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.
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.
FULL STORY: West Side Story

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

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

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

‘Displaced By Design:’ Report Spotlights Gentrification in Black Neighborhoods
A new report finds that roughly 15 percent of U.S. neighborhoods have been impacted by housing cost increases and displacement.

Nevada and Utah Groups Oppose Public Land Sell-Off Plan
A set of last-minute amendments to the budget reconciliation bill open up over half a million acres of federally managed land to sales.

More Than a Park: A Safe Haven for Generations in LA’s Chinatown
Alpine Recreation Center serves as a vital cultural and community hub in Los Angeles' Chinatown, offering a safe, welcoming space for generations of Chinese American residents to gather, connect, and thrive amidst rapid urban change.
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.
City of Clovis
City of Moorpark
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions