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129-756: Bryant Park is a 9.6-acre (3.9 ha), privately managed public park in the New York City borough of Manhattan . It is located between Fifth Avenue and Avenue of the Americas ( Sixth Avenue ) and between 40th and 42nd Streets in Midtown Manhattan . The eastern half of Bryant Park is occupied by the Main Branch of the New York Public Library . The western half contains a lawn, shaded walkways, and amenities such as

258-451: A 10-minute walk , provides multiple benefits. A park is an area of open space provided for recreational use, usually owned and maintained by a local government. Grass is typically kept short to discourage insect pests and to allow for the enjoyment of picnics and sporting activities. Trees are chosen for their beauty and to provide shade , with an increasing emphasis on reducing an urban heat island effect. Some early parks include

387-592: A carousel , and is located entirely over an underground structure that houses the library's stacks . The park hosts several events, including a seasonal "Winter Village" with an ice rink and shops during the winter. The first park at the site was opened in 1847 and was called Reservoir Square due to its proximity to the Croton Distributing Reservoir . Reservoir Square contained the New York Crystal Palace , which hosted

516-535: A sociologist whose influence led them to implement two decisions. One was the placement of 2,000 movable chairs in the park. The other was to lower the park itself, because Bryant Park had been elevated from the street and isolated by tall hedges prior to the 1988 redesign. The 1988 renovation lowered the park to nearly street level and tore out the hedges, though much of the park was still slightly elevated. The park's restrooms , which had been closed for 35 years, were renovated as well. The BPRC also found that several of

645-485: A Design Merit Award from Landscape Architecture Magazine, and the 1996 Award for Excellence from the Urban Land Institute (ULI). The park has been extolled for its relative calmness and cleanness. Even through the 21st century, Bryant Park remains a model of civic renewal that mayors of other cities, such as Jorge Elorza of Providence, Rhode Island , sometimes hold up as a model to emulate. Bryant Park

774-738: A lottery in 1814. The failure of the lottery resulted in a debt that forced the Society to mortgage some of its books, which were not redeemed until 1823. The Historical Society and its collections moved frequently during the 19th century. In 1809, the Historical Society and its collections moved to the Government House on Bowling Green . Constructed as a residence for the President of the United States when New York

903-555: A manuscript collection, several oil portraits and 38 engraved portraits. The Historical Society suffered under heavy debt during its early decades. In 1809, it organized a celebration of the 200th anniversary of the arrival of Henry Hudson in New York Harbor . Inspired by the event, the Historical Society petitioned and later obtained an endowment from the New York State Legislature , to be financed by

1032-541: A model for the success of public-private partnerships. The park is both a National Register of Historic Places listing and a New York City designated landmark . In 1686, when the area was still a wilderness, New York's colonial governor, Thomas Dongan , designated the area now known as Bryant Park as a public space. George Washington 's troops crossed the area while retreating from the Battle of Long Island in 1776. The road upon which Washington's troops retreated traversed

1161-535: A parks advocacy group called the Parks Council. Though the Parks Council's activities became popular, drug use and small crimes were still common within the park through the early 1980s. After a group of undercover NYPD officers were stationed in the park starting in 1980, they had made 400 drug-related arrests within six months. The Bryant Park Restoration Corporation was founded in 1980 by Dan Biederman , along with Andrew Heiskell , chairman of Time Inc. and

1290-536: A place to interact and share ideas without having to pay money or show identification. Despite this, the library was well-used, being used by 50,000 people by its first anniversary. Theft was low, with only 34 publications being lost in the library's first year. By its third year, 400 books and 1,000 magazines were in circulation and were being perused by 70,000 people per year. Books from the NYPL, and donations of magazines and trade publications from publishers, contributed to

1419-523: A private corporation. In 1983, in an attempt to draw crowds to the park and raise money for continued maintenance, the BPRC proposed leasing Bryant Park from the city, renovating it, and building a café in the park. The $ 18 million renovation was to be executed by an alliance between the BPRC, NYPL, and NYC Parks. Restaurateur Warner LeRoy was to operate the eatery, and he planned to build an 80-foot-tall (24 m), 10,500-square-foot (980 m) glass café on

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1548-532: A putting green and Kubb area, an Art Cart, ping pong tables, and Petanque courts. The parks also offer free classes in juggling, yoga, tai chi, and knitting. In the 40th Street plaza of the park, there is a station called Bryant Park Games where visitors can borrow an array of games, including Chinese chess and quoits . In addition, chess and table tennis can also be played at Bryant Park. Food and drink are served at four park-operated concessionary kiosks. There are two additional kiosks on Fifth Avenue, bringing

1677-415: A small real estate boom. Rents per square foot in buildings south of 42nd Street had historically been lower than rents in buildings north of 42nd Street. Conversely, 1095 Avenue of the Americas and 452 Fifth Avenue were able to attract comparatively high rental rates despite both being south of 42nd Street. Later in the decade, the area around Bryant Park started growing into a residential neighborhood, with

1806-769: A state-of-the-art library reading room, and a new facility to house and provide access to the letters and manuscripts of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History . In 2005, the Historical Society was among 406 New York City arts and social service institutions to receive part of a $ 20 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation , which was made possible through a donation by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg . The museum has mounted exhibits on national themes through history in New York. For instance, beginning in 2005 with Slavery and

1935-553: A three-year, $ 65 million renovation of the landmark building on Central Park West was completed in 2011 to enhance public access to the institution's resources. On Central Park West, windows were lengthened to form new entrances, with views into the main gallery, and windows were expanded. To establish "a street presence," the society has installed life-size bronze sculptures outside the building— Abraham Lincoln on Central Park West, Frederick Douglass on West 77th Street—national figures with connections to New York. After reopening,

2064-466: A ticket booth, measuring 7 feet (2.1 m) tall and 4 feet (1.2 m) wide, which was constructed in 1928 and was relocated from Paragon Park in Hull, Massachusetts . Bryant Park contains a Beaux-Arts granite restroom structure on the northern border, along 42nd Street. There are two facilities, one for men and women, both of which are 315 square feet (29.3 m). These were built in 1911 along with

