Tribeca Green Space Group Awarded $400K for Capital Funding, Press Conference July 2, 1pm

NEW YORK - July 1, 2013 - PRLog -- Friends of Bogardus Garden (FBG) was just awarded $400,000 in capital funding: $300,000 from Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and $100,000 from Councilwoman Margaret Chin toward the complete re-design and re-construction of Bogardus Garden and Plaza. A PRESS CONFERENCE IS SET FOR TUESDAY, JULY 2, 1PM AT BOGARDUS PLAZA, HUDSON STREET, BETWEEN CHAMBERS STREET AND WEST BROADWAY.     RAIN LOCATION:  SMYTH HOTEL LOBBY- 85 West Broadway    “We are pleased to invite you to our press conference as we announce $400,000 in new funding for the Bogardus Plaza Capital Project.  The creation and management of the current plaza is a successful community-led model of the DOT Plaza Program and we are thrilled to take it to the next level,” said Victoria Weil, President, FBG.    “Bogardus Plaza, initially created in 2010 with temporary materials provided by DOT, is currently home to an incredibly robust and diverse user-base. We are hosting this event to publicly thank our elected officials, businesses, community groups and neighbors for their support and to share our plans for re-imagining this public space,” Weil said.     LIST OF INVITED PARTICIPANTS:   Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer; NYC Councilwoman Margaret Chin; Andy Wiley-Schwartz, Asst. Commissioner DOT; Catherine McVay Hughes, CB1; Jim Martin, ACE; Victoria Weil, FBG; Private Donors; FBG board members; local business owners Craig Bero and Alan Solman; CB1 Tribeca committee members; local residents and community groups.    Friends of Bogardus Garden, a grassroots, all-volunteer community group sought funding for this $3 million capital project by forming a public-private partnership, leveraging city dollars with private, local philanthropy. Earlier this year, FBG was awarded $2 million by the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) through a competitive Plaza Grant Program, which it used to generate over $300,000 in additional private funding     “We sit on one of the busiest transportation hubs in Lower Manhattan, in the center of a burgeoning commercial, residential and tourist neighborhood. Despite the small size of the Plaza, we believe we can make a significant impact on the community,” Weil said.    Today’s funding allocations from elected officials moves FBG one step closer to realizing the full potential of this public space.       "I am very pleased my office could help support a community-led effort to improve this area in the heart of Tribeca," said Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer. "I applaud the Friends of Bogardus Garden for re-imagining the street, and working to create a permanent open, green space for the thousands of residents, workers and tourists alike."     The goal of the Plaza redesign is to artfully and strategically meet the needs of the thousands of residents, workers, tourists and students who traverse the site every day by integrating the currently gated garden with the adjacent pedestrian plaza. This work will also include further greening of the Plaza, the addition of permanent public seating, improved lighting for both safety and aesthetics and a new ground cover. Renovations will also allow for the expansion of community programming held in the Plaza throughout the year.    Bogardus Garden was named after one of New York City’s most renowned 19th century architects and pioneer of cast-iron architecture, James Bogardus.      Visit: www.bogardusgarden.org