Although it is a thriving institution of Greenwich Village, New York University (NYU) has consistently found itself at odds with Village residents. Since NYU announced its plans in April 2010 to expand its campus by over six million feet by 2031, residents have organized through local government, public rallies, and community organizations to protest the growth of the university, in an attempt to preserve the aesthetic character of their neighborhood.
Parks & Recreation
16
May 11
Current Washington Square Park Renovation
Washington Square Park has served as a place for those that shared common, unconventional ideas to assemble and share music and ideas, to stage protests, and for any recreational purposes. In the Spring of 2005, the New York City Parks Department unveiled their plans to renovate the park. While many residents agreed that some areas needed to be revitalized, the city’s proposal was one that many saw as uprooting the legacy of the park. While the reasons are varied and numerous, it can clearly be seen that many citizens, particularly those in Greenwich Village, are upset with recent city proposals and have taken a great deal of action in attempts to stop it.
16
May 11
The West 4th Street Basketball Courts
What makes this story a Village story is the unique location. The West 4th Street Courts are located immediately next to the West 4th Street A,C,E,B,D, and F subway station, and are a block away from the 1, 2, and 3 trains. This central location allows players from all over the city to congregate and is clearly vital to the court’s popularity, as is evidenced by the relative unpopularity of the better kept basketball courts at 6th and Houston. Furthermore, because of the court’s proximity to Washington Square Park, tourists will often wander by, adding to the large and diverse crowds that have become a hallmark of playing at the West 4th Street Courts.