2193-543: A world-class collection of Hudson River School paintings, including major works by Thomas Cole and Frederic Edwin Church ; iconic genre and history paintings, including works by William Sidney Mount and Eastman Johnson ; a vast range of American portraits, including paintings by Rembrandt Peale and Gilbert Stuart ; all 435 of John James Audubon 's extant preparatory watercolors for The Birds of America ; and an encyclopedic collection of more than 800 works documenting

2322-402: Is closed to make way for Bank of America Winter Village . Numerous walkways surround the central lawn. The northern and southern sides are each flanked by two flagstone walkways. Each of these walkways is bordered by London plane ( Platanus × hispanica ) trees, which contribute to the park's European feel. In addition, numerous statues are scattered throughout the park. A raised terrace on

2451-514: Is served by the New York City Subway 's 7 , <7> ​​, B , ​ D , ​ F , <F> , and ​ M trains at 42nd Street–Bryant Park/Fifth Avenue station , entrances to which are located on the northern and western borders of the park, as well as MTA Regional Bus Operations ' M1 , M2 , M3 , M4 , M5 , M7 , M42 , M55 and Q32 routes. Notable sculptures in

2580-512: The 1974 volume of the same name edited by John A. Garraty . Construction for its eighth home began September 10, 1902. The central portion of the current building on Central Park West was completed on December 15, 1908, to designs by architects York and Sawyer , who were known for their bank designs. In 1938 that central block was extended and sympathetically completed by the construction of pavilions on either end, with Walker & Gillette as architects. That extension project stands among

2709-540: The 7th New York Militia , an 1880 plan for an opera house, another plan in 1881 for a New York Historical Society building, an 1893 plan for relocating the New York City Hall building, and a 1903 plan for a general post office. In 1884, Reservoir Square was renamed Bryant Park, to honor the New York Evening Post editor and abolitionist William Cullen Bryant . Around the same time as

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2838-517: The Edict of Nantes , known as the French Huguenot memorial window, in honor of religious refugees to New York. It is inscribed and signed by the artist, Mary Elizabeth Tillinghast . The window was underwritten by Margaret Olivia Slocum Sage , a philanthropist who was instrumental in commissioning other windows by Tillinghast. The Historical Society's collection continued to grow throughout

2967-758: The Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations in 1853 and burned down in 1858. The square was renamed in 1884 for abolitionist and journalist William Cullen Bryant . The reservoir was demolished in 1900 and the New York Public Library's main branch was built on the site, opening in 1911. Bryant Park was rebuilt in 1933–1934 to a plan by Lusby Simpson. After a period of decline, it was restored in 1988–1992 by landscape architects Hanna/Olin Ltd. and architects Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates , during which

3096-632: The Fabricon Carousel Company , and installed in 2002. The company was selected after a carousel installation in Bryant Park was approved in 1997. The carousel has a diameter of 22 feet (6.7 m), weighs 12,000 pounds (5,400 kg), and contains 14 animal casts, of which 12 are capable of moving vertically. In keeping with the French theme of the park, it plays French music. It underwent a restoration in 2009. The carousel also has

3225-562: The La Alameda de Hércules , in Seville , a promenaded public mall, urban garden and park built in 1574, within the historic center of Seville. The Városliget ( City Park ) in the City of Pest , what is today Budapest, Hungary , was a city property when afforestation started in the middle of the 18th century, from the 1790s with the clear aim to create a public park. Between 1799 and 1805 it

3354-561: The New-York Historical Society ) is an American history museum and library on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City . The society was founded in 1804 as New York's first museum. It presents exhibitions, public programs, and research that explore the history of New York and the nation. The New York Historical Museum & Library has been at its present location since 1908. The granite building

3483-623: The Village of Yorkville Park in Toronto , which won an award from the American Society of Landscape Architects. Parks are sometimes made out of oddly shaped areas of land, much like the vacant lots that often become city neighborhood parks. Linked parks may form a greenbelt . There is a form of an urban park in the UK (officially called a "recreation ground", but commonly called a "rec" by

3612-417: The W.R. Grace Building to the north. One of the park's largest features is a large lawn located slightly below the level of the surrounding walkways. Besides serving as a "lunchroom" for office workers, the lawn serves as the seating area for some of the park's major events, such as Bryant Park Movie Nights, Broadway in Bryant Park, and Square Dance. The lawn's season runs from February until October, when it

3741-693: The history of the Constitution . The Society also offers an extensive range of curriculum-based school programs and teacher resources, and provides academic fellowships and organizes public programs for adults to foster lifelong learning and a deep appreciation of history. The New York Historical's museum is the oldest in New York City and predates the founding of the Metropolitan Museum of Art by nearly 70 years. Its art holdings comprise more than 1.6 million works. Among them are

3870-496: The homeless , and was considered a no-go area by ordinary citizens and visitors. The condition of the park was so bad that in 1973, parks commissioner Richard M. Clurman threatened to "close Bryant Park and clear it of everybody—until we can get together and make it a place that New Yorkers want it to be." After a man was murdered at the park in 1976, the New York Times noted that gambling and drinking were commonplace at

3999-437: The main branch of the New York Public Library is located within the park, in design it forms the eastern boundary of the park's green space, making Sixth Avenue the park's primary entrance. Bryant Park is used mostly as a passive recreation space, and lacks active sports facilities. Bryant Park is several steps above the surrounding streets, enclosed by a retaining wall . Granite stairs at several locations provide access from

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4128-531: The 1910s, the Hudson & Manhattan Railroad (now PATH ) also planned to extend their Uptown Hudson Tubes from Herald Square to Grand Central Terminal , with intermediate stations near Bryant Park's northeast and southwest corners, though this plan was never realized. The Catskill Aqueduct water tunnel was built under Bryant Park in the early 1910s. Once the work was complete, the affected sections of Bryant Park were restored. During World War I , Bryant Park

4257-436: The 1960s, Bryant Park had entered a state of deterioration, due to a lack of maintenance and its location in a business district with few nighttime activities. In an attempt to deter crime, new lighting was installed in Bryant Park in 1962. Nevertheless, in 1966, parks commissioner Thomas Hoving called a meeting to restore the park, noting its degraded condition. By the 1970s, Bryant Park had been taken over by drug dealers and

4386-591: The 2017 renovation, the restrooms contained rotating artworks selected from a collection of 225 works, as well as fresh flowers, classical music, attendants, and automatic toilets and faucets. The original Reading Room was founded in August 1935 to entertain unemployed workers during the Great Depression . Started as an initiative by the New York Public Library, the Reading Room provided the jobless with

4515-575: The 20th century, but renewed financial woes in the 1970s and 1980s forced the Historical Society to limit access to its collections to professional researchers. In the 1980s, under the leadership of Herbert S. Winokur, Jr. , a private equity financier and Enron board member, the Society was forced to use endowment invasion to pay their annual operating costs and cover their salaries, to the point where by 1988, they had only enough money in their endowment to pay for another 18 months of operating expenses. Barbara Knowles Debs from Manhattanville College

4644-515: The Bank of America Tower; an expansion to 1095 Avenue of the Americas immediately to the south; Eleven Times Square a block west of Bryant Park; and 505 Fifth Avenue at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street. Several hotels were also built, including a conversion of 485 Fifth Avenue at 41st Street, a Residence Inn by Marriott at Sixth Avenue and 39th Street. By the early 2010s, investors were purchasing buildings around Bryant Park south of 42nd Street as part of

4773-744: The City Art Commission, with the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission taking an advisory role. The redesigned restaurant spaces were also approved by the City Art Commission that December, though the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission registered no official position on the matter. A concessionaire for one of the spaces was found in 1988, and the same year, the city turned over duties of Bryant Park's land to BPRC. Subsequently,

4902-480: The Great Lawn was rebuilt above it. Once the underground facilities were completed, Bryant Park was completely rebuilt, with 2.5 to 6 feet (0.76 to 1.83 m) of earth between the park surface and the storage facility's ceiling. Bryant Park was initially supposed to reopen in late 1990 or early 1991. The reopening date was pushed back due to delays caused by the construction of the library's stacks. In June 1991,

5031-510: The Historical Society offered a multimedia installation of major themes of American history through stories and figures from New York's past. It also has a new section for an interactive children's history museum. In 2023, the New York Historical Society began constructing the 80,000-square-foot (7,400 m ) Tang Wing, designed by Robert A. M. Stern . The wing will contain collections on LGBTQ+ history. As of 2024 ,

5160-764: The Long Island Historical Society (later Brooklyn Historical Society ) was founded in Brooklyn in 1863. The New York Historical holds an extensive collection of historical artifacts, works of American art, and other materials documenting the history of New York and the United States. It presents well-researched exhibitions on a variety of topics and periods in American history , such as George Washington , Alexander Hamilton , Slavery in New York , The Hudson River School , Abraham Lincoln , Ulysses S. Grant , Tiffany designer Clara Driscoll , and

5289-573: The Making of New York, 1600s–1827 , it mounted the first exhibition ever in New York City on the major but little-known role of slavery in the city's economy and history. During the colonial years, 41% of households had slaves, and much of the city's economy through the Civil War was related to the South and slavery; half of its exports were related to cotton. Devoting the entire first floor to the exhibit,

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5418-631: The NYPL Main Branch, but due to the park's landmark status, they cannot be expanded. The exterior of each building contains a frieze with garland motifs. After being closed in the mid-1960s, they were restored by Kupiec & Koutsomitis and reopened in 1992. The restrooms have been described as being among the city's best. A subsequent renovation in 2006 solidified their status as, in the words of then- New York City Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe , "the gold standard for park comfort stations." The restrooms were renovated again in 2017. Following

5547-622: The New York Historical has invested significantly in facility and installation upgrades, and conducted fundraising. It has increased its operating budget by 160 percent to enhance and expand its public programs, while maintaining a balanced budget from 1998 to the present. Recent renovations to the Historical Society include new galleries and exhibition spaces, the Henry Luce III Center for the Study of American Culture,

5676-676: The New York Public Library. The BPRC immediately brought significant changes to remake the park into a place that people wanted to visit, and instituted a rigorous program to clean the park, remove graffiti , and repair physical damage. The BPRC also created a private security staff to confront unlawful behavior. In addition, the BPRC started an outdoor concert series in the summers. By 1982, arrests had decreased significantly compared to two years prior. Another agency—the Bryant Park Management Corporation, composed of several nearby businesses—was tasked with maintaining

5805-602: The UK, with around 2.6 billion visits to parks each year. Many parks are of cultural and historical interest, with 300 registered by Historic England as of national importance. Most public parks have been provided and run by local authorities over the past hundred and seventy years, but these authorities have no statutory duty to fund or maintain these public parks. In 2016 the Heritage Lottery Fund 's State of UK Public Parks reported that "92 per cent of park managers report their maintenance budgets have reduced in

5934-459: The United States and the world, though cow grazing did not end until the 1830s. Around the country, the predecessors to urban parks in the United States were generally rural cemeteries . The cemeteries were intended as civic institutions designed for public use. Before the widespread development of public parks, the rural cemetery provided a place for the general public to enjoy outdoor recreation amidst art and sculpture previously available only for

6063-786: The United States are Central Park in New York, Lincoln Park in Chicago, Mission Bay Park in San Diego. In the early 1900s, according to Cranz, U.S. cities built neighborhood parks with swimming pools, playgrounds and civic buildings, with the intention of Americanizing the immigrant residents. In the 1950s, when money became available after World War II , new parks continued to focus on both outdoor and indoor recreation with services, such as sports leagues using their ball fields and gymnasia. These smaller parks were built in residential neighborhoods, and tried to serve all residents with programs for seniors, adults, teens and children. Green space

