Frank Bruni pens an appreciation for the incredible transformation New York City has undergone in the last 15 years, as Mayor Bloomberg's "greenest of thumbs" has expanded the lush life across the city's five boroughs.
"[A] place of newly gorgeous waterfront promenades, of trees, tall
grasses and blooming flowers on patches of land and peninsulas of
concrete and even stretches of rail tracks that were blighted or blank
before," writes Bruni, who, on the occasion of an international conference called "Greater & Greener: Re-Imagining Parks for 21st Century Cities" being held in the city, argues that the "extraordinary greening of New York" ranks high among Michael Bloomberg's greatest accomplishments as mayor.
"One of the principal legacies of his long mayoralty will be a city that,
in certain charmed spots on certain charmed days, can feel as relaxed
and breezy and kissed by nature as one of those ecologically vain
enclaves of the Pacific Northwest. To the bustle of traffic, he has
added the rustle of more trees, byways for bicycles, perches with
exquisite views."
Although it's progressed incrementally, with a High Line here and a Brooklyn Bridge Park there, Bruni ties New York's "newly lush life" to a national trend in revitalizing and building urban parks. "While so much of American life right now
is attended by the specter of decline, many cities are blossoming, with
New York providing crucial inspiration."
"'We're living in an era of re-urbanization,' said Catherine Nagel,
executive director of the City Parks Alliance, which is sponsoring the
conference in New York. And the increased population density means that 'we need green space,' she said."
FULL STORY: Our Newly Lush Life
A Design and Planning To-Do List for NYC's Next Mayor
Over the past 12 years, New York has been transformed. For the better in some instances (bike lanes, pedestrian plazas), and perhaps not in others (unaffordability). Michael Kimmelman suggests how to build on the successes and correct the problems.
From On High, Chelsea Looks Much Different. But, is it for the Better?
The High Line curving through the west Chelsea section of Manhattan bordering the Hudson River has to be one of the most successful planning and design stories in New York City in recent years, touted as a crowning achievement of the reign of Mayor Bloomberg, to be emulated in cities across the country. Testimonials and awards not withstanding, I am wary of the cloying elitism of a crowing Bloomberg. Having followed the project’s promotions for the last decade and the community’s evolution for the last half century, I am skeptical of its heralded success. And with the recent sounding of related development controversies, a second opinion is in order.
High Line-Moynihan Connector Opens in New York City
Two footbridges now link the High Line park to the most recent expansion of the Penn Station complex, the Moynihan Train Hall.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
Coming Soon to Ohio: The Largest Agrivoltaic Farm in the US
The ambitious 6,000-acre project will combine an 800-watt solar farm with crop and livestock production.
New York’s Deadliest Neighborhoods for Pedestrians
Pedestrian deaths rose last year, but remain below pre-2020 levels.
Eviction Looms for Low-Income Tenants as Rent Debt Rises
Nonprofit housing operators across the country face almost $10 billion in rent debt.
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