CB3 Supports Gardening in Vacant Stanton and Attorney Street Lots

This image has been archived or removed.

Neighbors of the long-vacant city-owned lots at 137 Attorney and 181 Stanton Street scored a victory last Thursday in their quest to legitimize longtime gardening efforts here. The Parks and Rec subcommittee of Community Board 3 unanimously sided with the contingent of guerilla gardeners, resulting in a well-deserved round of applause from the public.

Residents in buildings abutting the property had been gardening here in some capacity for over two decades, and were seeking permission for “interim use” of the two city lots (the third is privately held by the William Gottlieb heirs). Meaning, until the recently-proposed residential development finds its way through the bureaucratic red tape. Indeed, Community Board 3 approved the concept of a new five-story project onsite last spring, but a more formal proposal was never submitted. So that basically means this string of contiguous lots could remain dormant for quite awhile.

This image has been archived or removed.

Advocates noted that the rejuvenated space would prove invaluable to PS 140 and PS142, both of which have plenty of asphalt playroom, but zero access to green space. It would furthermore be an opportunity to partake in the “Grow to Learn” initiative, which aims to teach school children eco-science awareness (i.e. where our food comes from).

HPD, which owns two of the three plots here at the corner of Stanton and Attorney, was already on board with a GreenThumb presence here. And now that CB3 has fallen in line, an interim garden will most certainly bloom. Though the nod doesn’t extend to the Gottlieb lot, even though local lore has it that he himself granted permission back in the day.

Draft renderings show possible rock walls, benches, and even a green house. Let’s hope the bulldozers are kept at bay…