6192-429: The United States prior to 1860; American fiction, poetry, and belles-lettres prior to 1850; a broad range of materials relating to the history of the circus; and American travel accounts from the colonial era to the present day. The Society operates a website showing many images from its collection. In 2015, it announced the digitization and posting of over a thousand negatives by photographer Robert L. Bracklow from

6321-408: The central portion of Bryant Park would have housed sculptures and statues. However, these plans were cancelled as a result of opposition. The reservoir was torn down by 1900, and construction started on the library. In conjunction with the library's construction, several improvements were made to the park, such as terrace gardens , public facilities, and kiosks , as well as a raised terrace adjoining

6450-505: The city and BPRC reached an agreement to reopen the western section of Bryant Park on summer weekdays. The park was soft reopened on April 21, 1992, with the official reopening set for nearly a month later. The new design received widespread acclaim. Deemed "a triumph for many" by New York Times architectural critic Paul Goldberger , the renovation was lauded not only for its architectural excellence, but also for adhering to Whyte's vision. According to Goldberger, Biederman "understood that

6579-479: The complimentary reading materials, in 2004 programming was added to Reading Room's content. The Reading Room features readings and book sales by contemporary writers and poets, plus book-related special events such as book clubs, writers workshops and storytelling for kids. Modeled on Europe's Christkindlmarkt , in 2002 Bryant Park introduced the Holiday Shops in an effort to liven up the park space during

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6708-496: The confines of a serpentine carriageway, put in place the essential elements of his much-imitated design for Birkenhead Park in Birkenhead . The latter commenced in 1843 with the help of public finance and deployed the ideas which Paxton had pioneered at Princes Park on a more expansive scale. Frederick Law Olmsted visited Birkenhead Park in 1850 and praised its qualities. Indeed, Paxton is widely credited as having been one of

6837-514: The construction of new developments in the area. Within a two-block radius of the park, or roughly 500 feet (150 m), units routinely sold for millions of dollars. By 2024, the Bryant Park Grill's lease was about to expire, and there were concerns that the lease would not be renewed. Bryant Park is located between Fifth and Sixth Avenues and between 40th and 42nd Streets , and covers 9.6 acres (3.9 ha). Although technically

6966-453: The designed landscape as a setting for the suburban domicile (an idea pioneered by John Nash at Regent's Park in London) and re-fashioned it for the provincial town in a most original way. Nash's remodelling of St James's Park from 1827 and the sequence of processional routes he created to link The Mall with Regent's Park completely transformed the appearance of London's West End . With

7095-477: The desk at which Clement Clarke Moore wrote " A Visit from Saint Nicholas ", one of the world's largest collections of Tiffany lamps and glasswork, and a collection of more than 550 late 19th-century American board games. Its research library contains more than three million books, pamphlets, maps, atlases, newspapers, broadsides, music sheets, manuscripts, prints, photographs, and architectural drawings. Among its collections are far-ranging materials relating to

7224-493: The eastern side of the lawn, which dates to the construction of the library's main branch, is paved with gray flagstones and red brick. Its centerpiece is the William Cullen Bryant Memorial , which is raised on a pedestal of its own. A restroom structure is located at the northern border of the park along 42nd Street. A carousel , installed in 2002, is located at the park's southern border. The park

7353-499: The establishment of Princes Park in 1842, Joseph Paxton did something similar for the benefit of a provincial town, albeit one of international stature by virtue of its flourishing mercantile sector. Liverpool had a burgeoning presence in global maritime trade before 1800, and during the Victorian era its wealth rivalled that of London itself. The form and layout of Paxton's ornamental grounds, structured about an informal lake within

7482-595: The following year. In January 1927, after the section of the Flushing Line under Bryant Park was complete, plans were announced for a restoration of the park's northern section. By the 1930s, Bryant Park was suffering from neglect and was considered disreputable, as the Sixth Avenue elevated literally overshadowed the park. Over a period of 10 years, about 100 separate plans for Bryant Park's renovation were proposed, but never enacted. In an attempt to revitalize

7611-779: The form of walking, running, horse riding, mountain biking, snowshoeing, or cross-country skiing; or sedentary activity such as observing nature, bird watching, painting, photography, or picnicking. Limiting park or open space use to passive recreation over all or a portion of the park's area eliminates or reduces the burden of managing active recreation facilities and developed infrastructure. Many ski resorts combine active recreation facilities (ski lifts, gondolas, terrain parks, downhill runs, and lodges) with passive recreation facilities (cross-country ski trails). Many smaller neighborhood parks are receiving increased attention and valuation as significant community assets and places of refuge in heavily populated urban areas. Neighborhood groups around

7740-442: The founding and early history of the nation including the first documentary evidence of the phrase "United States of America" ; one of the best collections of 18th-century newspapers in the United States; an outstanding collection of materials documenting slavery and Reconstruction; an exceptional collection of Civil War material, including Ulysses S. Grant 's terms of surrender for Robert E. Lee ; collections relating to trials in

7869-685: The full catalog of representational sculpture in America from the colonial period to the present day. The Historical Society holds an important collection of paintings and drawings by marine artist James Bard . The museum holds much of sculptor Elie Nadelman 's legendary American folk art collection, including furniture and household accessories such as lamps, candlesticks, textiles, glass, and ceramic objects, as well as paintings, toys, weather vanes, sculptural woodcarvings, and chalkware. The Historical Society's holdings in artifacts and decorative arts include George Washington 's camp bed from Valley Forge,

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7998-657: The hope that it would keep out criminals. The initiative was largely unsuccessful, though, and its funding was nearly depleted by 1977. Another initiative, the Bryant Park Steering Committee, was created in 1977 as a partnership between local businesses and the City University of New York . More New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers were added, and District Attorney Robert Morgenthau agreed to process arrests in Bryant Park more quickly. By 1978, public perception of Bryant Park's safety

