Exploring Public Space Management Along NYC Subway Line 7

New York City, New York, USA

By Amy Ameera Issa
public space, management, transit and public space, inequality in public resources allocation

This project is focusing on exploring the public space management through investigating the public spaces along NYC subway line 7.

“I took out my wallet, slid out the card and swiped it through, all done in three seconds. Sometimes you can tell if a person is a New Yorker by the speed, he/she swipes her/his MetroCard. A clumsy swiper is usually a for- eign tourist or a newcomer. But it is not an absolute sign. It’s an indicator.” Quote by Ting, sixteen years old, Sunday, June 4, 2006 from the book : International Express: New Yorkers on the 7 Train.

Subway systems plays a major role in the New Yorkers urban reality and daily life and subway Line 7 is a significant thread from this system. The Line has been known as the “international express” and a diverse transit route which reflects a horizontal elevator from one of Manhattan’s richest neighborhoods to one of Queen`s lowest income neighborhoods. Above all there is a diversity in the typology of public spaces along the line which also reflects different module of management, stewardship and running the public space. Therefore, through investigating public spaces along this line I am hoping to participate in answering the question of public space management.

To start this exploration first I mapped the socio- economic realities around the line. Line 7 goes through 7 community districts of New York City; the maps below illustrates the racial composition of these community districts and combines it with the Median Household Income around Line 7 subway stations within the districts. I based my data from the American census track of 2011-2017 and the information provided by NYC Planning department. Through visualizing these data, it is clearly that the high-income white communities are concentrated in Manhattan and the lower income Hispanic, Asian communities are concentrated in Queens.

The second part of this project was to map the different typologies of public spaces along the line and overlap it with the social-economic facts. Along the Line there are three main typologies of open public spaces: open public spaces, privately owned public spaces and community gardens. As it is clear in this map there are disparities in the allocation of these public spaces. Within 8 minutes’ walk from any station along the line in Manhattan there are diversity and excessive number of open public spaces and public facilities.

The last part of this project is a comprehensive map that concludes the socio- economic data and public spaces along the line. Also, it introduces three main management modules along the line: Friend of Module, Business Improvement District (BID) Module and Conservancy Module. The map provides information about the community district and the dominant racial group by clicking on the district, Also by clicking on the subway station in each district reveals the economic status of the district. Furthermore, The map identify the public spaces along the line. And Most importantly a detailed description of each Management module if you click on the star.

I am still exploring the question of public space management and this project is part of a one-year MS Design and Urban Ecologies thesis. Starting from the above map and sharing it with a focus group here in Manhattan, NYC we establish a mockup workshop to debate about these public spaces and add more to the conversation of management. The focus group agreed on increasing the role of government in the management of these public places in response to the inequality of the public space allocation. Also heightened the need to empower the voice of the diverse community of NYC and increase community participation in managing these public spaces.