Savemadisonsquarepark's Blog

The Mission of Madison Square Park Conservancy As Cultural Institution or Park Caretaker?

rsvpnotneeded — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 17:58:33 +0000

TV Monitors in a tree disguised as art. Jacco Olivier
Mad. Sq. Art

The Madison Square Park Conservancy has announced the hiring of a permanent full time curator to head the parks art program. Since 2004 there have been over 23 art installations. This raises the question of what is the mission of the conservancy at all. Debbie Landau, president of the conservancy said “The Madison Square Park Conservancy is a cultural institution”.

This helps explain their growing budget and hunger for revenue generating events in the park. In 2011 just one installation, the Jaume Plensa sculpture, cost the park over $620,000.

In the ultimate case of Mission Creep Debbie landau has compromised her stewardship of the park. The increased activity of fundraising compromises the ability to enjoy the park. It would be hard to argue that Corporate Branding Events add in any positive way to the park visitors experience. Additionally the installation and decomisioning of these large installations are often disruptive in themselves involving cranes, trucks, riggers and construction.
Read more: http://www.dnainfo.com/20120312/murray-hill-gramercy/madison-square-park-get-permanent-art-curator#ixzz1rZ7eSs1d

Madison Square Parks Sells Out to Pimp Anything For Money. Park For Profit , Loud Sound Systems in Madison Square Park. Windows Phone Time Machine

rsvpnotneeded — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 17:19:58 +0000

Madison Sqaure Parks Sells Out to Pimp Anything For Money.
Park For Profit , Loud Sound Systems in Madison Square Park. Windows Phone Time Machine

Democratic Ideal of Park for All Gives Way to VIP Areas.

rsvpnotneeded — Wed, 25 May 2011 01:10:00 +0000

Elitist principles replace democratic ideals for park administrators.

VIP Areas in a Park?

This weekend yet another large event is to take place in Madison Square Park. The Big Apple Barbecue Block Party. This is a big draw to the park bringing quite a large crowd. The well heeled can purchase special VIP tickets for 500.00. These tickets entitle one to a special VIP TENT where they do not have to wait online like the rest of the masses, comes complete with a special gift basket.

In a time where the divide between rich and poor is growing this flies in the face of the democratic ideal of park as place for average New Yorker who does not own a house in the Hamptons.

A Facebook page has been created The Big Apple BBQ is too Damn Big for Madison Square Park

SOBE Marketing Event and Shake Shack, Perfect Storm of Pimping Out a Park for Profit

rsvpnotneeded — Wed, 25 May 2011 00:41:32 +0000

Sobe Event and Shake Shack, Perfect Storm of Pimping Out a Park for Profit

Today SOBE is building a stage and lights for a marketing event to take place tomorrow. Forklifts and equipment converge with the line of people waiting for the Shake Shake to make a very unpleasant experience for park goers.

Another Day Another Dollar

Forklifts and stage equipment crowd out park users, again

google-site-verification: googlefc237193f229055b.html

Delta Dugout Brings Trucks and Generators to the Park

rsvpnotneeded — Mon, 23 May 2011 04:28:43 +0000

Park like experience ,GONE. Corporate Branding is in.

Make no mistake about the scale of the corporate branding events, they are huge and completely dominate the park. Again the Madison Square Park Conservancy and Debbie Landau subjugate the role of park as a place to enjoy trees, quite and clean air to the role of park as rental event space.

Delta Dugout to Park Users, Agree to Our Terms or GET OUT! Debbie Landau

rsvpnotneeded — Mon, 23 May 2011 04:19:12 +0000

Agree to our terms to use your park or GET OUT

Delta Dugout takes over the park and if you wish to use the park
 you must agree to grant permission for your likeness and voice
 to be included therin without compensation, credit or any other
 consideration (I SHOULD SAY SO!) for online and on_air promotion
 use by The Delta Dugout and it's partners. 
Here is the most outrageous part...
If you do not wish to be photographed, recorded, or appear under these conditions,
 you should leave immediately.