8127-525: The large amount of open space and natural habitat in the former pleasure grounds, they now serve as important wildlife refuges, and often provide the only opportunity for urban residents to hike or picnic in a semi-wild area. However, city managers or politicians can target these parks as sources of free land for other uses. Partly for this reason, some of these large parks have "friends of X park" advisory boards that help protect and maintain their semi-wild nature. There are around estimated 27,000 public parks in

8256-489: The last examples of Beaux-Arts architecture completed in the city and in the entire country. The building was designated a landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1966. Two notable stained glass windows are found in the library on the 2nd floor. The Arrival of Henry Hudson was designed by Mr. Calvert of the Gorham Manufacturing Company . The second is Revocation of

8385-419: The late 1930s due to transit changes on Sixth Avenue; the elevated was torn down in 1938, and the construction of the underground Sixth Avenue subway line occurred around the same time. The Sixth Avenue subway opened in 1940. A New Yorker article remarked in 1936 that during the prior 14 years, "Bryant Park has been closed to the public [...] for half that time." Public events in Bryant Park were held through

8514-513: The late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Historical Society was founded on November 20, 1804, largely through the efforts of John Pintard . He was for some years secretary of the American Academy of Fine Arts, as well as the founder of New York's first savings bank. He was also among the first to agitate for a free school system. The first meeting comprised 11 of the city's most prominent citizens, including Mayor DeWitt Clinton . At

8643-459: The libraries chose to build the branch at the eastern end of Bryant Park, along Fifth Avenue between 40th and 42nd Streets, because it was centrally located between the Astor and Lenox Libraries , the library's direct predecessors. The architects of the building, Carrère and Hastings , also planned to convert the western border along Sixth Avenue into a pedestrian arcade with a flower market, while

8772-446: The library on the eastern portion of the park. Since Bryant Park itself was located several feet above the surrounding streets, an iron fence, hedge, and embankment wall were built on the north, west, and south borders to separate the park from the bordering sidewalks. Benches were also installed along the retaining walls. Bryant Park's interior was split into three lawns, divided by a pair of west–east gravel paths that aligned roughly with

8901-408: The meeting, a committee was selected to draw up a constitution, and by December 10, the Historical Society was officially organized. According to the Historical Society's first catalogue, printed in 1813, the museum then held 4,265 books, as well as 234 volumes of United States documents, 119 almanacs, 130 titles of newspapers, 134 maps, and 30 miscellaneous views. It had already collected the start of

9030-417: The mid-20th century. For instance, in 1944 during World War II , an aircraft demonstration was held in the park. Outdoor summer concerts in Bryant Park were started in 1948 by Philip Lieson Miller, a musicologist at the New York Public Library. These concerts took place from 12 to 2 p.m. on weekdays from July through September. On October 15, 1969, forty thousand people attended a rally in Bryant Park as part of

9159-423: The museum mounted the largest theme exhibit in its 200-year history. It also addressed the strengths of African Americans who resisted slavery and created their own culture, both in New York and the nation. A related part of the exhibit was commissioning 20 new works by invited artists, some of whom used objects from the museum's collections to create new works and installations on this theme. The second exhibition

9288-706: The nationwide Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam . Another large event, the Big Apple Circus , was proposed to be held in Bryant Park in 1978, but parks commissioner Gordon Davis denied the circus permission to host a show there, since it would have closed off Bryant Park to the public. Plans to build parking garages under Bryant Park also surfaced in the mid-20th century, as a means of relieving parking shortages in Midtown Manhattan. The first such plan

9417-631: The nearby New Yorker Hotel in his later years, and would feed pigeons in the park. The placement of the sign was due to the efforts of the Croatian Club of New York in cooperation with New York City officials, and Ljubo Vujovic of the Tesla Memorial Society of New York. Bryant Park contains a carousel called Le Carrousel Magique, located in the southern section of the park. The carousel was designed by Marvin Sylvor , created by

9546-567: The need to provide substantial space to congregate, typically involves intensive management, maintenance, and high costs. Passive recreation, also called "low-intensity recreation" is that which emphasizes the open-space aspect of a park and allows for the preservation of natural habitat. It usually involves a low level of development, such as rustic picnic areas, benches, and trails. Passive recreation typically requires little management and can be provided at very low costs. Some open space managers provide nothing other than trails for physical activity in

9675-545: The next 50 years. The Historical Society later acquired a collection of Egyptian and Assyrian art, which was eventually transferred to the Brooklyn Museum of Art . In 1936 it acquired the collections of the Naval History Society (1912–1936). Between 1934 and 1970, the Historical Society published a 10-volume Encyclopedia of American Biography , edited by Winfield Scott Downs. It is distinct from

9804-500: The number of patrons in Bryant Park at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. every day. The number of events at the park grew significantly after its reopening, causing some consternation by people who feared that the park would be dominated by private entities, thus would be inaccessible to the public. As a result, BPC makes most events free and open to the public. One exception was the New York Fashion Week shows that formerly took over

9933-493: The park for two weeks in the winter and late summer each year. BPC cofounder Dan Biederman often publicly expressed his frustration that the fashion shows were not under BPC's control. "They pay us a million dollars. It's a million dollars I would happily do without," he told the Los Angeles Times . BPC was particularly frustrated that the fashion shows dominated the park during two crucial times: in late summer, when

10062-443: The park has meant that Bryant Park received passive-recreation amenities, while excluding active sports that might cater to a broader urban public. The BPC added a custom-built carousel in 2002 and revived the tradition of an open-air library, the Reading Room, in 2003. In July 2002, the park launched a public wireless network , making the park the first in New York City to formally offer free Wi-Fi access to visitors. The Wi-Fi system

10191-512: The park include or have included: The northwest corner of Bryant Park, at Sixth Avenue and 42nd Street, contains the Heiskell Plaza, a stairway and entrance plaza paved with flagstones. It was placed in 1993 in honor of Andrew Heiskell, a cofounder of the BPC. The southwest corner of Bryant Park, at Sixth Avenue and 40th Street, is known as Nikola Tesla Corner. Tesla, an inventor, lived in

