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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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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.
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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.
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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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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
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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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