Mya Marshall
CHC 250
Prof. Ramsubramanian
Final Presentation
Union Square Presentation Script
Before Reading: This is the basically the commentary I would have given had I been
presenting my powerpoint. I have included {slide} at points where the powerpoint moves
forward to a photograph, as sometimes the topic sentences overlap onto pictures. After
viewing a picture, just click forward to the next part of a slide/picture. Although nothing
beats me presenting to you in person, I hope this helps! Enjoy 
Union Square
Image: “Metronome” by Kristin Jones/Andrew Ginzel, Union Sq., NYC (1999)
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Unionsq_metronome.gif>
About Union Square Park
Union Square Park spans nearly 3.6 acres and is located between 14th and 17th Streets,
between University and 4th Avenue, at its south end, and between Broadway and Park
Avenue South at its north end. Union Square was given it’s name because of the “union”
that occurs there between two of the largest streets in the city. {slide} The park sits
directly above the transportation hub for the L, N, Q, R, W, 4, 5 and 6 trains, with
multiple train entrances scattered around the park, not to mention having two train kiosks
within the park itself. Over the years, Union Square has come to refer to more than just
the park itself, but also to the bustling commercial and residential area that surrounds it.
Background Image: “Union Square Park” by Noel Y.C. (2009)
<http://nyclovesnyc.blogspot.com/2009/05/union-square-park.html>
History
Now, let us go through a little bit of the park’s history. In 1807, the area was designated
as Union Place by the Commissioner’s Gridiron Plan, which was approved in legislature
in 1811. In 1831, Union Square was authorized as a public place by the New York State
Legislature. In 1833, the land was acquired by New York City. On July 19th, 1839, the
park was opened to the public. In 1872, the park’s plan was completely redesigned by
Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. On September 5th, 1882, at least 10,000
workers paraded down Broadway to rally at Union Square during the first ever Labor
Day celebration, before it even became a national holiday. Between 1928 and 1929, the
park was demolished to allow for construction of the underground subway concourse. In
1976 the Greenmarket farmer’s market was first opened. And in 1997, the park was
designated as a national historic landmark due to its significance as a part of labor
history.
Background Image: “The 'Union' mass meeting held in Union Square, New York on the 20th of April” by
The Illustrated London News (1861) <http://www.printsoldandrare.com/newyorkcity/>
Union Square Today
Over the years Union Square has developed and expanded in numerous ways. Within the
park there is a dog run, playground, paths lined with benches, and lots of grassy area to
sit on when the weather is nice. Various art vendors line up from the southwest corner of
the park to about 16th Street, making up Union Square’s artists market. {slide} On
Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays the artists’ tables make way for the Union
Square Greenmarket, the city’s largest farmer’s market, which begins on 15th Street and
wraps around the north end of the park through the plaza, running on approximately 2
acres of parkland, and hosting over 140 producers every week. The selection of goods
ranges from fruits and vegetables to meats, cheeses, baked goods, breads, wines, and
much more. The Greenmarket also hosts occasional events such as book signings and
food tastings. Opening up every year soon after thanksgiving is the Holiday Market, with
over 100 vendors selling unique gift items for the holiday season {slide} from red and
white striped booths lining the south and west sides of the park. This year will mark the
market’s 14th year. There are also oftentimes various celebrations, political
demonstrations, or performers attracting a crowd at the west end of the park.
Image 1: “Union Square Holiday Market and Subway Station” by Karen Seiger (2009)
<http://www.marketsofnewyork.com/2009/12/holiday-markets-%E2%80%93-union-square/commentpage-1/>
Image 2: “Union Square Holiday Market” by Maria (2009) <http://newyork.going.com/event685918;Union_Square_Holiday_Market>
Union Square Partnership
Union Square Park is run and maintained through a public/private partnership with the
Union Square Partnership and the Department of Parks & Recreation. They work
together to target the demands of park goers and set goals for the necessary
improvements that need to be made. The Union Square Partnership makes targeted
investments to ensure that the maintenance and beautification of the park is possible. The
partnership arranges for painting of the railings and benches throughout the park when
needed to maintain a fresh look. They employ a landscaping team that aerates and
fertilizes soil on a regular basis to ensure that the lawns are always healthy, in addition to
alloting funds for a gardener during the summer to maintain the plant life through the
park. They plan to install a new irrigation system thorough the park and reseed the center,
eastern, and southern lawns during this year.
To maintain the cleanliness of the park, the partnership employs extermination services
and sanitation efforts, such as washing garbage cans, in addition to the efforts of the
Department of Parks & Recreation and Sanitation. Between April and October, the
partnership also employs a special five-person sanitation team to clean the park and help
manage the increased activity during the summer months. The partnership employs
Public Safety officers to patrol the park daily, in addition to a Parks Enforcement Patrol
Officer assigned by the Parks Department to patrol during the day and evening.
Renovations
Starting out, the park was designed following the examples of London residential
squares, {slide} with lots of foliage surrounding the paths within the park. The park was
surrounded by iron fencing and its original focus was the large fountain located in its
center. Renovations have been sporadic over the years since the park initially opened to
the public and have been ongoing since 1986.
Image 1: “Clapton Square, Hackney” by Danny Robinson (2007)
<http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/402498>
Image 2: “Golden Square” by Fin Fahey (2006)
<http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Golden_square_1.jpg>
Image 3: “Students studying in Soho Square” by Ben Burris (2005)
<http://travel.webshots.com/photo/1301195928066719319HpqwWr>
Image 4: “Kensington Gardens Square” by Kensington Gardens Square Garden Association (2007)
<http://www.kgsgarden.org.uk/>
In the 1872 redesigning plan, landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert
Vaux removed the iron fencing, added a number of thick trees throughout the park, and
widened the walkways within. In 1928 and 1929, when the park was destroyed to build
the subway concourse underneath it, many alterations were made to the park following
the concourse completion including straightening of the paths and the construction of the
colonnaded bandstand pavilion, which replaced the previous Ladies Pavilion, on the
parks north end. In 1985, Mayor Edward Koch began overseeing renovations that
included creating a new plaza at the south end of the park, reworking pathways within the
park to make it more accessible, the planting of a central lawn, installing new lighting,
and the building of two subway kiosks. In 1993 and 1994, two new playgrounds were
constructed at the north end of the park. And in 1994 the open-air Luna Park restaurant
was opened in the courtyard, behind the colonnaded pavilion. Finally in 2002, the park’s
triangle at the southeast end was reconstructed and expanded.
North End Restoration Project
The most recent phase of Union Square’s renovation began in the spring of 2008. This
multi-faceted plan to revamp the north end of the park is scheduled to be completed in the
winter of this year, with an estimated total cost of $20,000. The restoration plan was
designed by landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburg {slide} who has worked on
areas like the Hudson River Park and Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Background Image: “Union Square 1” by Michael Van Valkenburgh Association
<http://www.mvvainc.com/#/PROJECTS/7/79/>
Image 1: “Hudson River Park” by Pine & Swallow Environmental
<http://www.pineandswallow.com/landscape-science/>
Image 2: “Hudson River Park Sculpture” by Charlotte (2005)
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/charlottewebgal/18286956/>
Image 3: “Brooklyn Bridge Park 7” by Michael Van Valkenburgh Association
<http://www.mvvainc.com/#/PROJECTS/7/89/>
North End Restoration: Plaza
The first part of the plan, which was completed last September, was the restoration of the
plaza. The plaza was elevated to sidewalk level and re-paved, to feature a multi-tonal
geometric pattern. Another addition to the plaza was a strip of trees planted along the
north edge of the park, serving as a barrier between 17th street traffic and the plaza. The
trees are each surrounded by two vertical posts, containing an electric feed designed for
use by Union Square’s Greenmarket vendors {slide} in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions produced by generator usage.
North End Restoration: Playground
The playground part of the plan was completed in October of last year, and was opened
to the public in early January. Previously, Union Square contained two small playgrounds
on either side of the pavilion and seasonal Luna Park restaurant. The renovation plans
called for the demolishing of these two parks to build a 15,000 square-foot state of the art
playground, spanning the north end of the park.
The playground features SofSurfaces rubber tiles, which prevent cuts and scrapes caused
by cement. Japanese cryptomeria trees are planted throughout the playground {slide} to
provide an almost forest-like feel, in addition to the greenery planted on the periphery of
the playground. There is a “Tot Lot” area designed especially for toddlers, {slide} various
futuristic structures for climbing, and spinning, {slide} like the huge metal dome
mountain, the Icarus carousel swing, {slide} the teacup-like spinning dish, {slide} and the
human-sized cattails that sway kids in the wind, and of course the playground essentials
like swings and slides. {slide} Still in construction on the east side of the pavilion, will be
a family bathroom with entry only from within the park, {slide} as a part of a comfort
station with separate men and women’s bathrooms.
North End Restoration: Pavilion
This part of the plan is not yet complete, but is estimated to be finished by this winter.
The colonnaded pavilion will be completely restored. An elevator and sets of stairs will
provide access to the basement level of the pavilion. A comfort station will be built on
the east side of the pavilion and will include restroom facilities. The pavilion will be lit to
glow during the nighttime. Plans for its use are undecided as there has been much debate
over the original plan to have the upper-level house an open-air restaurant concession.
More Improvements
However, despite all of the improvements that have been made over the past 170 years
since the park was opened to the public, room for improvement still remains. Each year
the Union Square Partnership emails a Community Opinion Survey to local residents,
businesses, and other stakeholders of the area to gain feedback about the current state of
the area as well as to target areas of concern or in need of improvement. Based on the
responses to these surveys over the past two years, the community desires an increased
sense of safety and more of an artistic identity in the park. {slide} In the 2008 Community
Opinion Survey, 43% of those who responded believed that the most important issue
facing Union Square was pedestrian congestion and safety. {slide} In the 2009
Community Opinion Survey, the number dropped to 27%, however, it was still the issue
with the highest percentage and therefore improvements still need to be made. {slide} In
2008, the Community Opinion Survey found that 30% of people wished to see an
increased programming of musical, theater and dance performances. 12% said they
desired art and horticultural installments and events. {slide} In the 2009 Community
Opinion Survey, although there was no question about the programming people would
like to see increased, when asked what kinds of subjects they would like to receive more
information about, 23% said events in the park, and 21% said arts and entertainment,
showing that there is still a high demand for a more prevalent artistic identity in the park.
Safety
As was mentioned earlier, the Union Square Partnership employs public safety officers to
patrol the area in addition to a Parks Enforcement Patrol Officer assigned by the Parks
Department. When asked, 8 out of 10 people stated that the presence of public safety
officers did not effectively increase their sense of safety. The common reasons given
were that the officers do not patrol past park operating hours, which are generally around
dusk, and that they have a limited amount of power and authority when compared to an
NYPD officer. A few people I spoke to said that they felt safe knowing that there was an
NYPD precinct in the train station right below Union Square. However, that so-called
precinct is really just the District 4 Transit Police Bureau, {slide} meaning that their
presence is solely underground.
Policy Suggestions
To improve the overall sense of safety in Union Square, an above ground NYPD
presence is necessary. The best way to create this police presence is to build a police
booth by the park. The ideal place for this booth to be situated is on Union Square East
between 14th and 15th Streets. {slide} Here is a picture of the proposed area. {slide} And
here is a picture of what a police booth, like the one at the Broadway-Nassau train station
in Brooklyn, would look like when placed in the area. Although this booth pictured is
sized for one officer, {slide} the booth in Union square will be expanded to fit two
officers, ensuring the presence of at least two officers in the park at a given time. In
addition officers will make rounds through the park.