10320-510: The park into a year-round destination. In September 2016, Bryant Park Corporation announced market makers Urbanspace as the new operator for the Holiday Shops, which grew from 80 boutiques in 2002 to over 170 in 2018. In 2018, Urbanspace also took over management of the rinkside eatery, rebranding it as The Lodge. The Bryant Park Corporation (BPC), formerly the Bryant Park Restoration Corporation (BPRC), manages

10449-414: The park redesign was drafted by Hanna/Olin Ltd. and Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates ; the design preserved many elements of Simpson's design in the 1930s. The park was closed for renovations on July 11, 1988. The four-year project to rebuild Bryant Park entailed new entrances, repairs to paths and lighting, and a redesign of the park's garden by Lynden Miller . Biederman worked with William H. Whyte ,

10578-488: The park site diagonally. The city acquired the land in 1822. Beginning in 1823, Bryant Park was designated a potter's field (a graveyard for the poor) and remained so until 1840, when thousands of bodies were moved to Wards Island . The first park at this site opened in 1847, though that park was never legally named. It was called "Reservoir Square" after the Croton Distributing Reservoir, which

10707-437: The park was being filled quickly. By the first decade of the 21st century, nearby buildings and businesses were also using names that referred to the park. This was shown by the then-new Bank of America Tower skyscraper at the park's northeast corner using the address "One Bryant Park", as well as the growing trend of Bryant Park vanity addresses, including 3, 4, 5, and 7 Bryant Park. National Public Radio , located just south of

10836-404: The park was built was purchased by Richard Vaughan Yates, an iron merchant and philanthropist, in 1841 for £50,000. The creation of Princes Park showed great foresight and introduced a number of highly influential ideas. First and foremost was the provision of open space for the benefit of townspeople and local residents within an area that was being rapidly built up. Secondly it took the concept of

10965-478: The park was rebuilt and the library's stacks were built underneath. Further improvements were made in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Though it is owned by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation , Bryant Park is managed by the private not-for-profit organization Bryant Park Corporation , which was founded in 1980 and led the restoration of Bryant Park. The park is cited as

11094-402: The park's east side adjacent to the library. In addition, the park would include four smaller food kiosks, a reflecting pool and water fountain, and a dedicated security team. In 1984, the state passed legislation to allow the BPRC to lease space for such an eatery. The City Planning Commission also approved the structure the following year. However, the proposed café was met with opposition from

11223-464: The park's renaming, in 1883, plans emerged to build a library in Bryant Park, atop the site of the reservoir. The library would be funded by Samuel J. Tilden . This was opposed somewhat by property owners, who wanted to extend the park eastward onto the reservoir site. Nevertheless, by the 1890s, the reservoir was slated for demolition. When the New York Public Library was founded in 1895, its founders wanted an imposing main branch building. The trustees of

11352-499: The park, also named a now-defunct talk show the "Bryant Park Project" upon the show's 2007 launch. Such enthusiasm to use the Bryant Park name would have been nonexistent in the 1980s, when the area was described as "the Wild West". New real-estate developments were also built in the park's vicinity starting in the 21st century, which together added over 13,000 new workers to the area immediately surrounding Bryant Park. These included

11481-432: The park, spending $ 525,000 per year to do so. NYC Parks spent an additional $ 250,000 a year on maintenance, the same amount as when the city had sole control over the park's management. In 1983, HBO 's president, Frank Biondi , gave Heiskell a $ 100,000 check just before the company moved into new headquarters at 1100 Avenue of the Americas, adjacent to the park. At the time, that was the largest donation toward Bryant Park by

11610-763: The park, the George Washington Bicentennial Planning Committee and Sears filed plans for a replica of Lower Manhattan 's Federal Hall in early 1932. During the construction of the replica, part of the park was fenced off. The Dr. Marion Sims and Washington Irving statues were removed; the statues were later found under the Williamsburg Bridge . The replica was opened to the public in May 1932, charging an admission fee for entry. That November, Manhattan parks commissioner Walter R. Herrick formally notified Sears that

11739-617: The park. BPC also oversees the Bryant Park Management Corporation (BPMC), which was created to manage the Bryant Park business improvement district . Although Bryant Park is a public park, BPC accepts no public funds. It was initially supported by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund , but by the 21st century it received funding through tax assessments on surrounding property within the business improvement district, fees from concessionaires, and revenues generated by public events. To obtain accurate data about park usage, BPC counts

11868-550: The park. In an opinion piece in the New York Daily News , Jerome Gartner, a coordinator for the Bryant Park Steering Committee, stated that the mugging of a Union Carbide executive in Bryant Park had been quoted as a reason for the company's moving out of New York City. An initial attempt at cleanup was commenced by the Bryant Park Community Fund in the mid-1970s. Free concerts were added in

11997-420: The past three years and 95 per cent expect their funding will continue to reduce". Parks can be divided into active and passive recreation areas. Active recreation is that which has an urban character and requires intensive development. It often involves cooperative or team activity, including playgrounds , ball fields, swimming pools, gymnasiums, and skateparks . Active recreation such as team sports, due to

12126-400: The plants, the BPC started scattering corn kernels that contained the drug azacosterol , which resulted in many pigeons becoming infertile without any other side effects. Meanwhile, financing for a restaurant in Bryant Park next to the library was finally secured in 1993. The restaurant, Bryant Park Grill, opened in 1995. With security largely under the purview of the BPC, corporate control of

12255-476: The president of the New York Historical since 2004. Beginning in 2005, the museum presented a two-year exhibit on Slavery in New York, its largest theme exhibition in 200 years on a topic which it had never addressed before. It included an art exhibit by artists invited to use museum collections in their works. The Society generally focuses on the developing city center in Manhattan . Another historical society,

12384-457: The principal influences on Olmsted and Calvert's design for New York's Central Park of 1857. Another early public park, the Peel Park, Salford , England, opened on 22 August 1846. Boston Common was purchased for public use grazing cows and as a military parade ground and dump in 1634. It first started to get recreational elements in 1728, arguably making it the first municipal park in

