project leader
Whitney B
location
Peck Slip
Manhattan (Historic Seaport District of Lower Manhattan)
latest update rss
Thank you!

the project

The Old Seaport Alliance (OSA) is a non-profit merchants' association founded in the wake of Superstorm Sandy by the businesses within the historic South Street Seaport neighborhood of Lower Manhattan. Among the top priorities of the OSA is the neighborhood improvement initiative that focuses on the clean-up and programming of Peck Slip, currently under the agency of DOT while it awaits commencement of construction and its ultimate transformation into a park by the NYC Parks Department.

The OSA envisions creating a true community center in Peck Slip, which is located at the center of the historic district, and is the area's greatest and most important asset. However, it is currently being used as a construction staging area for a DDC project on Broadway.

Since construction on the park is not slated to begin until mid-2015, the OSA has taken steps to secure the area for use as a temporary public plaza, which will greatly benefit a community that has rebounded after the devastating effects of Superstorm Sandy. These steps include signing a Plaza Maintenance Agreement with NYCDOT. In order to sign this agreement, the OSA must ensure that insurance, sanitation and street maintenance services are in place for the plaza. The OSA will manage the programming and stewardship of Peck Slip plaza, and is raising the funds needed to be able to formally create a community space for the area's business, residents and visitors. 

the steps

Working with the NYC Departments of Transportation (DOT), Parks, and Design & Construction, the OSA will enter into a maintenance agreement that will allow for a temporary plaza to be created. The OSA is eager to sign the agreement as soon as possible, in order to best align use and programming of the plaza with the most optimal weather conditions. The nearly 1-acre open space will be protected by planters, which local schoolchildren will help to plant, and granite benches for quiet enjoyment of the space under the open sky. Inside the plaza, DOT-donated tables and chairs will occupy either end, leaving space in the middle for kicking balls, riding a scooter, and other active play. Funds generated will cover the cost of plaza maintenance and related insurance, which will ensure a clean, safe and well-maintained plaza. We will also create programming in the space, including markets, music, and classes for all ages.

why we're doing it

Nineteen months after the devastating effects of Hurricane Sandy, most of the businesses in the historic Old Seaport district have rebuilt their shops and restaurants, and, along with area residents, are eager to welcome a prosperous new chapter for the neighborhood. Until very recently, Peck Slip was being used to store construction materials and debris, but as a result of community efforts to date, the western portion of Peck Slip has been cleared. Continued efforts to clear the eastern portion have been successful, and this larger area, too, will be cleared of material in the coming weeks. As the only easily accessible open space, and by far the most important and central asset to the neighborhood, the Old Seaport community is very eager to reclaim this wonderful open space, clean it up, and allow for its use as a true community center. 

budget

1) $6,000 - General Liability Insurance for the Plaza ($4,200), plus Insurance Certificates for three special events ($600 each).

2) $35,000 - Maintenance contract with the Neighborhood Plaza Partnership, which provides training and jobs for formerly incarcerated and/or homeless people - http://neighborhoodplazapartnership.org. The contract includes plaza sanitation services, maintenance and protection of the tables and chairs, as well as horticultural services for the planters. In the cold weather months, snow and ice will be cleared and safe pathways through the plaza will be created and maintained. The OSA will also be able to work with the NPP as an ongoing resource in its stewardship of Peck Slip.

3) $4,000 - Other programming costs - these funds will go towards permitting for the space, as well as other items needed to support the wonderful activities and events we hope to bring to the neighborhood through activation of Peck Slip.

TOTAL: $45,000



SUBTOTAL = $45,000
ioby Platform Fee $35
3rd Party Credit Card Processing Fee (3%) $1,350
TOTAL TO RAISE = $46,385


RAISED = $3,250.00
ioby Platform Fee  $35.00
3rd Party Credit Card Processing Fee (3%) $93.64
TOTAL TO DISBURSE = $3,121.36

Revised Budget, 12/5/2014

Funds raised will go toward administrative costs and overhead.

updates

Thank you!

Progress!

We're so thankful for the money we've raised so far ‹and from only SIX donors! Our latest development is the delivery on 6/13 of the granite blocks that will provide seating and protection for the plaza. Since we started the campaign, we've heard so many reports of spontaneous play, pick-up ball games, kids riding scooters safely in the plaza, and more! This is why we're working hard to bring this much-needed open space to our neighborhood. Your support is needed to make it happen ­ please donate if you can, as soon as you can, and ask your friends and neighbors to do the same! THANK YOU!!

photos

This is where photos will go once we build flickr integration

donors

  • Carol Ann Guerriero
  • Whitney B
  • Dimmick Family
  • Anonymous
  • ACQUA at Peck Slip
  • victor C.
  • Audrey, Boots and Mingo