Delta Dugout at Madison Square Park, Beloved Park Sold to Corporate Schills

rsvpnotneeded — Fri, 20 May 2011 02:27:29 +0000

Corporate Branding Replaces Nature at Park this Weekend

JUMBOTRONS and Generators

Beloved Park sold to Corporate Schills

A shill or plant is a person who helps another person or organization to sell goods or services without disclosing that he or she has a close relationship with the seller. The shill pretends to have no association with the seller/group and gives onlookers the impression that he or she is an enthusiastic independent customer. The person or group that hires the shill is using crowd psychology, to encourage other onlookers or audience members (who are unaware of the set-up) to purchase the said goods or services.

Madison Square Park Flowers

rsvpnotneeded — Thu, 19 May 2011 03:36:33 +0000

The north end of the park smells like sweet flowers, the south end of the park still smells like cheesburgers.

Community Board 5 Puts Limits On Mad Sq Conservancy

rsvpnotneeded — Mon, 09 May 2011 03:23:17 +0000

Here are some of the most important resolutions…

Madison Square Conservancy, Event Application.

WHEREAS, Community Board Five has expressed on going concern with the size, scope and frequency of several commercial events conducted by the Madison Square Park Conservancy (“Conservancy”) over the past year; and

WHEREAS, In an effort to address these concerns the Conservancy has agreed with the Community Board Five Parks Committee to provide a comprehensive list of Conservancy sponsored events in the beginning of January of each year; and

WHEREAS, The Conservancy has submitted event plans with generally the same genre of events, same frequency and form as 2006, with one notable exception to be addressed below; and

WHEREAS, The Conservancy uses best efforts to work with the local community, Community Board and other concerned stake holder to address issues which arise during the programs presented throughout the year; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That Community Board Five recommends approval of the 2007 Public Program Agenda submitted by the Conservancy with the following exceptions, caveats and requests:

Specific plans for the Big Apple Barbeque and the US Open, events which have grown in size and scope over time, will be submitted well in advance to Community Board Five for approval on an individual and ongoing basis.
A new event, Madison Square Studio, with two performances is not approved at this time because it is an additional commercial event with all of the associated pitfalls in a park where we believe there is an over-saturation of commercial activity. However, the Conservancy heard the concerns of the Parks Committee regarding this additional event and may return to the Board for approval during the year should they choose to address the concerns discussed.
The Conservancy works closely with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation to communicate any changes or additions to these events, or any other events which Parks conducts in the Madison Square Park, to Community Board Five on a timely basis so that the Board has the opportunity to comment on the changes or additions.

The Conservancy continues to be mindful of Community Board Five’s concern with the over-commercialization of Madison Square Park and cooperate, to the extent possible, to support the Board’s efforts to balance park use between commercial and non-commercial use.

The above resolution passed with a vote of 36 in favor, 0 opposed, 1 abstention.

New York City Department of Parks and Recreation Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Operation of Specialty Pet Treat Carts in Central Park, Madison Square Park, Tompkins Square Park, Union Square Park and Washington Square Park

WHEREAS, New York City Department of Parks and Recreation has issued an RFP for the Operation of Specialty Pet Treat Carts in Central Park, Madison Square Park, Tompkins Square Park, Union Square Park and Washington Square Park; and

WHEREAS, The parks identified in the RFP are already congested; and

WHEREAS, This will invite another commercial venture into our parks; therefore be it

RESOLVED, Community Board Five is opposed to locating specialty pet treat carts in our parks; and be if further

RESOLVED, If the City decides to move forward with this RFP in spite of Community Board Five opposition, the Board requests the following:

A limit of one cart per park, located adjacent to the dog run.
Only pet treats may be sold.
There is an effort to ensure pet treats will be affordable.

There will be aggressive enforcement of illegal vendors in the park.

The above resolution passed with a vote of 30 in favor, 4 opposed, 1 abstention.

