Encampment - Nuevo Esperanza Community Garden
Submitted by aresh on Sat, 03/24/2007 - 02:38.
Update on Nueva Esperanza
HPD, EDC and the developers sunk to a new low in deciding to destroy a community garden on the first day of Passover. At around 10AM four suits and a large construction crew were spotted standing outside the Nueva Esperanza gate by the garden defenders. With a few urgent calls placed by the encampment, a phone tree outreach was started by the community gardeners, More Gardens and Times Up! With the arrival of the police, the suits moved to open the gate. Finding their keys no longer worked, the developers called on their construction crew to cut the locks. Upon entering they came directly to the casita, knocking on the windows and door. The two people in the encampment, Christian Austin and Olga Mazurkiewicz were told to take their possessions and leave. By this time the gardeners and community members started to show up at the garden to voice their opinion on the situation. Jano Roze, a East Harlem community member and gardener, engaged Charles Marcus, Director of Operations of HPD in a conversation. Charles Marcus repeatedly stated that he was only doing his job. Mr. Roze noted that this is how so much of the bad we see in the world has come about, people just doing their jobs.
Anthony Bowman presented Charles Marcus with a letter from HPD dated February 20, 2007 and signed by Charles Marcus. It states that HPD intends to issue a license agreement authorizing NYC EDC to enter the garden from February 21, 2007 through March 31, 2007 for the purpose of performing borings and surveys in a manner that minimizes damage to the Garden. It also states that HPD agrees to restore the garden to its prior condition upon completion of soil testing. Charles Marcus refused to look at the letter saying it had no meaning and stated once again that he was only doing his job.
The two More Gardens! encampment members were still in the process of removing their possessions from the casita when the crew began to demolish it.
As the construction crew tore down the garden fence, the gardeners began removing their newly planted bulbs, transferring them into plastic buckets in a last ditch effort to save something of Nueva Esperanza. As the old fence came down and the new HPD fence went up, a large crowd began to gather; News media, Times Up bicyclists, East Harlem community members, Senator Bill Perkins representative, Keith Lilly, and Borough President Springer’s Community Liaison Wendy Garcia. The suits and HPD officials suffered an immediate urge to use the bathroom. They vocalized this, left and didn’t come back. As they left the police told the gardeners it was time to vacate the premises. As the last of the gardeners left, Christian Austin climbed the tallest tree in the garden and stayed put. A group of community members, gardeners, children, and Keith Lilly began to gather in front of the garden and sing “We Shall Overcome”. For over three hours they held hands as they chanted “save our garden”, “no luxury condos”, “more gardens, more trees, New York City has got to breathe”.
Keith Lilly and Wendy Garcia spoke with the sole remaining HPD spokesperson and were given a verbal commitment to have all parties sit down and negotiate. The tree climber, Christian Austin came down only after the verbal agreement was brokered.
At the end the gardeners and those that had turned out to support them, gather outside the shiny new HPD fence, under the eyes of the developers security officers that were left behind to keep 24 hour watch over the garden. All gathered hands and shared a moment of solidarity and voiced a commitment to each other, Nueva Esperanza and the defense of all the East Harlem community gardens.
We are hopeful and strong and no matter how long, we will overcome.
Attached is the HPD’s letter faxed to the media after the confrontation. It is dated March 6, 2006 and states that effective March 24, 2006, all prior agreements with gardeners are terminated. Also attached is HPD’s letter to the gardeners dated February 20, 2007, stating HPD’s recognition of the garden and intention of respecting the agreement concerning Nueva Esperanza Garden, even as the possibilities for development of the site move forward.
The More Gardens! Coalition and the gardeners of Nueva Esperanza would like to extend a special thank you to Coucilmember Mellisa Mark-Viverito, Senator Bill Perkins, Keith Lilly, Wendy Garcia and Times Up! for their invaluable support.
How can you help?
Call the Mayor at 311 and ask that the four city owned lots and the $12 million dollars being given to the Museum of African Art and the developers of the 116 luxury condo units be withdrawn until:
1- The community garden is included in the final plan
2- Include 50% low income and 30% middle income units in construction
3- Insist that the developers meet with affected community groups and meet their needs
Show up on May 5th for the Harlem United Gardens parade. There will be a Times Up! Harlem Community Gardens ride to join all the festivities. The Neuva Esperanza gardeners will be there and need your support.
