York Building Foundation and President & CEO of STV. “We are thrilled to provide this grant and work with the Design Trust for Public Space to create a terrific outdoor amenity for the residents of the Lillian Wald Houses.”
Opening the Edge began in 2016 and has since been used to empower NYCHA residents to design a space for their community and interact with their neighborhood. Further, Opening the Edge inspired NYCHA’s “Connected Communities” initiative, which embraces greater resident engagement in urban design processes.
The project was proposed by Design Trust Participatory Art Fellow Jane Greengold, who felt inspired to create the greenspace when she observed stark divisions between NYCHA housing and the neighborhoods in which the developments are situated. Since then, Opening the Edge has been driven by a group of NYCHA residents, known as the Community Design Team, who make decisions on how they want the site to be used.
“We are incredibly proud of Opening the Edge, which is a project that reflects our commitment to collaborating with New York City agencies and residents to realize the potential of public space,” said Matthew Clarke, Executive Director of the Design Trust for Public Space. “We are incredibly grateful to the New York Building Foundation for their support of this project and look forward to working together to ensure its meaningful and lasting impact on New York City.”
Greengold and the Community Design Team created plans for an accessible and welcoming public space for a fenced-in area located between 3rd and 4th Streets on Avenue D. The plans are being finalized, with hopes to incorporate public art into the design. The new open space will offer a place for Lillian Wald Houses residents to interact with their neighbors while also serving as a model of participatory design that can be adapted at other NYCHA sites.
###
About New York Building Foundation
The New York Building Foundation, the charitable arm of the New York Building Congress, was founded by a group of dedicated professionals to improve and better coordinate the building community’s approach to promoting the New York City construction industry. Since 1998, the New York Building Foundation has promoted the long-term growth and well-being of the New York City building industry and the wider community through an active program of research, education, and philanthropy.
Over its 20-year history, the Building Foundation’s activities have included grants and scholarships for educational programs aimed at developing an interest in the industry among K-12 and college students; support for training organizations that assist adults from various backgrounds with joining the trades; programs to encourage clean, safe worksites; and research on issues impacting both the building industry and the city’s economic future. And in the times of greatest need, the Foundation has mobilized the building community with the establishment of the World Trade Center Memorial Fund in 2001 and the Hurricane Sandy Recovery Fund in 2012.
About the Design Trust for Public Space
The Design Trust for Public Space is a nationally recognized incubator that catalyzes change and transforms New York City’s shared civic spaces—streets, plazas, parks, public buildings, transportation, and housing developments—to create a vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable city. Established in 1995 by Andrea Woodner, the nonprofit brings design expertise and systems thinking to the public realm to make a lasting impact. Founded on the tenet that New York City’s cultural and democratic life depends on viable public space, the Design Trust focuses on social justice and equity, environmental sustainability, design excellence, and public engagement. Its innovative model brings together government agencies, community groups, and private-sector experts, utilizing cross-sector partnerships to deliver creative solutions that shape the city’s landscape.
With projects throughout the five boroughs, including critical foundational work for the conversion of the High Line, founding of the Community Design School in Queens, partnering with the Taxi & Limousine Commission in designing the Taxi of Tomorrow, launching Under the Elevated and El-Space to reclaim and transform aging elevated transportation infrastructure and the spaces associated with it, and creating the Design Manual for 21st Century Parks, Design Trust’s work presents a methodology and replicable models for urban issues around public space that inspire other cities.
For more information about the Design Trust for Public Space, visit designtrust.org.