Union Square Hospitality Group

WHEREAS, Union Square Hospitality Group has applied for:

A special events permit for the use of Madison Square Park for a Big Apple Barbeque on Saturday, June 9th and Sunday, June 10th ; and
A Street Activity permit for Saturday, June 9th and Sunday, June 10th on Madison Avenue, between East 23rd and East 26th Streets, and

WHEREAS, The applicant remains aware of the continuing concerns of the residential community about noise, litter, property damage, and security as they relate to the use of Madison Square Park for large-scale special events; and

WHEREAS, Community Board Five is aware of the problems caused by the unparalleled number of additional events of street activities in the Madison Square area and these problems multiply when major thoroughfare is closed; and

WHEREAS, The applicant’s event has far outgrown the Madison Square Park area’s capacity, therefore Community Board Five would like to see this event be directed to a more suitable and less often used location; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That Community Board Five recommends denial of the application by Union Square Hospitality Group a Street Activity and Parks Special Event permit and urges the city to work with the applicant to find an alternative location for the applicant’s event.

The above resolution passed with a vote of 23 in favor, 12 opposed, 1 abstention.

Diversity Foundation, application for a street festival on Madison Avenue, between 23rd and 26th Streets on Sunday, September 16, 2007

WHEREAS, Diversity Foundation has submitted an application for a permit to hold an event on Madison Avenue, between 23rd and 26th Streets on Sunday, September 16, 2007; and

WHEREAS, Community Board Five is oversaturated with street events and has major concerns about vehicular and pedestrian traffic when a major thoroughfare is closed; and

WHEREAS, Community Board Five would like to see new applicants directed to more suitable and less used locations; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That Community Board Five recommends denial of the application Diversity Foundation for a street festival permit on Madison Avenue, between 23rd to 26th Streets on Sunday, September 16, 2007.

The above resolution passed with a vote of 26 in favor, 7 opposed, 2 abstentions.

Victories in Fighting Commercialism in Madison Square Park

rsvpnotneeded — Mon, 09 May 2011 03:15:14 +0000

Madison Square Market too Ugly to Live, Committee Says

January 4, 2011 3:58pm Updated January 5, 2011 6:45am1comment print

Community Board 5 members gripe that the market feels like an ordinary street fair.

The annual Madison Square Market has earned mixed reviews from community members. (Flickr/flickr4jazz)

By Jill Colvin

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

MIDTOWN — A committee of Midtown’s Community Board 5 voted to shutter the popular “Mad. Sq.Mark’t” Monday night, citing cramped sidewalks and ugly displays.

The third annual market event had been set to return to the Flatiron District’s Madison Square Park from Sept. 24 through Oct. 22.

Last year, the market earned praise from local bloggers thanks to its foodie-friendly offerings from eateries including Resto, Almond, Ilili, Brooklyn’s Roberta’s pizzeria and Fatty ‘Cue.

The fair also featured clothing, jewelry, pottery, candles, handbags, and other home furnishings and gifts.

But members of Board 5’s Parks Committee voted unanimously to deny the request for an encore, with complaints that the market blocks local residents’ access to sidewalks and lasts much too long.

Some criticized the look of the vending booths and the quality of merchandise on display. Others said it creates a wall that makes it harder to access the park.

“To me it just looked like another street fair,” board member Tom Miller said.

The event now goes to the full board for a vote.

When organizers came before the committee last year, members urged them to consider shortening the duration to less than a month to make it less of a hassle for locals. They also asked for more local merchants to make the event more of a draw.

Community Board 5 has had long-standing concerns about the size and frequency of events in the park, and requires the Madison Square Park Conservancy, which co-produces the event, to provide members with a comprehensive list of events it plans to sponsor in January each year.

Before the vote, Tom Reidy, the director of park operations for the Conservancy, disagreed with the committee, telling them he thought last year’s event had been a success.

“We were really happy with it this year. We got a lot of really positive feedback,” Reidy said.

Online reviewers agreed.

“They have an excellent set of food vendors and the crafts vendors are pretty good too,” wrote one fan on theonline review site Yelp. “I’m seeing more things that I’d actually buy rather than the usual ‘um, is that mass produced in China?’ stuff.”

Another user called the market a “refuge in a concrete city.”

The event typically generates $150,000 for the Conservancy, Reidy said.

Mike Rucker, director communications at the Conservancy, said it is too early to say how the vote might impact its decision to stage the event.

Earlier in the meeting, the committee voted to approve a host of other events in the square sponsored by the group, including an annual broadcast of the US Open matches in September and a viewing of the Mets/Yankees games on a large screen on the weekends of May 20 and July 1.