Open spaces dialogue: A new Perspective

Tawkiyah Jordan, Senior Planner NYC Department of City Planning

Tawkiyah coordinated the neighborhood studies across all five boroughs for the New York City Department of City Planning. Previously, she worked leading long-term community development projects for Bronx-based Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice, including Starlight Park, the Bronx River, and the Sheridan Expressway

What is it about open spaces that make them so valuable?

For many New Yorkers, parks have become a most cherished ingredient in the development of their city’s infrastructure and identity. From economic growth to neighborhood safety, to measures of happiness and health, parks have continued to prove their worth in the betterment of our communities. Yet, far too often are they regarded as amenities or luxuries and left by the wayside in large-scale commercial and residential development processes. In the inaugural Green Ribbon Panel of the Open Space Dialogues series, our group of experts, ranging from economic advisors to open space advocates, examined the inherent benefit of open spaces, the intricate network of stakeholders and environmental factors involved in their genesis, and why we must seriously consider open space in the rezoning conversation. Claire Weisz, Founding Principal of WXY, presided over the discussion and was joined by presenters Kei Hayashi, Kate Collignon, and Mark Levine who discussed the various metrics that can be used to quantify the value of open space. Joshua Laird, Madelyn Wils, and Amy Freitag were the panel respondents for the evening.