In a surprise move, Mayor Adams has designated Elizabeth Street Garden as official city parkland, throwing a wrench into plans by the incoming administration to build an affordable housing development on the site. The decision, revealed in a letter from Department of Citywide Administrative Services Commissioner Louis Molina, effectively blocks Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's pledge to build 123 apartments for seniors at the site in the heart of Nolita.
The move reverses course from Adams' earlier support for the project, which had been met with fierce opposition from garden enthusiasts and celebrities such as Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese, and Patti Smith. The city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development had worked tirelessly to bring affordable housing to the site, but was ultimately unable to overcome objections to the development.
Under the latest twist, any future development on parkland in New York City requires state legislative approval through a process known as alienation, a hurdle that Mamdani had vowed to clear during his campaign. The move is seen as a victory for supporters of the garden, who have long fought to preserve the unique downtown oasis.
Adams' decision may prove complicated by Mamdani's own commitment to building affordable housing in Nolita. A spokesperson for the housing department declined to comment on the matter, citing Adams' official reversal of support. However, outgoing First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro announced a deal with local Councilmember Christopher Marte just days before the Democratic mayoral primary to identify alternative sites for new affordable housing.
The move has left some in the nonprofit housing development community in the dark. Habitat for Humanity's Matthew Dunbar stated that his organization had not received any notice about the latest development, calling it "news to us." The Mamdani administration remains tight-lipped on the matter, with a spokesperson declining to comment.
The move reverses course from Adams' earlier support for the project, which had been met with fierce opposition from garden enthusiasts and celebrities such as Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese, and Patti Smith. The city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development had worked tirelessly to bring affordable housing to the site, but was ultimately unable to overcome objections to the development.
Under the latest twist, any future development on parkland in New York City requires state legislative approval through a process known as alienation, a hurdle that Mamdani had vowed to clear during his campaign. The move is seen as a victory for supporters of the garden, who have long fought to preserve the unique downtown oasis.
Adams' decision may prove complicated by Mamdani's own commitment to building affordable housing in Nolita. A spokesperson for the housing department declined to comment on the matter, citing Adams' official reversal of support. However, outgoing First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro announced a deal with local Councilmember Christopher Marte just days before the Democratic mayoral primary to identify alternative sites for new affordable housing.
The move has left some in the nonprofit housing development community in the dark. Habitat for Humanity's Matthew Dunbar stated that his organization had not received any notice about the latest development, calling it "news to us." The Mamdani administration remains tight-lipped on the matter, with a spokesperson declining to comment.
123 apartments for seniors in nolita, and now it's like adams is saying no way, period 
. i mean, what's up with that? wasn't he running on a platform of progress? now his opposition to the project kinda feels like he was just waiting for an excuse to sabotage mamdani's plans 
. meanwhile, who knows where those apartments will end up? habitat for humanity is all confused too... guess we'll have to wait and see how this all plays out 
! I mean, who doesn't love Elizabeth Street Garden? It's like that one friend in Nolita that everyone adores 
. And now it's safe from those fancy new apartments 
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! One minute you've got the mayor supporting it, the next he's trying to take it back. And now we're left wondering what's gonna happen next? Will they find another spot for those apartments or just leave the garden as is? I'm glued to my screen waiting for more updates 
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. It's not like he just did this on a whim, there's been some serious pushback from the community and celebs alike, so kudos to him for listenin' up 
. Now, I'm curious to see how the new admin handles this situation... especially with their promise of affordable housing 
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. it's like we gotta ask ourselves, what's more valuable - making sure everyone has a place to live or having this beautiful park in the middle of nolita? 
. adams went from supporting the project to opposing it and now the mamdani administration is left dealing with the fallout 
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. elizabeth street garden may seem like a small thing, but it's actually a symbol of something bigger - the importance of community spaces that bring us together 
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this is literally insane! i mean, i know some ppl love that garden but affordable housing for seniors was like, the whole point of the deal 
mamdani's trying to block it and adams just went rogue 
what's next?! will they find a new spot or just leave the ppl without homes 
I mean who needs apartments 4 seniors when u have a garden that attracts celebs like De Niro & Patti Smith?! 
But seriously, this move is huge for the community and I'm all about it! 
It shows that even the highest ups can listen to the people and prioritize preserving our public spaces 
He goes from supporting that affordable housing project one day and then completely UPTS it the next? 
This is just a huge mess, and I'm not sure how it's going to get sorted out anytime soon 
I'm literally screaming from joy! Elizabeth Street Garden is going to be protected and preserved for generations to come! It's like a dream come true for all those garden enthusiasts who fought so hard to save it. Can you even imagine Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese, and Patti Smith walking around that beautiful park? 
It's like the mayor just dropped the nuclear option on the whole affordable housing debate and it's gonna be a wild ride to see how this all plays out. The fact that Adams went from being super supportive of the project to completely blocking it is pretty shocking, especially since there were already so many celebrities and passionate community members against it 
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. I guess you could say this is just another example of that - some places are just too precious to lose their charm 
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mayor-elect mamdani was all about building affordable housing but now he has to go through all this drama because of parkland 
and let's be real , the nonprofit community is kinda left in the dark about what's going on . habitat for humanity didn't even know about it till it hit the news 
what do u think ? should mamdani just give up on affordable housing or can he find a way to make it work with this new parkland ruling ? 
) Ahh, affordable housing vs parkland 
!