From the Archives: Horace Greeley Turns 200!

In this post, BPC's archivist, Anne Kumer, shares some history. This post also appears on NYC Circa, a history blog about New York City and its public spaces.

Local historians might be aware that Horace Greeley  --  newspaper publisher, abolitionist, and presidential candidate (he lost to Ulysses S. Grant) – turns 200 this Thursday, February 3rd.  Greeley  is the namesake of Greeley Square Park in the heart of the 34^th Street District, a few blocks south of Bryant Park. What's his connection to Bryant Park?  In 1851, while traveling in London, Greeley attended, and was blown away by, the Great Exhibit of 1851, housed in the Crystal Palace at Hyde Park. Amazed by the breadth and content of the work, when he returned to the states, he met with friend, entertainer, and promoter P.T. Barnum and New York City officials to form a committee to bring a similar exhibition to the City. 

The Crystal Palace, also known as the Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations, was situated next to the Croton Reservoir (now the location of the New York Public Library), where Bryant Park is today.  You can read more about the Crystal Palace and the Croton Reservoir,  here.

Interior of the NYC Crystal Palace exhibit, opened on July 14, 1853

To celebrate Greeley's birthday, our sister BID, the 34^th Street Partnership, has planned a fun and informative program celebrating his life, with a musical performance from the Horace Greeley High School Madrigal Choir, and a re-dedication of the Horace Greeley monument by NYC Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe. A number of Horace Greeley’s friends and collaborators will be in attendance, including Edgar Allen Poe, Margaret Fuller, Abraham Lincoln, and Karl Marx, among others – played by members of the Horace Greeley Drama Department – to reminisce Greeley’s numerous accomplishments and contributions to New York journalism. Also in attendance, will be a number of Greeley’s living descendants, introduced by “Horace Greeley” himself.

Early 1900s postcard showing the Greeley monument in Greeley Square Park

This special celebration begins at 11:00am and is free and open to the public. Hot chocolate will be provided by ’wichcraft.   

Event:  Happy 200th Birthday Horace Greeley
Date:   February 3, 2011
Time:  11:00 a.m.
Place:  Greeley Square Park (Between 32nd and 33rd Streets; Broadway and 6th Avenue)

Curious Behavior of Bryant Park's Resident Birds

Apparently we aren't the only creatures who like to play in the snow. After yesterday's heavy snowfall, YouTube user CarolNYC caught Bryant Park's resident house sparrows displaying some curious behavior on camera.

Gabriel Willow, expert leader of our popular Birding Tours of Bryant Park, suspects the sparrows are creating small shelters for warmth and protection from the wind. That theory would explain why they appear to be territorial over the holes, although Gabriel mentioned another reason they may be digging in the snow: for fun!

By the way, birding tours of the park will be offered again this year in the spring and fall. The spring tours will begin in April, and in a month or two you'll be able to find all the details at www.bryantpark.org.

Just Another Snowy Day

19 inches of snow fell on New York City last night and once again, Bryant Park was transformed into a breathtaking winter wonderland. After passing countless people taking photos in the park today, we just had to join in and capture some of our own.

As always, our Sanitation and Hospitality staff, along with crews from Upsilon Ventures (producers of Citi Pond^SM and Celsius), worked tirelessly to clear pathways and remove snow from the rink.
 
Share your photos of the park with us in the group pool Bryant Park NYC on Flickr.

Our Frosty Fountain Makes the News

ABC News picked up on the fact that our frozen fountain is the coolest in town!

Read this post from last week to find out how it's possible for our fountain to run in the winter and check out all the attention it was getting from passersby yesterday.

Catch a Winter Flick in Bryant Park

Bryant Park was the first in town to have an outdoor summer film festival, and now we're carrying the tradition to our winter season.

Put on your snow boots and snuggies and head to the park on Monday nights for the first Citi Pond^SM Winter Film Festival, produced by Upsilon Ventures. The festival opened with a special Saturday presentation of Happy Feet and continued with March of the Penguins last night. Here's the rest of the schedule...films will be shown snow or shine!

