The original 1966 Ruppert Urban Renewal Project Plan and subsequent revisions recognized that the area suffered from a severe lack of park and open space. It noted that "inadequate recreational and community facilities” were contributing to the “unsatisfactory living conditions to the immediate area and in the general neighborhood." Although the Plan's objectives were to try to rectify these deficiencies by creating new parks and open spaces, the Plan was deeply flawed as it fell significantly short in adequately addressing the community’s needs. It allocated only one permanent and one temporary "interim" park.

In its April 20, 1966 report designating the 20 plus acre Ruppert Area for urban renewal, the City Planning Commission recommended just one public park. This oversight was adopted by the Housing and Development Administration (HDA) - the owner of the site - two years later when their proposed plan called for a "special provision for adequate open space through the provision of a public park." Neither City Planning nor HDA's "adequate open space" plan adequately addressed the community's severe park and open space deficiency. The Plan was adopted despite much public criticism at the time for its lack of open space as well as for other issues.

Since the Department of City Planning's designation in 1966, the need for parks and open space in the community has only grown more dire. Density has increased dramatically as numerous high-rise buildings have been built in the immediate area. The flawed Plan did not adequately factor in future development in the area or its impacts.

In 1983 the City's Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) sold the interim playground against the community's wishes to The Related Companies - one of the country’s most successful and politically connected developers. The deal was spearheaded by Peter Joseph, executive vice president of the Related Companies and a former deputy commissioner of HPD. The sale - made during the Koch administration - exacerbated the neighborhood's park and open space deficiency and undermined community efforts to acquire the site for use as dedicated parkland. The sale of the land also destroyed an important opportunity to help address this deficiency. The current administration, including the Department of City Planning, must address this issue.

On June 30, 2008, the 1983 Land Disposition Agreement between HPD and Carnegie Park Associates (The Related Companies) expired. The end of this agreement allowed Related Companies to develop the park.

The original Ruppert Urban Renewal Project Plan was approved four decades ago. Much has changed since then. Allowing this vital public space to be developed is inconsistent with an important provision of the original intention of the Plan. It is also inconsistent with the needs of this community.

The community fought hard to get this park. Residents came together in the 70’s to remove rubble left over from the Ruppert Brewery in order to clear a space for children to play. They attended meetings with city agencies to advocate for the creation of a proper park. Those efforts were successful. The former trash strewn, garbage dump land was converted into a communty asset. Ruppert Playground was constructed in 1978 under the Interim Site Improvement Program (ISIP) using Federal Community Development (CD) grants. The playground officially opened on October 28, 1978 with great fanfare. Since that time, the community has advocated to make the park permanent. So far its efforts have been unsuccessful, but since that time the community has become better organized and its voices are growing louder. With the continued efforts of the community and the help of our elected officials, the community can ultimately succeed to preserve Ruppert Playground. (For more on the History of the playground click here)

Allowing this heavily-used park to be developed will have a serious impact on the quality of life for tens of thousands of residents. The park's basketball, tennis courts, handball courts, tot lot and sitting areas service a wide variety of inter-generational and multi-ethic park users.

It is a unique public space where teenagers, pre-schoolers, adults and seniors coexist in one of the more successful democratic park spaces in NYC. The park is used 365 days a year and has more than a dozen trees and provides natural habitat for numerous species of birds. This small heavily utilized park is a respite for many and provides desperately-needed recreational and green amenities. It is a haven for not only the Yorkville working class that dominate the area, but also for individuals and families from the neighborhood's full socioeconomic range.

CONTACT ELECTED OFFICIALS:
Please spend a few minutes and contact your local elected officials and city agencies to voice your opposition and ask them for their help. Please call AND send letters/e-mails. (Click here for Contacts) and (Click here for a sample letter and talking points) We also ask that you to contact City Planning, Housing Preservation Department and the Related Companies.