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This was the last area where I visited and it was not surprising in the very least. There were few if any indications for the public. The place felt unwelcoming and alienated from the environment. There are no means for accommodation to the public and it almost makes it seem like it was forced to be there displaying the bare minimum effort. -Jonathan Molina Queens College
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I would rate this place a 1 out of 5. The POPS made me feel like I was entering a parking garage and like I was trespassing. The only sign available were telling us to not sit on the planters and we were unsure of the “POPS” sign. The only amenity this place would serve is protection from the weather.
Sandy Quishpi – Queens College
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The moment you walk into this space you get a very depressing feel, it’s very small and dark. There is no sign to indicate that it’s a public space. There are a few potted plants but they are not taken care of at all, It almost seems like a truck delivery place. There are no benches or water, and there is a requirement for artwork but there was none in sight. You are discouraged from sitting anywhere with many signs telling you to not sit.
Joselyn Zainos, Brooklyn College
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The area although having some green space available for the public eye, the place itself was still basic and had no desire to be appealing to the public. The environment in the area feels intimidating and an outsider would not feel comfortable being in a place like this. No signs were even found – Jonathan Molina Queens College
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The POPS square is dry and soulless, it almost doesn’t seem like a public space at first glance but rather just empty space. It seems to have potential but the place doesn’t seem to be maintained or even had any attention paid to it -Jonathan Molina Queens College
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I would rate this space 3 stars out of 5. Visually, the place was very appealing since it was clean and featured interesting pyramid-design platforms for the plants. In terms of accessibility, the space includes benches, bike racks, and lots of signage that detail the amenities and requests like “No smoking,” “Please…curb your dog on the sidewalk,” and more. However, some signs are not very visible from some streets and the space is mostly surrounded by residential buildings which act as barricades and prevent the public from clearly seeing the space. Also, there are not any tables, which could have been useful for people who want to play a boardgame or eat, and the benches do not allow people to lay down which limits the amount of access the public has. Other than that, I like how the space is opened for a large range of time (8:00am-midnight), and has security cameras for safety. – Sara Abdulla (Lehman College)
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Mariah I. Massari from Queens College
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Rating: 2.5 / 5 stars
Although full of greenery, the space was void of people (most likely due to the cold weather). I can only imagine how the space would look during the summer, but I imagine it would not garner too much people due to how remote the signs are (a total of 2 signs). The first sign we found was hidden in an almost random pillar facing walls rather than any incoming pedestrian, which foreseeably limits the foot traffic. There was a visible, almost threatening barrier around this space, namely building that seems to host residents. These building allude to the space being private which may chase off any potential enjoyer. There is also a lack of visible drinking water source (did not see one in my time there) and bathroom (or indicator of where to find one). The pros of this space is the vibrant plants in the middle of the property with birds fluttering occasionally, almost dancing with the plants. I can imagine how peaceful a potential lunch time could be here (when the weather warms up). There were plenty of benches but some tables would have been appreciated as well. Overall, a 2.5 out of 5 (was 3/5 until I started to write this review).
Review by Selina Zheng (Macaulay Hunter ’27)
Picture Below taken by Selina Zheng
Feature Image Source is Unknown
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Rating: 3/5
This POP seems to be purposely hidden from the public where multiple pilers were blocking its entrance. If one weren’t intentionally trying to find a quiet place to sit, then they most definitely would not cross paths with this POP. With it being towered over by a block full of apartment buildings/housing, it could be easily mistaken as a private location where only residents were allowed. There were multiple signs that said for people to refrain from smoking and eating to create a more friendly environment which is considerate. It was overall clean, with security cameras (providing a sense of safety) and the shrubs seemed to be taken care of which is great. It is very important for POPS to be accessible and welcoming and with this one being hidden, it will ultimately deduct points. It was also super cold today so I wonder if this POP is more popular during the summer.
Kristen Sosa, Queens College
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Lily Chen – Baruch
Though this public space does have a large sign it is kind of hidden away. As you walk past Lincoln Plaza Cinemas there are four pillars and the sign is on the fourth pillar. If someone did not walk in further enough they could easily miss the sign. From the outside I also didn’t think this was a space I could enter in because it felt very tucked away in the back.
