LONG ISLAND BOARD OF REALTORS® TURNS NAR GRANTS

INTO BELOVED URBAN SPACE AND CHERISHED COMMUNITY GARDEN

THAT SERVE MULTIPLE GENERATIONS

Marlo Paventi, the senior director of public policy & government affairs for The Long Island Board of REALTORS® (LIBOR) said the Wyandanch Senior Center Community Garden was yet another opportunity to create a safe, productive space during the pandemic.

She noted that LIBOR was happy that the town of Babylon provided an amenity that will pay dividends perpetually.

When the garden opened a few years ago, LIBOR thanked Shaffer, Suffolk County Legislator Jason Richberg, Town Councilman DuWayne Gregory and Assemblywoman Kimberly Jean Pierre for their support of the project.

The LIBOR community amenity initiatives are wonderful examples of cross-generational ideas and projects that will provide connections within the neighborhoods for generations to come.

LONG ISLAND BOARD OF REALTORS® TURNS NAR GRANTS

INTO BELOVED URBAN SPACE AND CHERISHED COMMUNITY GARDEN

THAT SERVE MULTIPLE GENERATIONS

The town of Babylon horticulturist oversees the Wyandanch Senior Center Community Garden, which produces various fruits and vegetables depending on the season.

The garden was created on less than an acre of town-owned land by the senior center parking lot. It features raised beds to allow gardening access by people with limited mobility.

“Engaging in gardening activities has been proven to have positive effects on mental health, reducing stress and anxiety while promoting a sense of accomplishment and purpose.

The therapeutic aspects of working in a community garden cannot be understated, as it provides a peaceful and nurturing environment for individuals to connect with nature and each other,” said Babylon Town Supervisor Richard Schaffer and Deputy Supervisor and Councilman Antonio Martinez, in a joint statement.

“The Wyandanch Senior Center Community Garden is a shining example of how a simple initiative can have far-reaching benefits for our community.

Together, let us continue to cultivate a healthier and happier community for all.”

LONG ISLAND BOARD OF REALTORS® TURNS NAR GRANTS

INTO BELOVED URBAN SPACE AND CHERISHED COMMUNITY GARDEN

THAT SERVE MULTIPLE GENERATIONS

The Long Island Board of REALTORS® (LIBOR) used an NAR Placemaking Grant to create the Wyandanch Senior Center Community Garden in the town of Babylon in Suffolk County on Long Island.

The garden provides fresh fruits and vegetables to a local soup kitchen and the Wyandanch Senior Nutrition Center.

“The Wyandanch Senior Center Community Garden not only provides access to fresh produce but also fosters a sense of community and well-being among our residents.

The proximity of the garden to the senior center is invaluable, as it allows our seniors to engage in meaningful activities that promote physical health and social interaction,” said Babylon Town Supervisor Richard Schaffer and Deputy Supervisor and Councilman Antonio Martinez, in a joint statement.

“Furthermore, the provision of free produce in a lower-income community like Wyandanch is a testament to our commitment to addressing food insecurity and promoting healthy eating habits.

By offering fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables, we are not only nourishing bodies but also empowering individuals to make nutritious choices for themselves and their families.”

LONG ISLAND BOARD OF REALTORS® TURNS NAR GRANTS

INTO BELOVED URBAN SPACE AND CHERISHED COMMUNITY GARDEN

THAT SERVE MULTIPLE GENERATIONS

The Long Island Board of REALTORS® funded urban space is shaded by a large sunshade sail provided by Rockaway Brewing Company.

It is fixed to the Rockaway building and spans over the sidewalk and the Street Seat.

The colorful theme of the Street Seat matches a mural on the face of the adjacent Rockaway Brewing Company.

Rockaway graciously agreed to cover the liability of the space and maintain it.

“Community is at the heart of real estate, which is why REALTORS® volunteer at twice the rate of the general population,” said LIBOR President Kevin Leatherman, in a statement released during this year’s spruce up of the Long Island City Street Seat.

“We are incredibly proud of our members who go above and beyond helping consumers buy and sell homes.

At LIBOR, we are committed to creating better, more vibrant communities, and volunteerism is central to that mission.

Our REALTORS® are dedicated to making a lasting impact, ensuring that our neighborhoods are wonderful places to live, work and thrive for generations.”

 

 

LONG ISLAND BOARD OF REALTORS® TURNS NAR GRANTS

INTO BELOVED URBAN SPACE AND CHERISHED COMMUNITY GARDEN

THAT SERVE MULTIPLE GENERATIONS

The Long Island Board of REALTORS® funded a parklet in Long Island City Queens.

“This was done during COVID, to provide more outdoor space for distancing in a bustling Queens community,” said Marlo Paventi, the senior director of public policy & government affairs for LIBOR.

“It is boxed in and protected from cars by larger planter boxes that have bench seating built into them. There also are circular benches built in the middle and connected together.”

A NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of REALTORS® Placemaking Grant funded the project that immediately became part of the growing neighborhood’s fabric.

“We hired a consultant, got permits, worked with New York City Parks and hired a firm to build it,” Paventi said.

“Several of our REALTORS® volunteered in July to repaint, plant flowers and spruce up the 2021 project.”

 

LONG ISLAND BOARD OF REALTORS® TURNS NAR GRANTS

INTO BELOVED URBAN SPACE AND CHERISHED COMMUNITY GARDEN

THAT SERVE MULTIPLE GENERATIONS

Long Island City is a vibrant neighborhood known for restaurants, shops, galleries, event venues and million-dollar views of Manhattan across the East River.

