Times (and Our Streets) Are A Changin'

87th Street and Columbus Avenue Photo: Kelley Williams

The Columbus Avenue bicycle lane is permanent y'all!

Yep, that's right! I spoke with City Council Member Gale Brewer last Friday morning as she handed out a NYC's Department of Transportation's "Motorist Update". It explains the "floating parking lane" and the "Mixing Zones". If you want to know more you should have been on the corner of 87th Street and Columbus like I was where Gale kindly handed me the DOT pamphlet..(only kidding ). Actually you can get more info from the DOT website there is a comprehensive slide show about the Columbus Avenue bike lane project.

So I ask Gale on this Friday morning if the bike lanes were permanent. I am sure she could tell from my facial expression I was hoping to hear it was all a trial and would soon be over and I would have my our old Columbus Avenue back. The parking seems awkward and for me, the pedestrian., I can't figure out where its okay to stand,  take a peek at on coming traffic or stop a cab.

Columbus Avenue and 88th Street
Pre-bike lane -- of course!

I was so glad to hear from Gale that "Pedestrian Refuge Islands" were going to be installed -- according to the DOT handout she was distributing there will be 28 in all! Ah, this put a smile on my face and even had me day dreaming of riding my bike on the streets again. The "islands" would make the world of Columbus Avenue between 96th Street and 77th Street an okay place again.

On my way in to the Strycker's Bay office this morning -- that by the way we are being forced to vacate (stay tuned for that blog post!) -- I saw the wonderful DOT contractors putting in an "island" -- I can now settle in comfortably and work on getting accustomed to the "new" Columbus Avenue. This is what West Siders must have experienced when they demolished the Columbus Avenue elevated train in 1940.

Until the next post,

Kelley

Welcome To Neighborhood Commons

The West Side Urban Renewal Area.
The Plan that sparked the organizing of The Strycker's Bay Community
around the issues concerning this massive redevelopment of the neighborhood.

As Executive Director of Strycker's Bay Neighborhood Council, I am faced with the very difficult challenge of staying connected with ALL of the organization's stakeholders. Neighborhood Commons is my very ambitious attempt to do just that.

Since its in inception in 1959, Strycker's Bay has remained connected to and supported by  people from all walks of life. There is so much more we West Siders have in common than the neighborhood we live in. The people we come in contact with everyday help keep that in the forefront of the minds of our staff, volunteers and board members.

I plan on using Neighborhood Commons to share the daily anecdotes, and happenings that affect us all in one way or another. Yes, I know this is quite an ambitious undertaking, but so was trying to keep track of the 2,500 families relocated from the neighborhood during urban renewal fifty years ago without the benefit of a computer or database.

Sidebar: I believe we still have on hand some of the carbon copies of relocatee lists used to help track and bring back residents to the neighborhood when newly constructed housing became available. :-)

The Times They Are a-Changin and so is the way in which Strycker's Bay continues to connect with its neighbors and stakeholders. I will use this space to share insights "from the field" on topics such as affordable housing, community diversity, education, and family self-sufficiency just to name a few.

Strycker's Bay continues to remain relevant in spite of the many changes the West Side has undergone in the last 50 years because we stay connected to and understand the pulse of this community through our grassroots position here. I look forward to sharing our observations and opinions with those this blog reaches.

Until the next blog post,

Kelley Williams

Executive Director