SoHo Residents Protest DOT Bike Share's "Illegal" Take Over Of Petrosino Square's Art Space

A R T  I N  P E T R O S I N O  P A R K. Protesters lined the newly installed bikes in Petrosino Square on Saturday to demand that the DOT restore the Parks Department property back to a public outdoor art space.  (Photos: Shawn Inglima for New York Daily News) 

Manhattan  

By Geoffrey Croft

Saturday's dreary weather did not deter dozens of people from coming out and demanding the City's Department of Transportation (DOT) remove the Citi-Share Bike docking station racks at Petrosino Square. For weeks area residents have been protesting the taking away of the park's northern most section which for decades has been used as a public art space.

Members of the Lieutenant Joseph Petrosino Lodge of the Sons of Italy in America joined the protest as did Comptroller John Liu and local councilwoman Margaret Chin.  

Former Councilmember Alan Gerson who allocated the funds to renovate the park was also in attendance.  

The DOT has already been forced to remove several docking stations as a result of lawsuits and negative publicly. 

"We do not want Citi Bank-branded and Mastercard-branded advertising in a space designated for beauty, contemplation, and independent thought," says Friends of Petrosino Square founder Georgette Fleischer.

Parks Department regulations specifically prohibit the erecting of any structure inside a NYC Park  without the "approval of the Commissioner." 

§1-05 Regulated Uses

"3. No person shall erect any structure, stand, booth, platform, or exhibit in connection with any assembly, meeting, exhibition or other event without approval of the Commissioner or his or her designated representative,"  the regulations state.  

Pete Davies of Friends of Petrosino asks how the DOT is getting away with this when the agency had previously gone on the record saying that the Petrosino location was "not an appropriate location for a bike station."   

On April 5, 2012 an email was sent to the DOT Borough Commissioner Margaret Forgione and the Director of Bike Share on behalf of Manhattan Borough Parks Commissioner Bill Castro stating the agency's objection.    

Davies points out that the Parks Department has been "SILENT & INVISIBLE"  since the controversy broke.

He says the group has collected almost 500 signatures on a petition to DOT saying the bikes & racks should be moved out of the arts space at Petrosino.

Artist Minerva Durham says she been "protesting the theft of the art installation space in Petrosino Square by the New York City Department of Transportation and Citibank," since April 28th, a day after they discovered DOT was planning to install the racks.   

She said she and Georgette Fleischer stopped the bike-rack installation the night before when DOT came but the agency "secretly" came back in the middle of the night and installed the racks.

"We love bikes we just want them in an appropriate location," said Ms. Durham.     

Spring Studio held free outdoor drawing classes on memorial day at Petrosino Square to protest DOT's continued occupation she said.     

Minerva will be teaching her 9:30 am and 1:00 pm art classes out doors all this week weather permitting.  

Several members of the group attended the city's official press launch event yesterday morning at a docking station near City Hall across from the Brooklyn Bridge.  The event was presided over by Mayor Bloomberg and attended by the DOT commissioner and Michele F. Imbasciani of Citibank, a sponsor of New York's new bike share program.

Critics held up signs that read,  "Cyclists for Art in Petrosino Park" and "Artists for Art in Petrosino Park." 

Mr. Fleischer said she hand-delivered a letter to DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan asking her to remove Citi Bike from the park.

Lili Okellis, 10, protests in silence on a CitiBike in Petrosino Square in SoHo. She and others say the park space should be for art instead of bikes.  

Two weeks ago several elected officials sent a strongly worded letter to DOT commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan demanding the bike racks be removed.

"Prior to the start of installation, the Department of Transportation agreed that placement within Petrosino Square Park was inappropriate. The Department of Parks concurred that such placement was improper,"  said the May 9th letter signed by State Assemblymember Deborah Glick,  State Senator Daniel Squadron and  Councilmember Margaret Chin.

  

"...they (Bike Share racks) should not, under any circumstances, be placed inside Petrosino Square Park," the letter continued.

"We urge the Department of Transportation to follow through on the previous agreement not to have a docking station within Petrosino Park, and relocate it immediately."

ART NOT ADS. (Photo: Peter A. Davis) Click on image to enlarge.