Image 1: “Subway as Intermediary Public Space” by Jay Shuffield
<http://www.urbanresidue.com/theory/subway.html>
Image 2: “PMSC NYPD Police Booth, Broadway-Nassau Street Subway Station, New York City” by
Jag9889 <http://www.flickr.com/photos/jag9889/2913115099/>
Arts & Entertainment
Now, on to the next issue: arts and entertainment. Union Square currently contains five
bronze statues throughout the park. There is the Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi statue
{slide} located on the west side of the park, by 14th Street, the old drinking fountain,
{slide} *also on the west side of the park, between 15th and 16th Streets, the Abraham
Lincoln Statue, {slide} which sits at the north end of the park directly in front of the
playground, the Marquis de Lafayette statue {slide} on the east side of the park on 15th
street, and finally the George Washington statue, {slide} which serves as a sort of
centerpiece at the park’s west end on 14th Street. However, not always very noticeable
among the trees and plants, something aside from these statues needs to be introduced to
increase an artistic identity within the park.
*Image: “Union Square: Abraham Lincoln Statue” by wallyg (2007)
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyg/432660194/>
Proposals for Change
To achieve this increased artistic identity, at least two art exhibits or sculptures must be
installed each year: one during the spring months between March and May, and one
during the summer months between June and August. {slide} There are plenty of open
areas throughout the park where art can be installed. The Union Square Partnership will
also coordinate free events in the park through the spring and summer in the south and
north plazas, such as art classes for adults and children, yoga, plays, musical
performances, and more. In addition, legislation needs to be passed to prevent the
pavilion from becoming an open-air concession restaurant, ensuring that there is a venue
in which to hold these community events for the public.
Sculpture image distored from: “177” by Rebecca Fox < http://fineartamerica.com/featured/9215-177rebecca-fox.html>
There are a number of free events currently offered around the Union Square area, in
addition to many for-cost activities and events, and can be found on Union Square’s
Partnerships website {slide} where things like plays, author events, and yoga classes are
listed. However, there is no way to know about the website unless you stumble across it
on the web or from word of mouth. There is no advertising within the area to inform the
public that the site exists, like that seen {slide} in Madison Square Park. There need to be
signs placed strategically through the park in high traffic areas to notify the public about
the USP website’s existence.
Conclusion
Over the years “Union Square” has come to refer to not just the park itself, but to the
bustling community around it. Union Square Park has developed, expanded and
improved drastically through numerous renovations and has come one step closer to
perfection every time. Setting the proposals in this presentation in motion is the key to
moving Union Square yet another step closer.
Works Cited (minus images)
“The Gridiron Plan Of 1807-11.” OldAndSold Articles. Originally published in the 1930s
<http://www.oldandsold.com/articles14/new-york-12.shtml>
“Struggle for the North End - Why We Fight.” Union Square Community Coalition. 2008
<http://www.unionsquarecommunitycoalition.org/northend.html>
“Union Square.” Fodor’s Travel Guides. 2010 <http://www.fodors.com/world/northamerica/usa/new-york/new-york-city/union-square/>
“Union Square.” New York City Department of Parks and Recreation: Historical Signs. 1998
<http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/historical_signs/hs_historical_sign.php?id=6533>
“Union Square Greenmarket.” GrowNYC. 2010
<http://www.grownyc.org/unionsquaregreenmarket>
“Union Square Holiday Market.” Urban Space Markets. 2009
<http://www.urbanspacenyc.com/union-square/>
“Union Square Park.” Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc. 2003
<http://www.mvvainc.com/#/PROJECTS/7/79/>
“Union Square Park.” New York City Department of Parks and Recreation: Capital Projects.
2010 <http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_about/parks_divisions/capital/parks/union_
square_park.html>
“Union Square Park.” New York City Department of Parks and Recreation: Explore Your Park.
1998 <http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/unionsquarepark>
Union Square Partnership. 2010 <http://www.unionsquarenyc.org/>
“Union Square Playground Gets Thumbs Up.” WPIX. 2010 <http://www.wpix.com/news/wpixunion-sq-playground,0,4494579.story>
“Union Square Wonderland.“ New York Magazine. 2009
<http://nymag.com/family/features/62888/>