The location at 46th and 5th Street is footsteps from the waterfront featuring Gantry Plaza State Park, NYC Ferry dock and the famous neon-lit historic Pepsi Cola sign. It was the perfect place to turn a trio of parking spaces into a Street Seat.

A Street Seat, sometimes known as a parklet, turns parking spaces into people places by introducing seating, greenery and shade over asphalt.

The Long Island Board of REALTORS® (LIBOR) chose the location to accommodate the hundreds of thousands of individuals who patronize local businesses—providing a safe and inviting place to rest, meet up, eat and enjoy the community.

 

PlusUrbia Design’s “LA TERRACITA” parklet

Named Finalist for 2016 Public Space Challenge by the Miami Foundation

PlusUrbia Design’s vision to create a parklet out of parking spaces in Little Havana is a finalist in the 2016 Public Space Challenge sponsored by the Miami Foundation. The Coconut Grove-based studio’s proposal for a low-cost, high-impact urban oasis was chosen from more than 400 submissions.

PlusUrbia is well-known for its urban interventions in Little Havana, including myCalle8.org - for a complete streets redesign of Calle Ocho. The studio’s parklet would create a public gathering space (to play dominoes or to just hang out) in a densely populated area in a neighborhood with one of the lowest indexes of open space per capita in the country. 

“La Terracita creates a gathering place in the dense urban neighborhood lacking on open space. Diversity, density and proximity to jobs are East Little Havana’s strengths. But all those people have very few places to gather to play dominoes, discuss politics and rest their bones on comfortable chairs,” said Camila Zablah, a designer at PlusUrbia.

“This parklet is for the locals, away from the tourists of Calle8. Separated from traffic, raised above street level to connect to the existing sidewalk, this small grouping of tables and chairs can be the start of something big – an emphasis on livability in Little Havana.”

Parklets can be replicated throughout Miami to create welcoming open spaces in urban areas.

http://plusurbia.com/blog/ 

PUBLIC SPACE CHALLENGE 2016

MIAMI FOUNDATION NAMES PLUS URBIA DESIGN PARKLET A FINALIST

Change is happening in Miami’s parks, plazas and open spaces. You can skate at a new skate park in what was once an empty lot under I-95 at NW Third Avenue and NW First Street. You can stay hydrated and reduce waste at Margaret Pace Park’s newly installed water bottle refill station and water fountain. You can easily explore all the amenities along the Ludlam Trail by following walking and biking signs that make it easier to know how long it will take to get where you want to go.

Vibrant public spaces like these help connect Miamians to each other and to their communities. That is why we created the Public Space Challenge. We wanted to empower Miamians to improve, activate and create new public spaces in their neighborhoods. Anyone can apply to get funding and help technical help to make their idea a reality.

There’s a growing movement in Greater Miami recognizing the power of parks and open spaces. All you have to do is look at the 400+ submissions for evidence. The community set a new record for number of ideas submitted. Residents across the county from Miami Gardens to Homestead shared their vision during the Challenge. West End residents also submitted more 2016 entries than in the past three years of the Challenge, supported by County Commissioner Juan C. Zapata, District 11.

Design firm PlusUrbia proposed creating an urban parklet out of a parking space in East Little Havana’s residential area. They want to transform the parking area into an open space with a small grouping of tables and chairs where residents can gather to play dominoes in a safe, welcoming spot away from traffic.

http://ourmiami.org/finalists-announced-miamians-reimagine-parks-neighborhoods-in-2016-public-space-challenge/ 

 

A hangout place for East Little Havana

PLUS URBIA DESIGN SUBMITTED THIS IDEA TO THE PUBLIC SPACE CHALLENGE BY THE MIAMI FOUNDATION

My idea to improve this place...

Create a parklet out of a parking space in East Little Havana (ELH) residential area. A parklet is a low-cost, high-impact urban oasis created out of parking spaces (asphalt). ELH has virtually no open space. This parklet would create an open space (to play dominoes) in a densely populated area that lacks gathering spaces. Civic pride can be strengthened through the simple joy of a safe, welcoming place carved from the intensity of the city.

So that people could...

Have a gathering place in the dense urban neighborhood lacking on open space. Diversity, density and proximity to jobs are East Little Havana’s strengths. But all those people have very few places to gather to play dominoes, discuss politics and rest their bones on comfortable chairs. This parklet is for the locals, away from the tourists of Calle8. Separated from traffic, raised above street level to connect to the existing sidewalk, this small grouping of tables and chairs can be the start of something big – an emphasis on livability in East Little Havana.

Click here to like, support and comment on this idea 

Patios for Calle8

 PlusUrbia Design Suggested this improvement

 

My idea to improve this place...

Create a parklet out of two parking spaces in the heart of Little Havana’s Calle8. A parklet is a low-cost, high-impact urban oasis created out of parking spaces and made even with the sidewalk for easy access. A parklet can create green space out of concrete. Some serve as outdoor café space to activate the street. This parklet would use iconic design to strengthen the identity of Miami’s most famous, historic and authentic neighborhood.

So that people could...

Enjoy the history, music, food, architecture and ambiance of Calle8 while taking a big step toward humanizing the urban corridor. Three million people per year visit Little Havana, but many are taken aback by the 3-lane, 1-way commuter highway that Calle8 has become. This parklet will capture the essence of Little Havana’s art, salsa music, domino players, coffee windows and Cuban heritage. A parklet will unlock Calle8’s potential as a safe, walkable, prosperous and livable main street destination for locals and visitors.

Please support this Miami Foundation Public Space Challenge idea at