Privately-owned public spaces on Walter Street in Manhattan could get a little more private and a little less public under terms of a new zoning amendment approved by the City Council.
According to an article by Ivan Pereira, "residents in downtown Manhattan are concerned that their favorite public plazas could soon be gone."
The concern results from a "controversial zoning amendment" approved in June by the New York City Council "to let building owners and developers along a nine-block strip on Water Street fill their privately-owned public spaces, or POPS, with stores, outdoor cafes and other options to attract more visitors."
"The amendment will affect 17 buildings between Whitehall and Fulton streets and about 110,000 square feet of plazas and arcades," reports Pereira. "Property owners will be able to put kiosks and open air cafes in the plazas and retail spaces in the arcades."
Opponents to the plans argue that allowing commercial uses in POPS rescinds the promises made when the spaces were created: as "compensation to residents from the city in exchange for developers getting to build taller buildings."
FULL STORY: Water Street plaza changes spur concerns over privately-owned public spaces
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