Petition to Transform 78th Street and 1st Avenue Vacant Lot into Public Green Space

The lot at East 78th Street and 1st Avenue, Manhattan, NY, has been empty and without any signs of improvement for nearly fifteen years. The lot as it currently exists is a massive hazard, most especially as a haven for rats, which pose a significant threat of physical danger to many workers, shoppers, bar and restaurant patrons, and residents of the surrounding busy area. In addition, the Upper East Side is almost completely lacking in green space, and stands out against other areas of Manhattan which have many community gardens. The lot would ideally host a green space, specifically a community garden. 

Action Petitioned for: We the undersigned petition both the city government as well as the state government to (1) enforce already existing laws and regulations for safety and hygiene, and (2) allow for the lot - through eminent domain or any other necessary and legal procedures - to be utilized for the public good as a neighborhood greenspace.

Any future use of the lot must not merely be a means to raise property values in the surrounding area but should genuinely be open to the public and exclude hostile architecture or discriminatory policing.