This page displays all projects created during SPACE, the common event for Seminar Two: The People of New York.
To share your group’s project on this page, click here.
You can browse by tag:
#NewYorkers (2) Architecture (1) Birds (1) Bronx (1) Brooklyn (1) Brooklyn College (2) Central Park (2) childhood (1) comfort (1) Food Truck (1) green (2) Greenery (1) Green Space (1) health (1) Home (2) Horses (1) indoor (1) instruments (1) Interview (3) Interviewing (10) life (1) Manhattan (6) mta (1) music (1) Neighborhoods (4) New York City (1) Noise (3) NYC (21) park (1) Park Slope (1) plant (1) POPS (30) public spaces (6) PublicSpaces (4) Queens College (3) quiet (1) Review (1) shoes (1) Shopping (1) silence (1) sleep (1) sound (1) SPACE (3) sprinkler (1) studyspot (1) subway (1) Sunset Park (1) train (1) transportation (1) watch (1) Workshop (2)
Posted by
on
This POP’s environment felt kinda hostile. The doorman claimed that it was private property which made us believe that we were in the wrong place. Some of the residents felt unwelcoming and this makes me believe that if anyone else were to use this POP, they would experience the same thing. There was like one bench and no sign claiming that it was a POP. There were a good amount of plants. I would rate it a 2/5.
-Nylah Rouse (Queens College)
Posted by
on
I would give a 1 out of 5 rating to this place. The doorman wasn’t even aware that they had a POPS and there was no sign saying it a POPS either. Instead encountered a rude old lady and I felt like I was again trespassing a very fancy hotel. Everyone was staring and the only available seating was a bench. It did not feel welcoming at all.
Sandy Quishpi – Queens College
Posted by
on
In this POP there was no seating and looked very dull. We couldn’t find an original sign that said it was a POP. There were lights but some of them didn’t work. There was a sign in the area stating that the cameras don’t provide protection. If I didn’t know it was a POP I would say it looked like a garage. I would rate it 1/5.
-Nylah Rouse (Queens college)
Posted by
on
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
Posted by
on
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
Posted by
on
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
Posted by
on
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
Posted by
on
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
Posted by
on
Talya Shamoelian- Brooklyn College
I give this public space 5/5 stars. You can tell that it’s a public space because there’s multiple signs outside and inside the building. It’s very spacious and clean.There’s also some greenery at the entrances that make it pretty. There’s a security desk and cameras so you feel very safe. There’s also a couple of computers that people can use to do work. It has elevators which make it accessible, a water fountain, and a bathroom. The vibes are very chill and cozy. I would definitely return to this place.
Posted by
on
This small arcade has plenty of greenery and benches. The trees and bushes are actually very pleasant, the benches not quite. There are metal bars in the middle to prevent sleeping, many are covered in pigeon poop and unsanitary, and they may turn people away from sitting there.
The arcade is relatively easy to access since it is out in the open. However, it is somewhat hidden behind a residential complex so it may be hard to find. The signs indicating it is a public space are easy to find, though.
With cleaner benches, this would be a great space. Maybe a few tables as well, but that is up to the building management. I did not see anyone using this area, except this fellow.
Posted by
on
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)
Posted by
on
Today we visited the David Rubensteim Altrium at the Lincoln Center on Broadway in Manhattan. At a first glance, with its focus on selling tickets and grand architecture, it may not feel so welcoming. However, it is very accommodating to the public. If you do not know, POPS are privately owned public spaces that give some sort of area for the public to enjoy in exchange for something for their property or business by the city. Sadly, they are not very known. I did not even know of them myself.
The Atrium is relatively easy to access. There are plenty of signs stating it is a public area, detailing the exact amenities in the building: 152 chairs, 38 tables, public restrooms in various locations (e.g. the 2nd floor), one water fountain (on the 2nd floor), two plant walls and free weekly performances. From the entrance we went through, there was only a scanner outside the door but that was not an issue.
There is one public drinking fountain on the 2nd floor, situated next to several bathroom stalls for both men and women. The 2nd floor is wheelchair accessible through two quick elevators. In the first floor café, there is plenty of seating available across nearly the entire width of the lounge. Behind the tables are a fabulous garden wall and film projector, accompanied with music everywhere.
Overall, there is a welcoming and pleasant atmosphere inside the Atrium. It seems you are free to go as you wish, at least to my experience. There was not much security restricting us. The lounge is very friendly and you may sit if you want to rest with no hassle.
I’d give the Atrium a 8-9 rating out of 10. The bathrooms seemed clean enough, there was lots of space for the public to sit in, music, and sufficient wheelchair accessibility. However, one slight critique I have is that the details for the amenities are hard to see, the bathrooms are somewhat hard to find, and some signs may be misleading.
If anyone is interested in some useful links for finding more POPS, here:
https://capitalplanning.nyc.gov/map/facilities#10/40.7128/-74.0807
Posted by
on
Mariah I. Massari from Queens College
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Posted by
on
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
Posted by
on
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