Going further inside to the space, there are a couple benches and two trash cans. There wasn’t anyone around besides a family that was passing through with their children to go into a building nearby. I feel that this space would be more useful in the summer since it is so cold out nobody really wants to sit outside.
As for the nature setting at this public space the front bushes were at a good height to indicate as a gate to not enter inside the grass but also low enough so that you can see the trees and larger bushes up top inside the garden. I would say this space is not bad but I am more of an indoor person so I prefer the Atrium public space more than this one.
During our walk we also talked about hostile architecture which contradicts to the phrase “public space.” Though this area is public it is clear that there is an unnecessary bar at the center of the benches to maybe prevent homeless people from sleeping on it.
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I would rate this public space 5 stars out of 5. This space greets you with a large sign in the front, clarifying that it is open to all and has a variety of amenities. When entering the space, I am immediately pleased by the visuals which include high ceilings, a plant wall, tons of seating, a water feature, and more. The space is very clean and although it was empty, it was comforting to see all the free space that I was welcome to use. Also, the space had clean and easily accessible bathrooms, with signs that also had braille for visually impaired people. There were also multiple signs that remind the public of surveillance cameras to maintain safety. Overall, I felt safe and would like to visit again as it was very clean, safe, accessible, and visually appealing. -Sara Abdulla (Lehman College)
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Mariah I. Massari from Queens College
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Rating: 4.5/5
Overall, this POP seemed to be very accessible where it was even wheelchair accessible. From the images provided, you can tell that it has a very open and inviting. It had a public restroom, heating, and seating. There was music playing and friendly staff which adds to the welcoming ambiance. The only thing that is stopping this POP from getting a 5/5 is that it seems to be a bit hidden from the public eye. As a pedestrian walking the streets of NYC, I wouldn’t really have noticed this beautiful location. Not many people stop to read what are placed outside the walls of buildings and for the sign to be towards the opposite direction if people walk, it seems purposely placed there.
Kristen Sosa, Queens College
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Rating: 4.5 / 5 stars
First impression was the space was that it is well designed with high ceilings and plenty of moving space. The starking contrast of the green wall against the relatively muted palette allows the wall to provide its due job of engaging the viewer. The space is wide with plenty of facilities, including but not limited to, a cafe (only open on Tuesdays and Saturdays), moveable tables and chairs, green wall, water decor, water fountain (on a more cramped second floor), restroom (on the second floor but is accessible), video screening, etc. I observed a game of chess being played, proving the comfortability of this POPS. On another side was a couple having a presumable date. There were signs everywhere that declared the space was public, I personally counted more than 4. I liked how the signs made it clear what was inside the facility, including a free show once a week (which we did not have the opportunity to see). My critiques are as follows, the entrance accessible door is partly broken which defeats the purpose of the accessibility button, the space leading into the bathroom is very cramped (but it seems to be gender neutral which is nice), and finally, the cafe is opened at very limited times (this is biased cause I was hungry).
Review and pictures by Selina Zheng (Macaulay Hunter College ’27)
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Lily Chen
Starting at the entrance of the building there is a large metal sign that makes it very obvious that this area is a public space. There is also a button for disabled people to be able to easily enter into the building, however, the automatic doors only work for the second door inside not the door outside. Maintenance is needed to ensure that those in wheelchairs can be able to access this space.
The second sign that I noticed was that this building is LEED certified which means that they would be environment friendly and cost saving. This is obvious as you walk in and look up into the ceiling, there are holes in the ceiling allowing natural light to come in. Overall, the setting is ambient, calm, and dim it is more reliant on the sunshine that is coming through to give in more light. However, I feel that the light is just right.
I feel that the overall setting is welcoming and I would come visit again if I was around this area. There are a lot of empty tables and chairs for sitting and many people are here doing work or eating lunch. What I was interested in is how they built their green wall. Over the summer I was also trying to build a green wall myself at Socrates Sculpture park however my project was mainly on finishing a green roof so I did not get to finish my side project of a green wall. I wonder how the plants were set up and how the dirt is set into place.
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