Monday, January 31 - Ice Age 

Monday, February 7 - Blades of Glory 

Monday, February 14 - The Cutting Edge

The 900 square foot screen is located on the west side of the Pond and can be viewed from the ice, the deck surrounding the rink, and winter pop-up restaurant, Celsius. Click here to check out NYC family blog Mommy Poppins' rankings of cold, warmer, and warmest spots to watch from.

To get the complete movie experience, swing by the Film Bites kiosk on the east side of the park (next to the entrance of Celsius) for popcorn and other snacks. And if you need extra reinforcements against the cold, just look next door at the Pond Shop where you'll find souvenir hats, sweatshirts, and blankets.

Dear Readers,

This blogger has caught a nasty cold. While I am bedridden another day, limited to watching others enjoy the park through the webcam, I hope you'll visit the park and do a few things for me.

First, head over to the new 'wichcraft Hot Chocolate Kiosk and start your visit on a sweet note with classic, malt, or peanut butter hot chocolate.

Next, strap on a pair of sturdy blue rental skates and some enjoy exercise and fresh air on Citi Pond^SM. Spend an hour or two practicing your moves and don't worry if you fall. We all do.

Then, just after exiting the Pond Pavilion, take some time to contemplate realist and abstract art at Battle of the Brush, the only outdoor painting exhibit in the city.

And finally, head over to Celsius just before 6:30pm and snag prime seating for the Pond's Winter Film Festival presentation of March of the Penguins. Settle in, enjoy the heat lamps, the movie, and a steaming hot skillet of mac and cheese...maybe a Snowcap off the hot drinks menu, too.

Then head back home and get yourself indoors. You don't want to catch a cold, do you?

Yours,

Katie

"Battle of the Brush" On View at Bryant Park

Bryant Park has seen a fair share of pubic art. Last summer alone, we hosted Kate Gilmore's Walk the Walk and Key to the City by Paul Ramirez Jonas. But right now, in the dead of winter, the park is tucking another "first" under it's belt: an outdoor painting exhibit.

Drawing from the park's history as an encampment for soldiers during the Civil War, Battle of the Brush take a tongue-in-cheek look at the historic "battle" between the realist and abstract styles of painting through the work of 8 established and emerging artists. 

To protect the paintings from the elements, two kiosks from The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park have been outfitted with climate-controlling equipment to create bright exhibition spaces on the Fountain Terrace. The exhibit is curated by Corporate Art Solutions and made possible with the help of Upsilon Ventures, producers of The Holiday Shops and Citi Pond^SM at Bryant Park.  

Battle of the Brush is on view through February 2 and features new and existing paintings from: 

 Alison Blickle, Tom Sanford, Nicola Verlato, and Eric White, the "Realist Regiment"

and Justin Adian, Anoka Faruqee, Patricia Treib, and Roger White, the "Abstract Regiment"

Additional support for the exhibition generously provided by Equity Office, Design Republic, Frenkel and Company, Berkeley Asset Protection Underwriting Managers, LLC, and Stebich Ridder International

Now in the Park: Hot Chocolate by 'wichcraft

Have you noticed the newest addition to 'wichcraft's family of kiosks in Bryant Park?

On the south side of the park, near Sixth Avenue, you can now indulge in three delectable flavors of hot chocolate, classic, malt, and peanut butter, from the new 'wichcraft Hot Chocolate Kiosk. It's hard to pick a favorite, so we suggest you try them all!

The kiosk just happens to be located right by the entrance to Citi Pond, so pick up a warm drink next time you're waiting on line to skate. And remember, no mug of artisanal hot chocolate is complete without a homemade marshmallow.

You'll also find coffee, tea, and 'wichcraft's signature cream'wich cookies available at the kiosk. The cream'wiches come in unbeatable combinations like lemon poppy cookies with raspberry jam filling, chocolate chip with white chocolate cream filling, and chewy oatmeal cookies filled with caramel cream.


