‘A special place we will miss’: Elizabeth Street Garden tries to stay open

MANHATTAN (PIX11)--  Three well-known New Yorkers have joined the thousands fighting to keep the Elizabeth Street Garden open, but will it make a difference?

Actor Robert De Niro, filmmaker Martin Scorsese, and rocker Patti Smith have written to Mayor Adams asking that this one-acre oasis of trees, flowers, and sculptures in the heart of Little Italy not be bulldozed next month.

However, the city owns the land and says it must prioritize housing needs by building an affordable housing development for seniors called Haven Green.

“We think open space and housing is important,” Ahmed Tigani, the first deputy commissioner at the NYC Department of Housing, Preservation and Development, told PIX11 News. “But at a moment where the city is at its bleakest need for affordable housing, we all need to think about ways we can contribute to that,” he said.

City officials stress that the Haven Green project would include 14,000 square feet of accessible green space open to the public 365 days a year.

But city Councilmember Christopher Marte says there must be better options.

“I would never say this is a done deal,” Christopher Marte, the Councilmember for District 1, told PIX11 News. “The community has pushed to extend it and keep it open.”

“You don’t have to destroy a public green space in a community garden cherished by thousands to get housing,” Joseph Reiver, the nonprofit Elizabeth Street Garden director, told PIX11 News.

It’s been a 12-year battle of lawsuits and delays, but the city finally got the green light, and those who enjoy this space say they hate to see it go.

“There’s more people would benefit from a green space,” Lisa Roth, a visitor, told PIX11 News. “Maybe we find an alternative space for the seniors.”

“This is a special place, and we will miss it when it’s gone,” Amit Nag, a garden visitor, told PIX11 News.

The Elizabeth Street Garden is open from 11 to 7 on weekdays, and 10 to 7 on weekends until Sep. 10 when the city begins eviction proceedings.