Bryant Park on the Web

Inside Art: A Bryant Park Stomp from The New York Times
Carol Vogel highlights an exciting performance piece by artist Kate Gilmore, to be presented in Bryant Park, May 10 through 14

Southwest Porch, An After-Work Hang Out in Midtown from Serious Eats
A wonderful review of the Southwest Porch’s new spring menu by ‘wichcraft

What’s Happening at Bryant Park? from NBC New York
Dan Biederman, Executive Director of Bryant Park Corporation, shares news of exciting upcoming events at the park



On our radar

NYC to charge $300 for film permits from Crain’s New York Business
Budget cuts force Mayor’s Office of Film to begin charging for film and TV shoots in the city

Scenes from Bryant Park

Bryant Park in Spring by nyer82 from the Bryant Park Flickr Pool

Events Preview: Bryant Park After Work Music Series

Maureen Andary & Sara Curtin, After Work Music Series, May 2009

There’s no better way to spend a lovely summer evening than at a concert in Bryant Park.

This summer, we have a fantastic line up of talented, New York area musicians for the Bryant Park After Work Music Series. The free concerts will take place every Wednesday evening on the Fountain Terrace, perfectly timed to help you unwind after a long day at work.

From jazz to singer-songwriters, the eclectic selection of artists includes popular acts like The Spring Standards, Jonah Smith, Annie and the Beekeepers, and Jeremy Udden’s Plainville.

The series kicks off next week on Wednesday, May 5, with modern ragtime from Grandpa Musselman & His Syncopators, a crowd pleasing group you may have seen in the park last year at our celebration of the London Plane trees’ 75th birthday.

Check out the complete schedule of After Work performances at bryantpark.org. It’s like happy hour for your ears.

Apollo Run, After Work Music Series, August 2009

Bryant Park After Work Music Series
Wednesdays, 6:00pm – 7:00pm
May 5 – September 1
Fountain Terrace

Plan a Petanque Party in the Park

For your next corporate outing, take your employees outside for some fresh air and a little bowling with a French twist.

Hold your event at the Petanque court in beautiful Bryant Park. Petanque, the French game of boules, is interesting, easy to learn, and anyone can play. Set up your own intra-office tournament. It's fun, and a great way to build team spirit.

Afterward, celebrate with drinks and no-wait entry at Manhattan's hottest after work scene, The Southwest Porch. A game of boules in a classic Beaux-Arts park followed by a toast at a gorgeous outdoor cafe? Your employees will think you brought them to Paris. (Berets are optional.)

Party packages include reserved space at the Petanque court, complimentary game equipment, and two expert instructors for your group. Drink packages at The Southwest Porch are a refreshing addition to any party package.
For party pricing and reservations, please contact lboylan@urbanmgt.com or call 917-438-5147.

Celebrate Poem in Your Pocket Day at Bryant Park

“Great poetry is always written by somebody straining to go beyond what he can do” - Stephen Spender

Please join us in Bryant Park for the 8th Annual Poem in Your Pocket Day, a celebration of poetry by NYC’s student poets.

Every year, talented young writers from schools throughout the city converge in Bryant Park
to share original poems with the public and their peers.

Date: April 29, 2010
Time: 11am to 2pm
Place: Bryant Park Reading Room, 6th Avenue @ 42nd Street

Master of Ceremonies: Daniel Kitrosser, playwright, composer
Plus featured guest poet Taylor Mali
and
NYC Youth Poet Laureate Zora Howard*

Special guests from the Nuyorican Poets Cafe: Adam Faulkner and Eboni Hogan

Special musical guest: Darian Dauchan and The Mighty Third Rail
Music provided by: DJ Flip Bundles

Presented in cooperation with the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, NYC Department of Education, Community Word Project, UrbanWordNYC, and the Office of the Mayor.
* Zora Howard appears courtesy of the NYC Voter Assistance Commission

Bryant Park on the Web

Go ”Green” in Bryant Park this Spring and Summer from NBC New York
NBC previews Bryant Park’s busy schedule of seasonal programming and special events