Hot Chocolate Price List
12oz. $3.67
16oz. $4.59
20oz. $5.51
Marshmallow $.25 additional

Kiosk Hours
Monday – Friday: 11am – 8pm
Saturday: 10am – 9pm
Sunday: 10am – 6pm


Hot chocolate is perfect for these frigid winter months, but can you guess what 'wichcraft will serve from the kiosk in the summer? Here's a hint: I scream, you scream, we all scream for....

Updated 1/24/11 to reflect new hot chocolate prices

Engagements on Ice

We've always known Citi Pond^SM at Bryant Park is a great date spot. Ice skating beneath the lights of the Empire State Building with the grand backdrop of the New York Public Library = romantic, if you ask us.

But lately we've witnessed more couples taking their relationships to the next level on the ice, and pulled together some of the big moments that made their way to YouTube. These men deserve the applause...it takes talent to get down on one knee in skates!

The simple, traditional proposal: 



The 'I've fallen and I need you to help me up, but first accept this ring' proposal:



The elaborate declaration of love followed by a proposal:



Regardless of how the question was popped, we're happy to know that the Pond played a roll in an important day for many couples.

Did you and your sweetie happen to get engaged in the park? Leave a comment and tell us about your big moment.

Our Frosty Fountain

Shouldn't all fountains be left on in the winter to look this beautiful?

Unfortunately, most fountains aren't because freezing temperatures can damage their internal plumbing systems. Two years ago our Capital Projects Department tackled that problem by "winterizing" the Josephine Shaw Lowell Memorial Fountain, located on the park's aptly named Fountain Terrace.

The installation of radiant heaters in the plumbing chamber beneath the fountain makes it possible for us to keep the water running year round, without worrying about damage.

Not only does the icy fountain complement the park's winter amenities, Citi Pond^SM and The Holiday Shops, it's also one of the most popular spots in the park for a photo op on freezing cold days.

Thanks to Tamara who mentioned our fountain on her blog and inspired this post!

Bryant Park Illustration Tee

They're flying off the virtual shelves at the Bryant Park Shop, so now's the time to pick up your official park t-shirt.

We have three designs to choose from, including the Bryant Park Illustration tee pictured above. All shirts come in Men's/Unisex and Women's sizes ranging from small to extra large and are made from super soft jersey cotton.

The Illustration t-shirts come with a funny coincidence: Jamie Song, our Graphic Designer, drafted the aerial drawing a few years ago, when we first discussed creating t-shirts as a memento for park visitors and fans. It was pure coincidence that after Bryant Park Corporation's move to 1065 Avenue of the Americas in early 2010, the perspective Jamie chose for her drawing became the view we see everyday from our windows on the 24th floor.

Check out the selection and order your t-shirt online at shop.bryantpark.org.

From the Archives: Tunnels Under Bryant Park, Part 1

In this post, BPC's archivist, Anne Kumer, shares some history, in this first of a two part entry on the NYC subway trains. This post also appears on NYC, Circa, a history blog about New York City and its public spaces.

 

It's common knowledge that throughout the city, below ground, there is an intricate subway tunnel system that includes used and abandoned tunnels, passageways, and stations. Mass transit efforts began in NYC many years before the underground subway system was constructed in the early 1900s. The grid system for the streets was laid out in midtown Manhattan in 1807, and the first elevated trains appeared in the early 1870s. With tracks laced across the city, these above ground trains heralded all sorts of urban development, expansion, and helped put New York City on the map as a cosmopolitan destination.

In fact, if you ride several trains within the MTA system (full list, I think: 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, A, B, F, J, M, N, Q, R) far enough into Brooklyn, Queens, or the Bronx, you can experience the glory of above-ground transit, except now there is the added annoyance of overheard yelling cell phone conversations from fellow passengers. Not so in the 1800s, though I’m sure those passengers had their grievances too.

