City Parks: The New Playgrounds of the Rich?

Wealthy private donors take the lead in developing New York City projects, such as parks, writes Carol Berens, an architect, author, and real estate agent.

1 minute read

May 15, 2015, 11:00 AM PDT

By melaniecj


With New York City and other urban communities facing tight budgets these days, private donors are stepping up to spearhead improvement efforts, especially in parks.

One recent example of this is a $170 million proposed public park in the form of a floating island to be part of Hudson River Park designed by and paid for by wealthy, power couple Barry Diller and his wife, fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg.

In New York, the success of private money supporting public functions was demonstrated with the formation of the Central Park Conservancy, a group that raised private funds to turn the fortunes of that New York City landmark around and now is responsible for more than 75 percent of the park’s annual expenses and all of its improvements.

“Throughout America, cities have relinquished responsibility to build and maintain their public spaces, ceding that authority to independent managers and single-purpose organizations. As a result, the bike paths and clean benches in parks that serve the city at large, especially those in wealthier neighbors, are beacons of civic pride while the basketball courts and sliding ponds of many neighborhood parks remain sad indicators  of urban neglect.”

While many have raised concerns about private entities taking over publicly-funded projects, city-generated funds for local use are discretionary, forcing a variety of projects to compete for those ever elusive dollars.

Monday, May 4, 2015 in UrbDeZine

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 30, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Close-up on Canadian flag with Canada Parliament building blurred in background.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?

As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

April 28, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Washington

Washington State’s Parking Reform Law Could Unlock ‘Countless’ Acres for New Housing

A law that limits how much parking cities can require for residential amd commercial developments could lead to a construction boom.

May 1 - Streetsblog USA

Bluebird sitting on branch of green bush.

Wildlife Rebounds After the Eaton Fire

Following the devastation of the Eaton Fire, the return of wildlife and the regrowth of native plants are offering powerful signs of resilience and renewal.

May 1 - AP News

1984 Olympics

LA to Replace Inglewood Light Rail Project With Bus Shuttles

LA Metro says the change is in response to community engagement and that the new design will be ready before the 2028 Olympic Games.

May 1 - Newsweek

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.