Make Merry-Go-Round: Visit NYC Carousels in Every Borough This Spring Season from Time Out New York Kids
TONY Kids urges kids to get a head start on carousel season at Le Carrousel in Bryant Park, one of two carousels currently operating

Sunday in the Park, Feeling Nature’s Call from The New York Times
NYU Professor and facilities expert Harvey Molotch lauds Bryant Park’s free public restrooms

On our radar

Urban Space That Is Changing the Face of Detroit: Campus Martius Park Chosen As First-Ever Winner of ULI Amanda Burden Urban Open Space Award from Urban Land Institute
A 2.5 acre park in downtown Detroit has earned national praise for creating change around the neighborhood

Scenes from Bryant Park

Bryant Park Tulips by wheelmaker from the Bryant Park Flickr Pool

From the Archives: On This Day in History

BPC archivist and historian Anne Kumer sheds light on one of Bryant Park’s many monuments.



You may have noticed a stately looking fellow watching you as you walk by Bryant Park on 6^th Avenue between 40^th and 42^nd Streets. His full name is José Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva, also known as the Andrada monument. Sculpted out of bronze with a granite base by artist José Otavio Correia Lima, the Andrada monument was dedicated on this day in Bryant Park fifty-five years ago, April 22, 1955.

Originally located at the northwest corner of Bryant Park, Andrada was moved to his current location on 6^th Avenue in the early 1990s as part of park renovations.

Andrada (June 13, 1763 - April 6, 1838) was a naturalist, Brazilian statesman, professor of Geology, and poet. He was primarily known for his support in Brazilian independence and was appointed its Prime Minister following the country’s secession from Portugal. As a naturalist he discovered four minerals, including one named in his honor, andradite.

Each year in September, the Consulate General of Brazil in New York pays tribute to Andrada and Brazilian Independence Day with a small commemorative ceremony at the site of the monument.

For more information on the monument’s history, visit the New York City Department of Parks website:
http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/bryantpark/highlights/12350

Mark Your Calendar

Over 600 FREE programs and events take place at Bryant Park during the spring and summer months.

From after work music and movies to poetry readings and writing workshops, fencing and knitting lessons to stories and games for kids with our mascot Flaubert Frog, there’s something for everyone at Bryant Park.

Visit the calendar at bryantpark.org to start planning your summer activities today!

Put Bryant Park on Your iPod

Did you know you can take an audio tour of Bryant Park?

Created by the talented team at Soundwalk and narrated by native New Yorker and Bryant Park fan, Matthew Broderick, the audio tour guides you from the Fountain Terrace to Le Carrousel, the Reading Room, and more, with fun stories, history, and facts about the park thrown in along the way.

Follow on foot with your mp3 player or let yourself be transported to Manhattan’s town square from anywhere around the globe. If you’re in the neighborhood you can even use the park’s WiFi to download the tour free from our website or on iTunes.

Summer Events Preview: Bryant Park Yoga

Everybody’s favorite free outdoor yoga lessons return to the park in May. Presented in partnership with lululemon athletica, Bryant Park Yoga is an excellent mind-body workout for students of all ages and levels.

Classes are taught twice a week by a variety of talented instructors. Tuesday morning sessions take place on the Upper Terrace, directly behind the New York Public Library and Thursday evening sessions are on the lawn. Yoga mats are provided free of charge, but you are welcome to bring your own.

There is no limit on the number of students who can participant in each class, but Bryant Park Yoga has become so popular that you may want to show up early to claim your spot. Our record setting class took place last summer on Thursday, August 6 with 308 participants practicing side by side. Help us set a new record this year!


Bryant Park Yoga
Tuesdays, 10:00am – 11:00am on the Upper Terrace
Thursdays, 6:00pm – 7:00pm on the Lawn
May 4 – September 30

Bryant Park on the Web

Arrest in Bryant Park Shoeshine Arsons & Arrested in Shoeshine Arsons, Back Out Shining Shoes from The New York Times
Updates on the case of our torched shoeshine stands on 42nd Street

‘Tis Spring: Beautiful Weather Photos from NBC New York
Bryant Park is featured multiple times in a slideshow of lovely spring images

Ping Pong Park from The Map Village Street Editors
The park’s amenities and management methods are praised by a web news blogger in Australia


On our radar

New York City Takes Over Governors Island from The New York Times
Formerly controlled by the state, Governors Island now faces plans for dramatic redevelopment by the city

Whoosh! The Trash Can as a Pneumatic Tube from The New York Times
An art gallery exhibit will be dedicated to Roosevelt Island’s underground vacuum powered garbage transport system


Scenes from Bryant Park



Bryant Park Lawn by superclusterer from the Bryant Park Flickr Pool

Who We Are & What We Do

If you’ve ever wondered who manages Bryant Park, read on for all the highlights of our organization.


