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Union Square Park and Greenmarket
14th Street and Broadway
New York, NY
Contributed by Project for Public Spaces
Three-square-block urban park that hosts a year-round, open-air farmers market four times a week.
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Why It Works
Once a major hub of activity in New York City, Union Square Park had fallen into disrepair by the 1970s and was widely considered to be unsafe. In 1976, the Union Square Greenmarket began setting up on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays in the parking lot surrounding the park. Though this was not a traditional use for parks, the Greenmarket established a physical presence that drew residents to buy the produce trucked in from farms throught the region. It prompted positive activity around the park from early morning until afternoon. A special Holiday Market operates at end of each year, featuring crafts and gift items selected on the basis of uniqueness and design quality.
In the early 1980s, the market's popularity helped lead to a multimillion-dollar renovation of the park, and a management district was also established in the area. This resulted in an improvement of the neighborhood itself, with the Greenmarket serving as its hub. The market draws visitors to the park and new residents to nearby housing; it has even spurred the development of new restaurants specializing in cuisine prepared with fresh, seasonal ingredients.
Market days draw tens of thousands of people; some just browse, enjoying a leisurely stroll past the vendors, perusing the merchandise. Since the market is not a high-pressure retail environment, it allows people to be comfortable. Vitality and community, long absent, can again be found in and near Union Square, even on days when the market is not operating.
History & Background
When it was conceived in 1811 (as Union Place), Union Square was envisioned as a physical link between Broadway and the Bowery. Because that link was never realized (Broadway and the Bowery are separated by Fourth Avenue), the square's birth was delayed until 1831, when the park was laid out. Union Square enjoyed a brief heyday during the 1840s and early 1850s, when it was surrounded by the homes of fashionable socialites; by 1855, however, the new trend in the area was toward tenement development and commercialism. Rich residents left, but prestigious institutions such as the Academy of Music, Steinway Hall, and the Union Square Theatre remained, at least for a time. By the 1970s, however, Union Square was playing host to drug dealers and other "undesirables."
In 1976, Barry Benepe chose Union Square as the site for the second Greenmarket, with several goals: bringing high-quality produce to New York; protecting the viability of local small farms; and strengthening the community by forging bonds between farmers and consumers and local residents. By forming a coalition of producers and working with a number of New York City agencies (the Council on the Environment and the Departments of Planning and Parks and Recreation), the Greenmarket has helped considerably to revitalize Union Square. Greenmarket utilizes a state-sponsored coupon program to assist low-income people with food purchases, thereby including them in the community attracted by the market.
Contact Info:
Union Square BID; 212-460-1200
Union Square Community Coalition: unionsquarepark@yahoo.com
Related Links:
- The World's Best and Worst Parks - Union Square is on PPS's list of the best squares and plazas in the world
User Comments:
> Add your own comment about Union Square Park and Greenmarket
> Add your own commentabout Union Square Park and Greenmarket
The space appears very comfortable and clean because most are sitting down wherever they feel. Multiple public works of art make for a good first impression. The area feels very safe without there being a highly visible security presence. The public crowds themselves provide for an "eyes on the street" scenario.
Union Square is extremely accessible to all; a park one can enter from every side. There is also a subway transit hub beneath. Being what it is where it is, people naturally gravitate towards the space. Although the interior may be where it's at, the grand, inviting main entrance allows the public to enjoy themselves while remaining on the perimeter of the space. This permeability seems critical.
Everyone meets in Union Square Park. Locals bring visitors to shop and see the Greenmarket. People stroll through the Park after dinner at one of the award-winning restaurants nearby or before attending a show at one of the many surrounding theatres. It's an extremely social place. I can't imagine another park filled with so much life. It's a privilege to be there.