Elizabeth Street Garden is a Flashpoint in 2025 Elections

Elizabeth Street Garden (ESG)–a volunteer-run green space in Lower Manhattan–has recently become a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over development and public space. This question has been increasingly pondered by candidates ahead of the 2025 Democratic primaries.

ESG had exhausted all its legal challenges and the courts set a final eviction date for late October. But that date came and went and the garden stayed put.

When Randy Mastro was named first deputy mayor, he surprisingly put the eviction–that was being urged by Mayor Adams–on hold.

Now it has emerged as a hot button issue in local and citywide elections, including for mayor.

At the root of the Garden controversy is the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), which is seeking to turn the space into affordable senior housing. However, Elizabeth Street Garden has pushed back, claiming that the current HPD narrative has multiple discrepancies and urges that the affordable housing pick another lot rather than the local vest pocket garden. ESG’s preservation has drawn support from some well known downtown celebrities including Robert DiNiro, Patti Smith and Martin Scorsese. The A-listers wrote to Adams in April, asking him to save the garden. “To destroy this garden would be a sad development for the neighborhood and for the city,” according to a letter sent to Adams.

T HPD claims the garden is a private garden run on city owned land under a lease with an adjacent gallery and only open to the public at select hours. The proposed developments are 100 percent affordable housing for LGBTQ seniors. HPD also claims it will preserve 16,000 square feet of the open space even after erecting the new affordable housing.

However, the Elizabeth Street Garden, claims the statistics cited by HPD are misleading or outright false. “ESG is open more than any community garden in NYC, including those under Parks Dept., with over 200,000 annual visitors and hundreds of public programs. ESG is committed to expanding open hrs once the garden is saved.”

ESG also claims that the development is not strictly for LGBTQ seniors. While plans call for 123 senior housing units the development will also house office space, and market-rate retail. They also refute HPD’s claims about preservation, claiming that the development would destroy 100 percent of the garden.

In its public materials, ESG also pushes back on the idea that they are anti-housing. “This isn’t NIMBYism, it’s smart planning,” The group argues that the proposed development is being portrayed as the only option, when in reality alternative sites exist which could support more housing without sacrificing green space. The group believes framing the debate as housing versus a garden is misleading and inaccurate.

The HPD versus ESG debate has entered the 2025 Democratic primaries, with ESG circulating a chart that outlines where local candidates stand on the garden’s future. The chart is based on questionnaire responses, public statements, and internal communications with campaigns and includes positions of mayor, Comptroller, Borough President, and City Council Members.

Currently, support for the garden is almost evenly split, with proponents for the housing development holding a slim advantage. Of the 17 candidates included, nine support the housing development, and eight support the Elizabeth Street Garden.

Currently, Mayoral candidates Michael Blake, Andrew Cuomo––the current polling favorite–Paperboy Prince, Jessica Ramos, Scott Stringer, Comptroller Justin Brannan, State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal [who is running for borough president] and City Council District 1 member Christopher Marte are active proponents for the garden.

Conversely, Mayoral candidates Zohran Mamdani––the current polling runner-up––Adrienne Adams, Brad Lander, Zellnor Myrie, Comptroller Mark Levine, Council Member Keith Powers [who is running for borough president] City Council District 1 candidates Jess Coleman, Elizabeth Lewinsohn, and Eric Yu support the development.

Though ESG is unable to endorse any candidate as a nonprofit, they welcome communication with officials, hoping to spread their side of the story.

”It is up to us to make sure their positions are based on the truth and not the narrative from HPD & the developers,” a flyer reads.

When asked recently by Straus News, Mayor Eric Adams and his first deputy Randy Mastro said said there was “no change” in their current position, but would let reporters know as soon as there was. Adams had not wavered in his postion supporting housing and tearing down the park. But Mastro put the eviction on hold shortly after he was sworn in as first deputy mayor in March. As primaries loom and city leadership sits divided, the garden’s future remains a contentious and unresolved issue.