The Bryant Park Corporation (BPC) was founded in 1980 with a charge to reclaim Bryant Park for the people of New York City. Since then, the talent, dedication and execution of the BPC board and staff has transformed the park into the greatest public space in the world.

The ongoing mission of BPC is: to create a rich and dynamic visual, cultural and intellectual outdoor experience for New Yorkers and visitors alike; to enhance the real estate values of its neighbors by continuously improving the park; to burnish the park’s status as a prime NYC tourist destination by presenting a meticulously maintained venue for free entertainment events; and to help prevent crime and disorder in the park by attracting thousands of patrons, at all hours, thus fostering a safe environment.

BPC is privately funded, and operates Bryant Park with private sector techniques and management methods. Working as agent for the City of New York, BPC provides sanitation, security services, spotless restrooms, colorful gardens, and seasonal horticultural installations for the park, and maintains a lush lawn that is open to the public.

BPC also works with civic minded corporations and park patrons to offer interesting amenities, free educational programs and free high-level entertainment for people of all ages. Careful selection and management of concessionaires ensures that park visitors have access to high quality food and merchandise.

As it strives to improve the park each year, BPC pays close attention to other models and constantly seeks innovations, whether from its own staff or from outside, always with an eye on the ultimate goal: presenting the perfect park to the public.

Read more about BPC’s staff, mission and history at bryantpark.org

Morning Song in Midtown

Birding Tours of Bryant Park kicked off yesterday morning with a surprising event that left our expert birding guide speechless.

The hermit thrush pictured above, a migratory bird spotted among the park’s resident pigeons and house sparrows, was uncharacteristically outgoing for our Birding Tour audience. The participants listened as the hermit thrush sang loud and clear out in the open, something even our seasoned guide Gabriel Willow had not witnessed before (follow this link to hear its call).

Birding Tours take place twice a week at Bryant Park, in partnership with New York City Audubon. Stop by the next tour this Thursday, April 15 from 5pm to 6pm, for a new perspective on nature and wildlife in the middle of the concrete jungle.

Birding Tours of Bryant Park
Mondays, 8:00am – 9:00am
Thursdays, 5:00pm – 6:00pm
April 12 – May 20
Meet at 42nd Street & 6th Avenue

The Laying of the Lawn

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/v/IFSyLEqErhY]

Created with images taken by the park’s webcam from March 26 through April 2, this time-lapse video captures the preparation and laying of our 2010 lawn.

It begins with crews installing a new subsurface drainage system along the perimeter of the lawn, followed by the removal and leveling of sand, and finally, the installation of approximately 5,000 pieces of Kentucky Bluegrass sod from Long Island.

The time-lapse also captures that wonderful time in New York City when the weather transforms from dreary to downright beautiful in the course of a week. As usual, the gorgeous spring weather helped us welcome back the park’s characteristic lunchtime crowds!

You can find this video and more on the BryantParkNYC YouTube Channel.

Bryant Park on the Web

High BIDS from World Magazine
A journalist who attended a recent Bryant Park Corporation staff meeting explains the benefits of Business Improvement Districts as cities face tough economic time.

Fire at Shoeshine Stand Seemed Random, the First Time from The New York Times
A report on unfortunate recent incidents at our shoeshine stand


On our radar
Midtown BID May Transform Empty Lot Into Secure Bike Parking from Streetsblog
The 34th Street Partnership is looking for sponsor commitments for a new bike parking project on 33rd Street

Artists and Vendors Bristle at Proposed Limits in Parks from The New York Times
New regulations proposed by the Department of Parks and Recreation would prohibit large numbers of vendors selling their goods at city parks


Scenes from Bryant Park

Image by Rus1ana from the Bryant Park Flickr Pool

From the Archives: History of Bryant Park Fencing

Did you know we have an Archivist on staff at Bryant Park Corporation? In this post, BPC’s resident historian, Anne Kumer, shares a piece of the park’s rich history.

