One of Central Park’smost dramatic focal points, Belvedere Castle, underwent a comprehensive restoration undertaken by the Central Park Conservancy. Conceived as an architectural folly in original plans for the park, the castle had fallen into disrepair following its use as a weather station until the 1960s. In 2019, the Conservancy completed a comprehensive restoration that, in addition to recreating long-ago lost elements of the original design, addressed the unique challenges of a building that was constructed as open air pavilion in the form of a miniature gothic castle.

The masonry restoration addressed the pervasive water infiltration that has long impacted the castle's structure and will guarantee the building's longevity. Both the main terrace and the Belvedere's wood pavilions were restored in accordance with the castle's original drawings. The paving of the main terrace now includes contrasting tones of bluestone in a checkerboard pattern, and the wood pavilion at the northwest corner now has a recreated tower element.

The most transformational aspect of the restoration is the new windows. When constructed, the castle was an open air pavilion with no windows frames to obstruct the visitor's view. The previous windows were replaced with clear-pane glass, making the views from within once again unobstructed.

I have had the pleasure of working with the outstanding Central Park team, especially Chris Nolan and Lane Addonizio for many years and I know firsthand their deep knowledge and fidelity to Olmsted’s timeless design. Restoring, designing, and operating Central Park, one of the most famous historic landscapes in the world, is the most challenging, scrutinized undertaking anyone can imagine. This team, now led by the impressive and unflappable Betsy Smith, has conquered not only the highest mountain (literally the highest elevation) but one of the most iconic views of this beloved park, making it more welcoming and accessible than ever before. Chris deserves particular recognition for his mastery of not only Olmsted’s vision for Central Park, but his willingness to take on every challenger, attend every public meeting, respectfully respond to every question and objection. To his tremendous credit, he recognizes the heat of the opposing view comes from the same passion that has driven him as the lead landscape architect of Central Park for two decades. Quality, integrity, and tremendous perseverance is what a project like Belvedere requires, and the Central Park team has that unlike any other.

- Amy Freitag
Executive Director, The J.M. Kaplan Fund

Central Park might be the most famous and best loved example of pastoral landscape architecture in the United States, but for Upper East Siders, it is also our brilliant backyard. If you’ve ever wondered how our extraordinary emerald oasis became a reality, The Central Park: Original Designs for New York's Greatest Treasure is where you'll find the answers. The book offers a more complete understanding of the development and early history of Central Park than ever before, providing a lush look at the park’s creation, illustrated by early examples of Olmsted and Vaux’s extraordinary vision.

The book by Cynthia Brenwall, a conservator with the New York City Municipal Archives, pairs the City’s remarkable collection of original drawings for park features large and small (from complete buildings to intricate, technical drawings for tree grates) with a detailed historical account of the park’s creation. Many of the 250+ color photos, maps, plans, elevations, and designs were published for the first time in this volume, and reveal the meticulous attention to detail by Olmsted, Vaux, and the many other players discussed in the book, that went into planning Central Park.

Is it happenstance that the hero in The Central Park is not one man whose genius of the place is always on the tip of everyone’s tongue, but indeed many heroes - those who drew, designed, engineered and built those buildings and bridges, follies, balustrades, waterfalls, roads and invisible infrastructures et cetera which punctuate and define the landscapes every turn?
The names of these players unfold in a plot which takes place over a period of decades from 1858 to present; they disappear and then return ten years later: yes, there is Frederick Law Olmsted but what about the men whose visions advanced and articulated Olmsted’s dreams besides their own? Calvert Vaux, Jacob Wrey Mould, Samuel Parsons, Ignaz Pilat, Julius Munckwitz, Egbert Viele and William H Grant and the many draftsmen whose command of the Beaux Arts vernacular predates any American’s enrollment in the prestigious Ecole des Beaux Arts decades later. The Central Park at times reads like a novel, commands our attention with art historical nuances and provides us all with an invaluable and refreshing account of what we think we know but tells us that there is much to learn, and in no small debt to the author’s knowledge of the Municipal Archives collection of 1500 Central Park drawings.

- Arete Warren
Historian of Art and Architecture and FRIENDS Board Member

The livability of our neighborhoods goes well beyond the aesthetics of our buildings. So much of our neighborhood character comes from the very lively streets, full of local shops and people. It is essential that the public space that connects us to our community is an inviting and pleasant one, especially in a city as dense and busy as New York.