Image: NYPL

The above image shows the elevated station at Sixth Avenue and 42^nd Street, looking east towards Fifth Avenue. The Croton Reservoir is visible on the right, as well as Bryant Park (then Reservoir Square), signified by that clump of trees just in front of the reservoir.

The train lines were owned and operated by several companies. The Metropolitan Elevated Railway Company built and ran the Sixth Avenue line; the New York Elevated Railroad handled the Third and Ninth Avenue lines; and the Suburban Rapid Transit Company took care of the Bronx section of the Third Avenue line. In 1902, a new company, the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) was incorporated and soon after, built an underground 9.1-mile long line that stopped at 28 stations between City Hall and 145^th Street and Broadway. This was the City’s first official subway system, and opened on October 27, 1904, to much fanfare.

Mid-section of the 1904 IRT subway map

Part of this line ran along the northern border of Bryant Park, along 42^nd street, and connected Grand Central to Times Square (now known as the S Shuttle). 

Photo: NY Transit Museum

The photograph above is a pedestrian-level view of the construction on 42^nd Street, looking east, with Bryant Park to the right, and 42^nd Street to the left. The monument on the right is J. Marion Simms -- "father of gynecology" -- who now stands across from the Academy of Medicine on Fifth Avenue at 103^rd Street in Manhattan.

For more historical subway facts, take a look at the MTA's fact's and figures page, and for pictures, check out this NY Times slideshow.

Shop the (Post)season

The Holiday Shops extended season is in full swing. Here's a sampling of shops that are open through January 16 on the park's Upper Terrace for your post-holiday, pre-Valentine's, January birthday shopping trips.

Max Brenner 
Booth I02 

The perfect spot for a sweet pick me up. Max Brenner's hot chocolate is sinfully rich and delicious, and I hear that kids go crazy for the 'Chocolate Syringe'. Plus, the red velvet cupcake took top prize in our unofficial office taste test earlier in the season. 

The shop is offering specials like buy-three-get-one- free on boxes of bons bons and gift set tins through the end of the season.

www.maxbrenner.com

Lucid New York
Booth J08

One of my favorite things about Lucid is their selection of delicate charm necklaces. In gold and silver, the tiny charms go from birds to bikes to cupcakes to handcuffs to letters of the alphabet.

It's easy to mix and match your favorites (my selection on the left evokes the feeling of France, non?). Necklaces are $35 each on their own, but two for $60.

You're guaranteed to get a great deal at Lucid's shop in the park: they told me that every item costs more on the website. So head to the park and check out their selection of necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and handbags.
www.lucidnewyork.com

A Year in the Park

At the end of every year we publish a round up of the park's notable events and achievements in our weekly eblast, MidCity News. A lot happens in a year around here, so the following is an abridged version of our 2010 almanac. You can click here to read the full version, and here to subscribe to MidCity News.

Now, let's take a look back at 2010 in Bryant Park.

January

•   Fifth season of The Pond at Bryant Park comes to a close. Attendance rebounded in 2009-10 over the previous season, with higher overall attendance as well as a higher per day average.
•    Bill Cunningham of NY Times lauds The Southwest Porch at Bryant Park in one of his signature photo slideshows.
•    Final statistics show that, despite being closed a month for repairs in the spring, Le Carrousel at Bryant Park’s ridership in 2009 totaled 75,108, nearly matching the ridership in the record year of 2008. Le Carrousel continues this success with its best January ever.   

February

•    The Bryant Park Corporation moves main offices from 500 Fifth Avenue to 1065 Avenue of the Americas.
•    Fashion Week makes a final appearance at Bryant Park.

March

•    Southwest Porch at Bryant Park re-launches with new furniture and new menu items.

April

•    Southwest Porch at Bryant Park wins two Reggie Awards, bestowed by the Promotion Marketing Association, for the categories Experiential Marketing and best Regional/Local campaign.
•    Bryant Park introduces free fencing lessons on Fifth Avenue Terrace at 41st Street.
•    BPC installs Bryant Park’s lawn after completing a project to improve its drainage and irrigation systems.

