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Parks & Public Spaces
Southwest Porch/Bryant Park Corporation - presentation of proposed modifications and improvemens to Southwest Porch
WHEREAS, Bryant Park Corporation has presented Community Board Five with a detailed informational overview of their proposed modifications and improvements to the Southwest Porch during our Parks Committee meeting on Monday February 28, 2011; and
WHEREAS, The Southwest Porch is a successful free public amenity which had been temporarily installed two years ago in what was once underutilized park space - the area surrounding the food and drink kiosk in the south west of Bryant Park; and
WHEREAS, Currently, the Southwest Porch features a deck, pergola, fire pits, heating lamps, lighting at night, power outlets, Wi-Fi, tables, seating, daybeds, and umbrellas; and
WHEREAS, Southwest Airlines is the corporate sponsor for the Southwest Porch; and
WHEREAS, The existing deck abuts an ivy bed, and due to this pervious design oversight, some people have carelessly walked through the ivy either to enter onto or exit off of the Southwest Porch;
WHEREAS, The proposed design for the new deck incorporates an ivy protection path and railing, thus encouraging people not to walk through the ivy bed; and
WHEREAS, The proposed design for the new deck would also include additional railings which better define entrances and exits, and also reduces the amount of barricades to direct foot traffic; and
WHEREAS, The existing pergola, which extends over the bluestone path, is somewhat bulky, and has no relation with the style of the kiosk; and
WHEREAS, The proposed design for the new, less bulky pergola would be more harmonious with the kiosk, and would no longer extend over the bluestone path;
WHEREAS, The current pergola's hanging plants would be replaced with ivy on top of the new pergola, which would create interesting shadowing patterns on the deck; and
WHEREAS, Some of the existing furniture which seems oversized and suburban would be changed to incorporate pieces that are more harmonious with the kiosk and the park's traditional architectural elements; and
WHEREAS, Driven by the sponsorship, many of the existing furnishings had been temporarily upholstered in bright yellow, in keeping with Southwest Airlines corporate colors; and
WHEREAS, Proposed new furnishings would have upholstery that is of more subdued colors, much more like the park's traditional architectural elements; and
WHEREAS, Planter signs that currently have Southwest Airlines yellow logo would be changed so that these include the graphics, but would blend into the planter's subdued coloring; and
WHEREAS, The proposed changes are well thought out, retain the popular public amenities, refine the foot print inside the park, and stylistically the modified Southwest Porch would not seem like a temporary, stand- alone feature; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That Community Board Five is supportive of Bryant Park Corporation's proposed modifications and improvements to the Southwest Porch.
The above resolution passed by a vote of 29 in favor; 0 opposed; 1 abstaining.