Bryant Park Fencing begins today at 1pm! Our brand new series of free fencing lessons are conducted in partnership with the Manhattan Fencing Center, and take place on the front terrace of the New York Public Library at Fifth Avenue and 41st Street.

The Library Terrace, part of the Bryant Park landscape, seemed like the ideal location to host fencing lessons for both its length and spaciousness, as well as a little bit of history…

Just a few feet away, at the base of the North flagpole, is a plaque in honor of former New York City Mayor John Purroy Mitchel.

  

Mitchel was elected Mayor of New York City at age 34 in 1914. During his term he introduced a wide range of reforms over city government and policy, including the maintenance and regulation of publicly funded, privately run institutions, such as orphanages, schools, and hospitals.

After losing his re-election campaign to Democrat John Francis Hylan in 1917, Mitchel enlisted in the United States Army Air Service. He died three weeks before his thirty-ninth birthday in a training accident in Gerstner Field, Louisiana on July 6, 1918.

What does this have to do with Bryant Park Fencing? Long before his political career, while in college at Fordham University and later at Columbia University, Mayor Mitchel was a fencer!

When we discovered this information we knew the Library Terrace was the perfect location for our new park program.

Bryant Park Fencing
Fridays, 1:00pm - 2:00pm
April 9 -  June 25
Library Terrace at 5th Avenue & 41st Street

Are You A 'Bryant Park Couple'?

We constantly hear from folks who met their future spouse, became engaged, or even tied the knot beneath the beautiful London Plane trees of Bryant Park. To honor these couples, we are planning a special celebration in the park this June.

If Bryant Park played a role in your love story, we’d like to see you and your significant other at the event! Please send your “Bryant Park Love Story” to Susie Sigel at ssigel@urbanmgt.com or call (917) 438-5151.

This heartwarming story was sent to us by Sarah and Shawn from New Jersey, who became engaged at The Pond last year.

Shawn and I met when we were 23 and 24. We’ve been dating for six years and have been seriously discussing marriage for the last six months or so, and had gone so far as to look at rings together. As much as I was expecting a proposal in the near future, I didn’t think anything was going to happen before Christmas. It’s hard to explain, but he completely surprised me. On Sunday, December 20th of this year, we decided to go ice skating at The Pond at Bryant Park. This would be my second time on skates and Shawn’s first so we were looking forward to it. It was the day after the first big snowstorm of the season, and Bryant Park looked absolutely magical - like a winter wonderland. When we were renting skates, we realized they didn’t have any size 15 skates for Shawn (giant, I know). So he crammed himself into a pair of size 13 and was eager to hit the ice. At the time, I wondered why he was so willing to skate in tight skates!

We skated for a while, then he “fell” in the middle of the rink… and I went skating past (I had momentum going!). Shawn called for me to help him up, so I slowed down, turned around and started making my way back to him, telling him “how can I help you up?!” Shawn is a big guy at 6’6”. A security guard on skates reached him faster than me and tried to help him up but Shawn told him he was fine. I didn’t realize he was down on one knee. I went to grab his hand to help him up, and there it was- the ring! He asked me to marry him. As much of a public proposal as it was, not one person (aside from security and Shawn’s friend who was snapping photos) noticed! It was beautiful. There we were, kissing in the middle of the ice, and everyone kept skating around us. It was so romantic.

Afterwards, we walked around the Christmas Market. I stopped in an ornament shop on a whim and bought two ornaments: one “Our First Christmas” ornament with our names on it and another that’s a single ice skate that reads “Bryant Park 2009.” A perfect way to commemorate the day!

Summer Reading

There’s no question that the New York Public Library is a beautiful and serene place to catch up on your reading. But who wants to be indoors when the birds are chirping, the sun is shining, and a lovely spring breeze is in the air?