12513-432: The problem of Bryant Park was its perception as an enclosure cut off from the city; he knew that, paradoxically, people feel safer when not cut off from the city, and that they feel safer in the kind of public space they think they have some control over." The renovation was lauded as "The Best Example of Urban Renewal " by New York magazine, and was described by Time as a "small miracle". Many awards followed, including

12642-500: The project, 270 trees were placed around the park. Moses also placed the park's statues along 40th and 42nd Streets so as to block sight lines from these streets. To save money, the project hired workers from the Civil Works Administration , an unemployment relief program. The renovation was complete by late 1934, and after a short postponement, the park reopened that September 15. Parts of the park were closed in

12771-571: The public, as it would obscure the library's rear facade. Several park advocates who opposed it argued that the proposed eatery would turn over part of a public park to a private entity. LeRoy withdrew from the project in 1986 due to this opposition, saying that he feared that the constant reviews of the plan would bring the proposed structure to "mediocrity". The renovation was approved by the City Art Commission in January 1987, though

12900-454: The public.) and some EU states that have mostly recreation grounds for kids to play within a park, but may also have a duck pond, large grassy zones not meant exclusively for sports, many trees, and several bushy places. When it occurs as a separate facility on its own, without any parkland, at a street corner or by a shop, the play facility is called a playground . New York Historical Society The New York Historical (originally

13029-537: The replica had to be torn down, because he did not approve of its proposed conversion into a Great Depression relief center. By the next year, the Bicentennial Committee's funds had been exhausted. The replica was torn down in mid-1933. In an attempt to engage unemployed architects, the Architects' Emergency Committee held a competition for the redesign of Bryant Park in 1933. The winning design

13158-474: The restaurant plan had not yet been approved. Following LeRoy's withdrawal from the proposed Bryant Park café, the BPRC created a new plan with multiple smaller restaurant spaces. The spaces would be composed of two smaller pavilions, each 20 feet (6.1 m) tall with an area of 5,250 square feet (488 m), flanking the Bryant memorial next to the library. In September 1987, the plans went to another vote before

13287-404: The same time as the NYPL's expansion of the main branch's stacks underneath Bryant Park. The project was originally estimated to cost $ 21.6 million and was to be the largest expansion project in the main branch's history; it entailed building 84 miles (135 km) of stacks, which could hold 3.2 million books. Construction on the stacks started after the park was closed. The park was excavated and

13416-548: The sculptures would need to be repaired, and called on William Cullen Bryant's descendants and other entities to provide funding for the restoration of these sculptures. Landscape architect Laurie Olin of Hanna/Olin recalls that the design process focused on "the different abilities of people [who] use these spaces...as well as making spaces that people are comfortable being with each other in." The restoration cost $ 8.9 million, which included $ 5.7 million of city funding and $ 3.2 million of private funding. The renovation took place at

13545-464: The sidewalks of 41st Street on the west end of the park. Four stone stairways were built: one each from Sixth Avenue's intersections with 40th and 42nd Streets, and one each from 40th and 42nd Streets between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. In addition, 42nd Street was widened in 1910, necessitating the relocation of the fence on Bryant Park's northern border and the removal of plants there. The NYPL's Main Branch

13674-449: The success of the open-air library. The tradition of Reading Rooms halted in 1944 due to a staff shortage during World War II . The Reading Room tradition was revived in 2003 with HSBC as its first sponsor. Oxford University Press , Scholastic Corporation , Mitchell's NY, Condé Nast Publications , Time Inc. , Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. , and Rodale, Inc. were among the companies who donated books and publications. In addition to

13803-701: The surrounding sidewalks. The surrounding area contains numerous structures, including the Bank of America Tower and 1095 Avenue of the Americas to the northwest; the Bryant Park Studios , American Radiator Building , Engineers' Club Building , and 452 Fifth Avenue to the south; 461 Fifth Avenue and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library to the southeast; and 500 Fifth Avenue , the Aeolian Building , and

13932-467: The total of concessionaires near Bryant Park to six. Public park Depending on size, budget, and land features, which varies considerably among individual parks, common features include playgrounds , gardens , hiking, running, fitness trails or paths, bridle paths , sports fields and courts, public restrooms, boat ramps, performance venues, or BBQ and picnic facilities. Park advocates claim that having parks near urban residents, including within

14061-435: The wealthy. In The Politics of Park Design: A History of Urban Parks in America, (Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press, 1982), Professor Galen Cranz identifies four phases of park design in the U.S. In the late 19th century, city governments purchased large tracts of land on the outskirts of cities to form "pleasure grounds": semi-open, charmingly landscaped areas whose primary purpose was to allow city residents, especially

14190-680: The weather is perfect for park visitors; and in early February, necessitating the early closure of the park's popular free-admission ice-skating rink. Numerous events are hosted on the lawn at Bryant Park. Bryant Park Movie Nights, begun in the early 1990s, take place on Monday evenings during the summer. Various free musical performances are sponsored by corporations during months with warm weather, including Broadway in Bryant Park , sponsored by iHeartMedia and featuring performers from current Broadway musicals, integrated with content provided by event sponsors. The park has various activity areas open all day long, including board games, chess and backgammon,

14319-499: The winter. Initially slow to gain traction, the Holiday Shops became a fixture of the Manhattan holiday scene in 2005 by expanding into an all-encompassing seasonal destination with the addition of New York's only free-admission ice skating rink . The Shops also include a Norway Spruce tree, as well as a standalone dining and event space. Sponsored by Bank of America , Winter Village can be set up within two weeks. It has transformed

14448-488: The workers, to relax in nature. As time passed and the urban area grew around the parks, land in these parks was used for other purposes, such as zoos, golf courses and museums. These parks continue to draw visitors from around the region and are considered regional parks , because they require a higher level of management than smaller local parks. According to the Trust for Public Land , the three most visited municipal parks in