Over the past few months we have noticed a greater number of new trees popping up in our neighborhood - including one right next to FRIENDS' office. The new trees come with a "I'M YOUR NEW TREE" tag, containing information about the tree's species and a QR code for additional information about how to care for the street's newest addition.

During Fiscal Year 2019, the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation planted 78 news trees within Community Board 8, and their database show another 200+ locations that will welcome new trees in the future. Do you want to find out if a new tree is coming to your street? Check the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation tree planting map here.

In a city as dense as New York, street trees can be the difference between a gracious, dynamic sidewalk and a hard, uninviting streetscape. They are the lungs of our city, and unlike the average traffic light or hydrant, this urban forest needs careful, ongoing tending. In neighborhoods across the five boroughs, NYC Parks plays the role of neighborhood gardener, acting as a steward to our more than 692,892 street trees. But the ones each New Yorker feels most passionate about are those that shade and enliven the blocks they call home. That makes the addition of 78 new trees to Upper East Side streets (and 200 more to come!) truly worthy of celebration. Congratulations to NYC Parks for the 2020 Streetscape Award. And thank you to the FRIENDS of the Upper East Side Historic Districts for recognizing this valuable contribution to New York life!

- Elizabeth Goldstein
President, The Municipal Art Society of New York

In May 2019, the New York City Council voted to amend the Zoning Resolution to cap exempt mechanical void space within new buildings in residential neighborhoods. This ruling is a small but powerful step towards closing commonly-abused “loopholes” and restoring predictability to new construction.

Resolution No. 916, limits the height on exempt mechanical spaces to 25 feet, or about twice the height that will reasonably accommodate residential mechanical equipment, and determines that such spaces must be spread at least 75 feet in height from one another. Though the 25 foot threshold is generous, it is far more reasonable than the empty spaces exceeding 100 feet within new buildings that do nothing to provide community benefits, affordable housing, or an adequate number of units to address the city’s rapidly increasing population.

It is important to note that this zoning text amendment will only cover enclosed mechanical voids in buildings within Manhattan’s highest density residential districts (R9 and R10 and equivalent). While a powerful step, the scope of this legislation is quite narrow and focuses only on certain voids in certain districts. It will also not comprehensively address such other loopholes as the lack of a codified minimum lot size that prevents developments from evading zoning requirements, or using mechanical voids in commercial districts. However, it is an important first step and “foot in the door,” so to speak, toward the implementation of future measures to ensure predictable growth and protecting the livability of our city.

The Council's vote provided another tool to protect the character of our neighborhoods. Click here to read more about what the amendment does to keep out of scale development in check.

New Yorkers deprived of many aspects of life during the bleak and unsettling days of the virus have a renewed appreciation for the fresh air and the sunlight that endow our streets and public spaces. In most of the world sunlight and air are taken for granted but in New York they have been preserved only through the diligence of citizens and from time to time the intervention of enlightened public officials. 100 years ago the skyscraper was born (made possible by the development of steel skeleton frame construction and the invention of the elevator). New York was thrilled by the possibilities but quickly realized that without some kind of controls our streets would be cast in perpetual gloom. The City government responded and adopted the pioneering controls of the first Zoning Resolution to preserve the basic amenity of air and light so essential to human life. Over the last century there have been many skirmishes pitting the energy and ingenuity and political influence of developers against citizen protectors. It's doubtful the battles will abate (this after all is New York, ever restless and famous for only one continuity, the certainty of change).

But this year there is something to celebrate. The New York City Council recognizing that a heretofore unknown or at least unexploited zoning loophole excluding space defined as "mechanical" was creating a wave of sun-blocking skyscrapers of unprecedented height solely for the purpose of adding value to penthouse views. Resolution No. 916 is not a household word but it is the first and a good beginning to curb a reckless and unjustified assault on the sun. FRIENDS salutes the Council for taking this pioneering step (and is especially grateful to our local Council Member, Ben Kallos for his leadership). Therefore, though socially distanced, we raise a glass to the Council for your hard work and courage. Thank you! May the sun shine upon you as you continue work to guard against the shadows that needlessly threaten our streets in neighborhoods across the City.

- Kent Barwick
Former Chair, New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission