City zoning rules set in 1961 incentivized the creation of privately-owned public spaces. Hundreds were built by private developers in exchange for air rights. Not surprisingly, many are concentrated near the bases of New York City’s towering financial institutions. Due to concessions, open air POPS are required to remain open 24 hours. Zuccotti Park, put back on the map by Occupy Wall Street, shows how the potential of a space can be reinterpreted, and selec-tively enforced rules can be challenged.

private and financial space

wh paceOWNS#“Privately Owned Public Spaces, abbreviated as

“POPS”, are an amenity provided and maintained by a developer for public use, in exchange for ad-

ditional floor area.”― New York City Department of City Planning

What happens as more and more land in the city is owned by private

entities? Will we all be welcome? To what ex-

tent will these spaces remain public?

What avenues will the public

have through which to request changes?

WE UOWN1% #whownspacewww.whownspace.blogspot.com

@dsgnagnc | @naa_nyc | @dotankbrooklyn

Center of Financial Control

Midtown (Community District 5)

POPS Density

UES (Community District 6)

Citigroup World HQ- Park Ave & 53rd StWells Fargo NYC HQ- Park Ave & 52nd St

JP Morgan Chase World HQ- Park Ave & 48th StMorgan Stanley World HQ- Broadway & 48th St

Bank of America NYC HQ- 6th Ave & 42nd StEmigrant Bank (NYPBT) HQ- 5th Ave & 42nd St

1095 Avenue of the Americas

Philip Morris Arcade

6th Ave & 42nd St

Park Ave & 42nd St

Goldman Sachs HQ- West St & Vessey St

BNY Mellon World HQ- Broadway and Wall St

Privately Owned Public Space (POPS) 400m walking radius

Institution of Private Funding Major Bail-out Bank HQ

400m

SleepingAlcoholic BeveragesPanhandling, soliciting or distributing leaflets Excessive packages, carts, bicycles, skateboards, and scootersConducting Commercial businessGamblingAudible music, radios, or stereosSmoking Disruptive BehaviorInappropriate AttireLittering

For Your Enjoyment and Safety the following are prohibited:

OPEN TO PUBLIC

All BAGS AND PACKAGES ARE SUBJECT TO INSPECTION

Thank you for your Cooperation

OPEN 24 HOURS

Institution with Public Open Space Holdings

400m

RULES & REGULATIONS

New York City Parks & Recre-ation has established a guid-ing set of rules that govern public open space. For exam-ple, Hours of Operation are 6am- 1am (unless otherwise noted) although, it is very rare to find a park open until 1am. As in many cases, the stated intent of the law often becomes removed from the situations surrounding its actual enforcement. Our purpose is to question how these rules are serving the public.

With whom does the power lie, the governing body of the parks, or the people?

Bryant Park is a publicly owned park that is actu-ally managed by a private corporation. It is the largest effort in the nation to apply private management backed by private funding to a pub-lic park. How has this been successful and how does this method prove to maintain its public ownership?

publicly owned space

wh paceOWNS#“Cities have the capability of providing something

for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.”

― Jane Jacobs The Death and Life of Great American Cities

One of the most important features of a city is its public spaces. Beyond mere parks these collectively-owned spaces

are where democratic prin-ciples meet the spatial

realm. Yet today there is a question of

just how truly public these

spaces are.

WE UOWN99% #whownspacewww.whownspace.blogspot.com

@dsgnagnc | @naa_nyc | @dotankbrooklyn

Center of Civic Control

Public Park Density

Lower East Side (Community District 3)

Financial District (Community District 1)

Department of Parks and Recreation - 5th Ave & 64th St

6th Ave & 42nd St

Department of Planning - Reade St & BroadwayDepartment of Education- Chambers St & Broadway

Department of Small Business Services- William St & Beaver St

Department of Transportation- Water St & Coenties Slip

New York City ParksWelcome to your park. This is a shared public space provided for your enjoyment and recreation.

City of New York Parks & Recreation

This Park Closes At: 10pm

Littering and dumping of debrisSmoking within the parkBarbecuing, except in designated areasUnleashed dogs, except in designated areasUsing illegal drugs and alcoholFeeding birds and squirrelsEntering the park after it is closedSolicitation and obstructing entrancesAmplifying sound, performing and rallying, engaging in commercial activity, and vehicles, except by permit

Park rules prohibit:

Public Park 400m walking radius

Bryant Park-