LaGuardia Corner Gardens

 

News



LaGuardia Corner Gardens is on land owned by the NYC Dept. of Transportation.  The land is subject to development.  For several years LCG’s members have sought to transfer the land to the NYC Dept. of Parks, which would make the garden permanent.  NYU has blocked the transfer.  NYU is in the process of developing a master development plan for the year 2031, which includes the supermarket site adjacent to the garden.  While there appears to be no plan for development that would impact the garden, LCG’s members will continue to monitor the situation as it develops.  Please support LCG by emailing or writing to your NYC Council Member.


In the News


NYU Proposals


“N.Y.U. Zeros in On Tower, Plinth, ‘Zipper’,” The Villager, April 23 - 29, 2008


“Nip N.Y.U. Growth,” Letters to the Editor, The Villager, Feb. 20 - 26, 2008


“N.Y.U. Goes Gonzo on Its Superblock in New Ideas,” The Villager, Feb. 6 - 12, 2008


NYU Plans 2031


2008


“How Much of N.Y.U. Superblock to Landmark is Issue,” The Villager, July 2 - 8, 2008


“NYU Throws Community a Landmark Bone; Supports Designating Pei’s Towers,” The New York Observer, Feb. 11, 2008


“N.Y.U Agrees to new Planning Principles from B.P. Taskforce,” The Villager, Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2008


“N.Y.U. Offers an Accord On Growth,” NYT, Jan. 30, 2008


2007


“N.Y.U. President Wants Less Conflict, More Conversation ,” The Villager, May 2 - 8, 2007


“With Door Open to Neighbhors, N.Y.U. Shapes Plans for Growth,” NYT, July 2, 2007


“N.Y.U. Eyes Superblock for Super-sizing Plan,” The Villager, Dec. 12 - 18, 2007


2004


“Strip Poker on Superblocks; Does N.Y.U. Hold the Cards,” The Villager, June 23 - 29, 2004


“Strip Show and Tell -- N.Y.U. Exposed,” The Villager, June 23 -29, 2004


“Sparks Fly Over Strips at Parks Committee Meeting,” The Villager, Oct. 13 - 19, 2004


“It’s Time for N.Y.U. to Stop Blocking Superblocks Transfer,” The Villager, Oct. 13 - 19, 2004


“The Townsfolk Rebel Against Omnipotent NYU, Again,” The Villager, Oct. 20 - 26, 2004


Articles and Listings


American Community Garden Association

“It’s Raining Coyotes and Roosters Out There,” NYT, Jan. 21, 2010

“Plant Therapy:  LaGuardia Community Garden,” Apartment Therapy, June 2, 2007

“Secret Gardens,” The Morning News, Oct. 24, 2007

“Whodunnit Dept.  Bird Nap,”  The New Yorker, July 9, 2007


State Attorney General’s Office


An agreement between the Mayor of New York and the NYS Attorney General was signed in 2002.  It provides a review process for community gardens.  The agreement sunsets in 2010.  What will protect the gardens then?


The NYC Council Committee on Parks has held hearings on this matter and has introduced a resolution to protect the City’s community gardens.


NYC Council


NYC Council Resolution 1890, introduced to protect community gardens. Please email the sponsors of the Resolution to show your support.


Awards


Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation

Mollie Parness Dress Up Your Neighborhood


In Remembrance


In April 2007 the garden planted the Love and Peace rose in honor and remembrance of Auxiliary Police Officers Nicholas Pekearo and Eugene Marshalik of the Sixth Precinct, who died while in pursuit of the killer of Alfredo Romero Morales. 


Participants in LCG’s Children’s Program


The Children’s Aid Society

The Cooke Center Academy

Little Red Schoolhouse

PS 41 - The Greenwich Village School

The Village Community School


Research


In the summer of 2007 the garden participated in field research conducted by a graduate student at Columbia University.  Kristy King hypothesized that gardens with increased plant structural complexity (more trees and shrubs as opposed to just vegetable crops) would have more beneficial insects and, in turn, fewer pests. 


The results of her research led to the conclusion that community gardeners need not scale back food production in order to decrease the population of pests. Parasitoid wasps that feed on pests are capable of "tracking" pest populations across a large and urbanized landscape. Increasing the number of street trees around each garden may facilitate the movement of beneficial insects throughout the urban matrix, so this may be one way for gardeners to manage for healthy insect populations within their gardens.  Perhaps the large-scale tree planting initiative that is a part of Plan NYC 2030 will enhance the diversity of beneficial insects in community gardens, while also increasing air quality and reducing the urban heat island effect in New York City.




Useful Sites


Brooklyn Botanical Garden

Celebrate Urban Birds

Citizens Committee for New York

City Garden Guide

Clinton Community Garden

Council on the Environment of NYC

Earth Celebrations

Garden Visit

Green Guerillas

GreenThumb

More Gardens

National Wildlife Federation

Neighborhood Open Space Coalition

NYC Community Gardens Coalition

NYC Dept. of Parks & Recreation

NY Metropolitan Flora Project of the BBG

New York Botanical Garden

New York Restoration Project

New Yorkers for Parks

The Villager

Trust for Public Land