The Bryant Park Reading Room is a wonderful outdoor location to read, write, and attend literary events, right in the Library’s backyard. Our Reading Room is modeled on the original amenity that was created during the Depression Era in 1935. It was a place for people without jobs, money, a library card, or even a valid address or ID to spend time during the day and enjoy reading materials at no cost.

Bryant Park Reading Room, circa 1935

The original amenity closed in 1944 due to an increase in jobs and World War II. In 2003, Bryant Park Corporation decided to revive and reinvent the idea, adding custom book carts, children’s books and furniture, umbrellas, and literary programming to the space.

This week, the Reading Room will reopen for the 2010 season. In addition to the Word for Word series of readings, workshops, and kids events (curated by Paul Romero and his team), the Reading Room offers free use of 14 newspapers delivered daily from Mitchell’s Newspaper Delivery Service, 30 magazines from Conde Nast, Time, Inc., Hachette Filipacchi, and Rodale, and over 1,500 books for adults and children, donated from various sources including Oxford University Press and Scholastic, Inc.

Poem in Your Pocket Day at the Reading Room, April 30, 2009

The Reading Room is located mid-block on the 42nd Street side of Bryant Park. Look for the burgundy and white umbrellas that define the space and pay tribute to HSBC North America, our generous partner since opening day in 2003.


Bryant Park Reading Room
Daily, 11:00am – 7:00pm
April – October
42nd Street Allee
Weather permitting

Bryant Park on the Web

NY parks can save themselves from the Daily News
Executive Director of Bryant Park Corporation, Dan Biederman, explains how parks can survive without public funding

Once Again, 31 NYC Restaurants Are Top Grossing in the US from Eater
Our very own Bryant Park Grill makes the annual list of America’s 100 highest grossing restaurants


On our radar

The Greening of the Waterfront from The New York Times
Nicolai Ouroussoff reviews the city’s Brooklyn Bridge Park project after the first section of the park is opened to the public


Scenes from Bryant Park

5,000 pieces of Long Island sod become the centerpiece of Bryant Park

Bryant Park's Poetry Expert

Paul Romero (right) introduces the speakers at a Word for Word event last summer

Like many of us at Bryant Park Corporation, Paul Romero, our Director of Tourism & Visitor Services, wears many different hats. In addition to managing a staff of visitor services representatives for Bryant Park and the 34th Street Partnership district, Paul oversees Bryant Park’s famous Reading Room and coordinates Reading Room programs like the Word for Word Writers and Word for Word Poetry series.

Paul also happens to be an active poetry enthusiast outside the office walls. He recently participated in an exciting event in the world of poetry, the Grand Slam Finals of Urban Word NYC’s 12th Annual Teen Poetry Slam. Paul was invited by Michael Cirelli, a Word for Word Poetry alum and Director of Urban Word NYC, to be a judge at the Grand Slam Finals which took place last Saturday night at the renowned Apollo Theater in Harlem.

Urban Word is an organization that hosts free creative writing, journalism, college prep, literature, and hip-hop workshops for teenagers, and fosters young talent in an uncensored environment. The organization coordinates numerous poetry slams every year to encourage free self expression in its talented young poets.

At Saturday’s Grand Slam Finals, Paul and his fellow judges, including poet and Word for Word alum, Aracelis Girmay, actor/poet Carlos Andres Gomez, community activist and documentary film producer/director, Lisa Russell, and rapper Homeboy Sandman, narrowed the competition from 23 poets, to 12, and finally to 6 young poets who will travel to Los Angeles for the National Championships.

Recounting the event, Paul said that he was amazed by the performances of the talented teenagers and the powerful content of their original poems. From humorous pieces about men in high heels to political prose and personal tragedies, their words moved the entire audience at the sold out Apollo. Paul described many of the performances as fast, loud, and expounding, and said he had a wonderful time at the event.

We look forward to welcoming the young poets from Urban Word at Poem in Your Pocket Day on April 29 in the Reading Room. 2010 marks the organization’s fifth consecutive year of participation in the event.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/v/rEvmSDmA3J4]

Urban Word’s PSA for the 12th Annual Teen Poetry Slam