May

•    Bryant Park introduces botanical-themed trash and litter receptacles, designed and developed by Ignacio Ciocchini. The final designs and colors are chosen by Bryant Park Blog readers.
•    Bryant Park opens lawn to public with ceremony featuring prancing ‘wolves’.
•    BPC marks one-year anniversary of the park’s blog(!), Facebook page, and Twitter feed, with each having attracted over 3,700 followers. 
•    BPC introduces ‘Bill McGlaughlin & Friends,’ five free classical and jazz concerts by internationally renowned groups on Monday evenings, hosted by Peabody Award winner Bill McGlaughlin, who is heard weeknights on WQXR 105.9 FM. 
•    Bryant Park unveils a new website.

June

•    The 2010 HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival, presented by Time Warner Cable, kicks off with a screening of Goldfinger.
•    BP website adds the Bryant Park Shop, an online store offering items designed to bring the elegance of the park into private homes and gardens. 
•    Dr. Ruth Westheimer appears at a special Word for Word event at Bryant Park’s Reading Room celebrating couples who met, became engaged, or exchanged wedding vows at Bryant Park.
•    Bryant Park is one of 24 sites for artist Paul Ramirez Jonas’ "Key to the City" project, presented by Creative Time.   

July

•    Visitors to Bryant Park enjoy STARBOX, an interactive art installation presented and performed by art.party.theater.company.
•    NPR files radio report about Pétanque at Bryant Park.
•    Bryant Park hosts a live concert by the iconic British group Squeeze as part of the Artists Den series. Grace Potter and the Nocturnals perform for the series at the park in August. The concerts were recorded for broadcast by PBS in 2011.

August 

•    BPC completes Phase One of project to upgrade park’s lighting by replacing 20 year-old equipment atop 1095 Sixth Avenue. New energy-efficient metal halide lamps provide superior optics and can be controlled by telephone.

•    BPC unveils trompe l’oeil technique to ‘camouflage’ the backs of the park’s information signs with photographs.
•    Thanks to the votes of the park’s fans, BP’s fabulous restrooms take third place in America’s Best Restroom online poll.

September

•    Third annual Bryant Park Fall Festival, presented by Bank of America, draws 21,000 spectators for performances by the Metropolitan Opera, Five Boroughs Music Festival, Jazz at Lincoln Center, BAM, Brooklyn Philharmonic, Parsons Dance, and Orchestra of St. Luke’s.
•    BPC’s free yoga lessons, conducted by instructors from lululemon athletica, and tai chi classes, taught by masters from the Tai Chi Chuan Center, cap record-breaking years.    
•    BPC introduces Fall Birding Tours, in cooperation with the New York City Audubon Society.
•    With the move of the fashion shows to Lincoln Center, Bryant Park’s lawn is open to the public throughout September for the first time in 17 years.      

October

•   The International Downtown Association (IDA) honors Southwest Porch at Bryant Park with a Merit Award. 
•    American Planning Association names Bryant Park as one of its Great Places in America in the Public Space category.
•    Citi Pond^SM at Bryant Park launches its longest season yet. It will stay open until the end of February for the first time.
•    Le Carrousel at Bryant Park breaks record for yearly revenue with two full months remaining. 
•    Final BP Fall Birding Tour hits jackpot with sighting of a rare prothonotary warbler. The sighting attracts considerable media attention, including a NY Times story.

November

•    Ciocchini’s botanical-themed trash and recycling bins, installed first in Bryant Park, then at Herald and Greeley Squares, win a Silver Spark Design Award, annually awarded to honor ‘the most exciting designs, designers, and new design processes that make a difference and actually improve lives.’
•    Kate Spade installs igloo-inspired pop-up store at edge of Citi Pond in Bryant Park. It is later designated as one of ‘The 8 Coolest Holiday Pop-Up Shops’ by Fastcompany.com.    

December

•    BPC completes Phase Two of lighting upgrade by installing high-efficiency, double-headed lamps on most of the park’s lampposts. 
•    BPC makes ‘Bryant Park’ t-shirts available for sale at BP Shop.
•    At the midway point of its sixth season, attendance at Citi Pond is running 25% ahead of last year’s pace.

Treecycle This Weekend

As this is the last weekend Bryant Park's tree will be on display in the park, we thought some of you may be wondering about the best way to dispose of your own Christmas trees. Perfect timing, because this weekend is MulchFest 2011.

On Saturday, January 8 and Sunday, January 9, you can take your stripped down trees (no lights or ornaments please) to 35 chipping sites across the five boroughs to be turned into wood chips by the Department of Parks and Recreation, Department of Sanitation, and GreeNYC.

Walk away with your own bag of mulch, or donate your wood chips for use in city parks, gardens, and tree pits. In addition to the chipping sites, there will be 35 drop off locations where you can leave your trees. Find the site closest to you and more information here.

Bid adieu to our spectacular tree by visiting for one last photo op this weekend, or take a look back on the blog at this season's spectacular Tree Lighting Celebration.

Now, get to work packing up those ornaments and help top last year's MulchFest record of 24,000 recycled trees!

Warm Up with Happy Hour at 'wichcraft

It sure is cold out there, so warm up with this great deal from 'wichcraft:

Half price coffee and tea drinks every day from 3pm to 6pm!

The 'wichcraft Coffee Kiosk at Bryant Park is located at the corner of 42nd Street and Sixth Avenue, just outside the park entrance (number nine on this map).

Click here for hours and information about all four 'wichcraft kiosks in Bryant Park.

Skating with the Stars

Recognize that rink?

Camera crew in tow, Jimmy Fallon took to the ice at Citi Pond^SM to shoot for Rolling Stone early one morning in December. Early this morning we found out the shoot made it to the cover!

Take a peek behind the scenes on the rink with Jimmy in this video from rollingstone.com.

Holiday Shops Season Extension

After another busy holiday season of gift buying and gift giving, why not take some time to treat yourself? One way to do it: take a spin around the The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park and this time, pick up a few gifts for yourself or indulge in some sweet treats and snacks.

This year, in a special extended season of The Holiday Shops, 19 vendors will remain open for business through January 16.

All vendors are located on the Upper Terrace (map), but as noted below, some occupants have changed since the regular season.

• I01  Carter & Cavero Old World Olive Oil Company
• I02  Max Brenner 
• I03  Big Apple Cider
• I04  Dumpling Soup House 
• I05  Sophie's 
• J01  Sabon 
• J02  Arm Candy by Nahui Ollin 
• J03  Mladen’s Silver Jewelry (previous occupant: Momo Glassworks)
• J04  Northern Tribe NY (previous occupant: Kizmet Yogawear)
• J05  Little Village Crafts  
• J06  The Walking Art (previous occupant: Seasonal Illuminations)
• J07  Wonder Warmers 
• J08  Lucid New York 
• J09  G & N NY
• J10  Cala Design 
• J11  Studio Manhattan Art + Design 
• J12  Dynomighty 
• J13  Spinners 
• L13  Wild Kingdom

If you're new to The Shops, check out our past posts on Carter & Cavero, Sophie's, Sabon, Dynomighty, and Wild Kingdom. Happy shopping!

Updated 1/7/11: Sophie's, booth I05, is now closed.

Happy New Year!

Our year ended with the park covered in a thick white blanket of snow from the "Blizzard of 2010". We caught the beauty of the calm after the storm on camera...and then the flurries of clean up began! 

In the days since, Bryant Park's Sanitation and Hospitality teams, as well as crews from Upsilon Ventures (producers of Citi Pond^SM and The Holiday Shops), have done an incredible job clearing pathways and removing tons of snow from the park.

These photos can also be viewed on our Flickr page, and we hope you'll submit your own shots to our public group, Bryant Park NYC on Flickr.