Update on Nueva EsperanzaHPD, EDC and the developers sunk to a new low in deciding to destroy a community garden on the first day of Passover. At around 10AM four suits and a large construction crew were spotted standing outside the Nueva Esperanza gate by the garden defenders. With a few urgent calls placed by the encampment, a phone tree outreach was started by the community gardeners, More Gardens and Times Up! With the arrival of the police, the suits moved to open the gate. Finding their keys no longer worked, the developers called on their construction crew to cut the locks. Upon entering they came directly to the casita, knocking on the windows and door. The two people in the encampment, Christian Austin and Olga Mazurkiewicz were told to take their possessions and leave. By this time the gardeners and community members started to show up at the garden to voice their opinion on the situation. Jano Roze, a East Harlem community member and gardener, engaged Charles Marcus, Director of Operations of HPD in a conversation. Charles Marcus repeatedly stated that he was only doing his job. Mr. Roze noted that this is how so much of the bad we see in the world has come about, people just doing their jobs.
Anthony Bowman presented Charles Marcus with a letter from HPD dated February 20, 2007 and signed by Charles Marcus. It states that HPD intends to issue a license agreement authorizing NYC EDC to enter the garden from February 21, 2007 through March 31, 2007 for the purpose of performing borings and surveys in a manner that minimizes damage to the Garden. It also states that HPD agrees to restore the garden to its prior condition upon completion of soil testing. Charles Marcus refused to look at the letter saying it had no meaning and stated once again that he was only doing his job.
The two More Gardens! encampment members were still in the process of removing their possessions from the casita when the crew began to demolish it.
As the construction crew tore down the garden fence, the gardeners began removing their newly planted bulbs, transferring them into plastic buckets in a last ditch effort to save something of Nueva Esperanza. As the old fence came down and the new HPD fence went up, a large crowd began to gather; News media, Times Up bicyclists, East Harlem community members, Senator Bill Perkins representative, Keith Lilly, and Borough President Springer’s Community Liaison Wendy Garcia. The suits and HPD officials suffered an immediate urge to use the bathroom. They vocalized this, left and didn’t come back. As they left the police told the gardeners it was time to vacate the premises. As the last of the gardeners left, Christian Austin climbed the tallest tree in the garden and stayed put. A group of community members, gardeners, children, and Keith Lilly began to gather in front of the garden and sing “We Shall Overcome”. For over three hours they held hands as they chanted “save our garden”, “no luxury condos”, “more gardens, more trees, New York City has got to breathe”.
Keith Lilly and Wendy Garcia spoke with the sole remaining HPD spokesperson and were given a verbal commitment to have all parties sit down and negotiate. The tree climber, Christian Austin came down only after the verbal agreement was brokered.
At the end the gardeners and those that had turned out to support them, gather outside the shiny new HPD fence, under the eyes of the developers security officers that were left behind to keep 24 hour watch over the garden. All gathered hands and shared a moment of solidarity and voiced a commitment to each other, Nueva Esperanza and the defense of all the East Harlem community gardens.
We are hopeful and strong and no matter how long, we will overcome.
Attached is the HPD’s letter faxed to the media after the confrontation. It is dated March 6, 2006 and states that effective March 24, 2006, all prior agreements with gardeners are terminated. Also attached is HPD’s letter to the gardeners dated February 20, 2007, stating HPD’s recognition of the garden and intention of respecting the agreement concerning Nueva Esperanza Garden, even as the possibilities for development of the site move forward.
The More Gardens! Coalition and the gardeners of Nueva Esperanza would like to extend a special thank you to Coucilmember Mellisa Mark-Viverito, Senator Bill Perkins, Keith Lilly, Wendy Garcia and Times Up! for their invaluable support.
How can you help?
Call the Mayor at 311 and ask that the four city owned lots and the $12 million dollars being given to the Museum of African Art and the developers of the 116 luxury condo units be withdrawn until:
1- The community garden is included in the final plan
2- Include 50% low income and 30% middle income units in construction
3- Insist that the developers meet with affected community groups and meet their needs
Show up on May 5th for the Harlem United Gardens parade. There will be a Times Up! Harlem Community Gardens ride to join all the festivities. The Neuva Esperanza gardeners will be there and need your support.