Elizabeth Street Garden — Local services in New York

Elizabeth Street Garden is a one-acre (0.40 ha) community sculpture garden in the Nolita neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, located on Elizabeth Street between Prince and Spring Streets. The garden is managed by the eponymous Elizabeth Street Garden (ESG), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and open to the public for general use and community events.

The garden is owned by the city and privately leased to a corporation owned by Alan Reiver called Elizabeth Street, Inc. It is open to the public, depending on the weather and the availability of volunteers. Neighborhood volunteers operate it year-round, and organize a calendar of free public events, ranging from education, wellness, and the arts.

In March 2019, ESG filed a lawsuit to stop the proposed development, represented by Norman Siegel, arguing among other things that the city had to carry out an environmental impact statement addressing the impact to the neighborhood of losing this green space. In June 2019, the City Council voted unanimously to proceed with the Haven Green development. This was projected to have 123 non-permanent affordable apartments for seniors, programming for its residents, luxury ground-floor retail, 11,200 square feet of office space for one of the developer partners, Habitat NYC, and approximately 6,600 square feet of privately-owned open space. Councilmember Margaret Chin and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer both supported the redevelopment, however it was opposed by community members, the local community board, and state Senators and Assembly members. Chin disputed the garden's use as a longstanding public space, saying "It was never open to the public until they heard that the site was going to be designated for affordable housing." In November 2022, the New York Supreme Court ruled that the city had to conduct an environmental impact statement before proceeding with the construction. In June 2023, the Appellate Division, First Department, unanimously reversed and found that the City's environmental assessment was...

Tucked away in the heart of SoHo, Elizabeth Street Garden is a place like no other in New York City. It’s a little slice of serenity amidst the hustle and bustle, offering a break from the relentless energy of the streets. Whether you’ve been shopping or just navigating the concrete jungle, stepping into this garden feels like entering another world.

What makes this place so magical is the way it blends art and nature. Beautiful sculptures are scattered throughout, surrounded by vibrant flowers and greenery that seem to come alive with each season. There’s a special kind of calm here, an almost magical ambience that’s hard to find anywhere else in the city.

One of my favorite things to do here is to find a quiet spot, pull out a good book, and snack on fresh figs straight from the fig tree. It really feels like a secret haven right in the middle of SoHo.

But Elizabeth Street Garden is more than just a pretty place. It’s a true community hub, hosting a variety of events that bring people together. From poetry readings and movie nights to art shows and live music, there’s always something happening here. These events add to the garden’s charm and make it a lively spot where culture, art, and nature all come together.

It’s also a great place to socialize and meet interesting people who visit the garden. The friendly, welcoming atmosphere encourages conversation, and you’ll often find yourself chatting with someone new, whether it's a fellow New Yorker or a traveler discovering the garden for the first time.

Whether you're a local or just visiting, Elizabeth Street Garden is a must-see. It’s a place you’ll want to come back to again and again, to experience the peace, beauty, community spirit, and vibrant social scene that make...

You wander down Elizabeth Street and stumble into a place that shouldn’t exist in Manhattan anymore. A garden, but not the manicured kind. This one feels like an eccentric old aunt’s backyard after she’s had a few too many chardonnays and decided to collect marble heads, Greek columns, and stone lions. Sculptures are tucked between overgrown greenery and gravel paths. Nothing matches. That’s the beauty of it.

It smells like soil and leaves, which is rare in this city unless you’re in a park that comes with a $10 latte stand. There’s no soundtrack except the occasional bird and the distant groan of delivery trucks on Houston. The unexpected part is how much you can breathe here. Like the air didn’t get the memo it’s supposed to be laced with exhaust.

Start with a coffee from Café Gitane a block away and sit by the window to watch Nolita strut past. Walk it off down Mott Street and let yourself get lost in the little shops selling things you’ll never need but kind of want. End up at the garden. Find a bench in the sun. Pretend you’re in some hidden corner of Europe until the city noise finally catches up with you.

This isn’t Central Park and that’s the point. It’s smaller, stranger, and all the...