14577-531: The world are joining together to support local parks that have suffered from urban decay and government neglect. A linear park is a park that has a much greater length than width. A typical example of a linear park is a section of a former railway that has been converted into a park called a rail trail or greenway (i.e. the tracks removed, vegetation allowed to grow back). Some examples of linear parks in North America include New York's High Line and

14706-486: Was New York Divided: Slavery and the Civil War, 1827–1865 , (November 17, 2006 to September 3, 2007), which explored the economy before the war and strong business ties to the South, events related to the war such as the New York City Draft Riots , and other aspects. Southerners visited New York so frequently in the antebellum era that they had favorite hotels. Under the direction of Louise Mirrer,

14835-625: Was also burned down in 1856. The square was used for military drills during the American Civil War , and was the site of some of the New York City draft riots of July 1863, when the Colored Orphan Asylum at Fifth Avenue and 43rd Street was burned down. Reservoir Square was renovated in 1870–1871, during which the modern-day park had been laid out. Several additional structures were planned for Reservoir Square, but never built. These included an 1870 plan for new armory for

14964-424: Was constructed directly underneath. The subway tunnel ran 35 feet (11 m) below ground level with a station at the eastern edge of the park, at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street . During construction, workers took precautions to avoid interrupting the flow of traffic above ground and interfering with preexisting tunnels. The Fifth Avenue station opened in 1926, while the tunnel under Bryant Park to Times Square opened

15093-456: Was described in the media as an example of New York City's 1990s revival. A New York Times article in 1995 referred to the park as the "Town Square of Midtown" and an "office oasis" frequented by midtown office workers. Further improvements included the installation of two newsstands in 1992, one each at Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Open-air concerts in the summers, which drew thousands of people, were commenced. To lessen infestations of pigeons eating

15222-455: Was designed by York & Sawyer in a classic Roman Eclectic style . The building, along Central Park West between 76th and 77th Streets, is a New York City designated landmark . A renovation, completed in November 2011, made the building more accessible to the public, provided space for an interactive children's museum, and facilitated access to its collections. Louise Mirrer has been

15351-611: Was erected on the eastern side of the park site due to its elevated location. In 1853, the Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations with the New York Crystal Palace, featuring thousands of exhibitors, took place in the park. The Crystal Palace, also known as the Great Exhibition Hall, burned down in 1858. The Latting Observatory was also constructed in the park as part of the 1853 Exhibition, and

15480-478: Was frequently used for patriotic rallies, and a "war garden" and a "recreation building" for Allied soldiers was erected in the park. After the end of the war in 1920, an experimental garden was placed in the park and the recreation building was destroyed. During construction of the IRT Flushing Line in the 1920s, the northern segment of Bryant Park was partly closed for four years while the subway line

15609-684: Was made in 1946 when the city conducted a survey to determine the feasibility of such a garage. Parks commissioner Moses opposed the plan. A parking garage was proposed again in 1958, with plans for 1,200 spaces, though Moses also opposed this proposal. This proposal was backed by the Avenue of the Americas Association. However, though Mayor Robert F. Wagner Jr. supported the proposal, the New York City Planning Commission voted against it in November 1961. By

15738-412: Was named interim director of the Historical Society. In the same year hundreds of paintings, decorative art objects, and other artifacts, which were stored in a Manhattan warehouse, were found to be critically deteriorating. Many of the objects were on long-term loan to the museum. In 1995, grants from the city and state restored public access under the direction of Betsy Gotbaum . Since the late 1990s,

15867-530: Was of secondary importance. As urban land prices climbed, new urban parks in the 1960s and after have been mainly pocket parks . One example of a pocket park is Chess Park in Glendale, California. The American Society of Landscape Architects gave this park a General Design Award of Honor in 2006. These small parks provide greenery, a place to sit outdoors, and often a playground for children. All four types of park continue to exist in urban areas. Because of

15996-588: Was opened on May 23, 1911. Due to its central location in Midtown Manhattan, several transit lines and infrastructure projects were also built around Bryant Park. The first of these was the Sixth Avenue Elevated railway, which opened in 1878. The city's first subway line , now part of the 42nd Street Shuttle , was opened in 1904 by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) and ran directly under 42nd Street. In

16125-547: Was rented out to the Batthyány family to carry out such a project but the city had eventually taken back control and in 1813 announced a design competition to finally finish the park; works started in 1816. An early purpose-built public park, although financed privately, was Princes Park in the Liverpool suburb of Toxteth . This was laid out to the designs of Joseph Paxton from 1842 and opened in 1843. The land on which

16254-410: Was slightly better than in previous years, though drug dealers still frequented the park after office workers had gone back to work following their lunch breaks. Furthermore, NYPD officers initially declined to arrest drug users who were nonviolent. Starting in 1979, a coordinated program of amenities, including book and flower markets, landscape improvements, and entertainment activities, was initiated by

16383-472: Was submitted by Lusby Simpson, of Queens . However, due to a lack of funding, the winning design was not implemented immediately. In February 1934, under the leadership of newly appointed parks commissioner Robert Moses , work was started on Simpson's plan. The renovated park featured a great lawn, as well as hedges and later an iron fence that separated the park from the surrounding city streets. Two entrances each were added from 40th and 42nd Streets. As part of

16512-521: Was subsequently upgraded in 2008. Furthermore, the Pond, a free-admission ice skating rink , opened in the park in 2005. The park's public restrooms were renovated in 2006 and in 2017. The dramatic rise in real estate values in the area around Bryant Park, as well as new construction in adjacent areas, was a consequence of the park's improvements. By 1993, the surrounding region had become a highly desirable office area, and formerly vacant office space around

16641-489: Was the temporary capital, the building had been unoccupied since the government's relocation to Philadelphia in 1790. In 1816, the Historical Society moved to the New York Institution, formerly the city almshouse on City Hall Park . In 1857, it moved into the first building constructed specifically for its collections, at the then-fashionable intersection of Second Avenue and 11th Street, where it stayed for

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