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Randall's/Wards Island Bridge Open 365 Days A Year After $ 16. 8 Mil. Renovation

Open For Business. The Wards Island Bridge - also known as the 103rd Street Footbridge - opened on Friday morning after a long-awaited two-year, $ 16.8 million makeover. The pedestrian bridge is a vital link from East Harlem and the Upper Eastside to Wards and Randall's Island. For many decades the bridge's middle section - which lifts to allow ships to pass under it - was kept raised for five months of the year. The public's limited access had been a major source of contention in the community for years. The bridge will now be open year-round. New security measures accompany the renovated bridge's new hours. (Photos: © Geoffrey Croft/NYC Park Advocates) Click on image to enlarge.

Manhattan

By Geoffrey Croft

East Side waterfront park users have much to celebrate as a much beloved pedestrian bridge has been newly restored with greatly expanded access.

New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan and Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito announced the re-opening of the Wards Island pedestrian bridge on Friday, marking the completion of a long awaited $16.8 million infrastructure project to rehabilitate a vital pedestrian and bicycle link from East Harlem and the Upper Eastside to Wards and Randall's Island.

A Welcome Sight. Ward's Island Bridge looking West towards East Harlem. For decades the bridge was being closed from late October to Spring. It will now be open 365 days.

As part of the project, which began in June 2010, the contractor replaced the bridge’s existing grid deck on the lift span and 12 bridge bearings, overhauled the bridge’s electrical control system and performed repairs to deteriorating parts of the bridge according to the DOT. Work included installing new ADA compliant railings, new pedestrian fencing, new guard rails, and 25 new lights.

A number of new security measures were also put in place. Two NYPD ARGUS and Department of Transportation cameras with zoom functions were installed. The high-tech cameras feed live video into the Lower Manhattan Security Coordination Center. An emergency call box was also installed at the foot of the bridge on the Ward's Island side.

A number of landscape improvements were also made around the bridge and a long-out-of-service water fountain was also replaced.

Access Denied. The bridge's closing for 5 months of the year was a major source of contention.

For many decades the bridge's middle section - which lifts to allow ships to pass under it - was kept raised for five months of the year. The public's limited access had been a major source of contention in the community for years. The bridge will now be open year-round, the first time in at least thirty years.

“Despite being so close to Manhattan, Ward’s Island and Randall’s Island have been inaccessible for far too long," said Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito.

"This bridge reopens vital parkland for East Harlem residents and will allow many more New Yorkers to take advantage of sports fields, picnic grounds, and spectacular views of New York City. This bridge will now be open year-round, no longer limiting access to the park during the winter," she said.

“Wards Island has been a great backyard for thousands of New Yorkers, who live just a few thousand feet from here. But up until now, it’s been very difficult to access,” said Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan. "It’s been a bridge too far for pedestrians."

$1.5 million in funding came from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

A big celebration begins today at 10:00am.

The Wards Island Bridge - also known as the 103rd Street Footbridge - opened on May 18, 1951 and was completed at a cost of $2.1 million. The pedestrian bridge crosses the Harlem River between Manhattan and Wards Island.

Designed by master bridge engineer Othmar Hermann Ammann (March 26, 1879 – September 22, 1965) who is remarkably responsible for more than half of the bridges that connect the City to the mainland. The architecture and engineering firm founded by Mr. Ammann, Ammann & Whitney, provided services for this project.

Opening Up The Bridge. On Friday morning contractors tended to last minute details including removing the construction fencing and caution tape on the Manhattan side.

The 103rd Street Footbridge — also known as the Wards Island Bridge — as it looked while under construction in 1950. It reopened on Friday after a $16.8 million renovation. (Photo: NY Daily News file)

NYPD's Argus system of wireless cameras are housed in large white boxes and are clearly marked with the NYPD insignia. They are set about 20 feet off the ground across the span of bridge. The cameras first began appearing in the City in 2006 and have captured hundreds images used to help investigators, police said.

"The cameras have proven to be an important law enforcement tool to deter crime and investigate past crimes," said Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne, the NYPD's chief spokesman.

On Friday, Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito and New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan were joined by contractors for the opening of the $ 16. 8 million dollar project. (Photos: © Geoffrey Croft/NYC Park Advocates)

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