Photo © Brooklyn Botanic Garden
An outdoor exhibition featuring dozens of artist-made birdhouses will open at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden next month. Debuting on June 11, “For the Birds” highlights the connection between birds, plants, and the importance of protecting plant ecosystems. The installation coincides with the release of “For the Birds: The Birdsong Project,” a multi-album collection of original songs and readings inspired by birds compiled by music supervisor Randall Poster.
Magnolias in Herbert Von King Park (2020). Photo courtesy of NYC Parks
A reward for getting through winter, the first blooms of spring have been spotted in New York City, ushering in a new season of warmer, longer days and outdoor activities. While cherry blossoms are a definite favorite, there are a variety of flowers and trees that bring new life and vibrancy to parks in every borough. The city’s Parks Department last week released a “signs of spring” timeline to keep track of the season’s flowering plants. Plus, the cherry blossom trackers from both the New York Botanical Garden and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, which follow the progress of trees from bud to blossom, are back for the season.
It’s sometimes hard to see New York’s romantic potential, considering the city’s sheer quantity of subway rats and mysterious street sludge. But despite some of New York’s less love-inspiring qualities, there are a lot of beautiful, heart-stopping spots that set the right tone for romance, even if you have to contend with yellow snow on your way home. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, we’ve rounded up our 10 favorites, from a medieval monastery to a cozy restaurant haunted by Aaron Burr to tried-and-true favorites like the top of the Empire State Building.
Rendering: NYC Department of City Planning
The City Planning Commission this week voted unanimously to reject a rezoning application that would allow for two high-rise towers in Crown Heights next to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, ending the uniform land use review procedure for the project. First unveiled by developers Continuum Companies and Lincoln Equities in 2019, the plan called for a pair of 34-story towers with over 1,500 units of housing on a lot at 960 Franklin Avenue. The commission’s decision came after a more than a two-year campaign against the project by the garden, which claimed the towers would block necessary light from shining on its greenhouses.
Birdwatching in Prospect Park, courtesy of the Prospect Park Alliance on Flickr
With hundreds of parks and over 500 miles of waterfront, New York City is an excellent place for bird watching. The five boroughs serve as a temporary and permanent home to over 400 species of bird, thanks to both habitat diversity and location on the Atlantic Flyway, the route birds follow during migrations. From Pelham Bay Park in the northeast Bronx down to Great Kills Park on the South Shore of Staten Island, there is no shortage of birding activities in New York. With spring migration underway, we’ve rounded up the best places to find feathered friends throughout the city, most of which are accessible via public transportation. For guided bird watching tours and walks, check out events from NYC Parks, NYC Audubon, and the Linnaean Society of New York.
Rendering: NYC Department of City Planning
The developers behind a controversial proposal to build a pair of high-rise towers in Crown Heights next to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden have put forth a revised plan that would slash the building height and the number of affordable units offered. As first reported by The City, Continuum Company and Lincoln Equities launched a new project website that describes a 17-story residential building at 960 Franklin Avenue as an alternative to the 34-story project currently under review by the city.
Photo courtesy of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s fight against two high-rise towers in Crown Heights continues this week with the opening of a new educational exhibit. The display is part of the garden’s larger “Fight for Sunlight” campaign opposing a proposal from developers to amend the area’s current zoning and build two 39-story towers across the street. The garden argues the proposed towers on Franklin Avenue would obstruct necessary light from shining on the garden’s 23 greenhouses, nurseries, and growing spaces, putting rare plants at risk.
Image courtesy of NYC Department of City Planning
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is voicing concern over a proposal that would allow real-estate developers to amend the area’s zoning—which currently caps building heights at 75 feet—in order to build two 39-story towers close enough to the botanic grounds to obstruct sunlight in key parts of the garden, including the bonsai collection and desert pavilion. The proposal is subject to city approval and a public hearing will be heard today, with officials from the BBG in attendance, as the Wall Street Journal reported.
In a city where hundreds of interesting events occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Ahead Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer shares her top picks for 6sqft readers!
Spring has sprung, and what better way to celebrate than an afternoon of leisure under the cherry blossoms at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden? You can also spend the day outdoors discovering the non-profit art centers of Soho, head upstate for a truly unique sound experience at Basilica Hudson, or join Creative Time at the Greenwood Cemetery for an event with artist Sophie Calle. Indoors, Stefan Falke’s photographs of artists living along the Mexico/U.S. border provide for a provocative gallery experience, while the Arsenal Gallery in Central Park hosts a group show curated by Antecedent Projects.
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