Hudson Street between West Houston and Clarkson

This block may not have a lot of glamour-- okay it has almost no glamour-- but there are still some interesting things about it.

For example check out this empty lot! 

It has some nice art on the back wall which may be related to more art that appears up the block on Clarkson Street near a school.

This space has been an empty lot for many years. I remember it being a good place as a kid to warm up before little league games while other games were finishing across the street in J.J. Walker Park. 

But perhaps the most significant thing these days about this lot is that it is a proposed alternative site for affordable housing for those who want to save the Elizabeth Street Garden in Nolita. 

I wrote about the garden in a previous post and how it is being considered as a site for such housing. Opponents of that plan, which seem to include most of the community and Community Board based on the news stories I've read, want to preserve the garden since there is very little green space in the neighborhood as it is. 

This lot, while a bit removed from that neighborhood, would at least provide an alternative that would let the garden remain.

There was recently some bad news on this issue, as the city asked developers for bids regarding the garden space. 

A press conference was held at the garden this past Wednesday, September 21, to protest this news. It had a big turnout, especially since it was in the early afternoon in the middle of the week.

Speakers included Tobi Bergman, who is Chair of the local Community Board and seen speaking in the above photo; Deborah Glick, a member of the State Assembly; and teachers from nearby PS1. 

There is also a protest planned before a developer meeting in October.

So the struggle goes on to keep the garden intact, though it looks like an increasingly uphill battle. It's a shame since the Elizabeth Street Garden is a great sanctuary in Nolita, and because there's an empty lot just sitting on Hudson Street that could provide 5 times as much affordable housing as the garden space. 

The other side of the street is one big brick building that houses several companies and organizations.

Along with the New York District Council of Carpenters, there is also the National Domestic Workers Alliance and the Dock Builders Local Union. And the Census Bureau!

There are also some radio stations, including Hot 97, WBLS, and RXP (The NY Rock Experience).

At the ground level there is a Baskin-Robbins and a Dunkin' Donuts. If you're trying to cut back on sugar you'll just have to go someplace else. 

There are also WebMD offices in this building. If you're not familiar with WebMD, you type in your symptoms and then it scares you out of your mind. I guess if you don't want to do that on the internet, you can come here and they'll scare you in person. 

Here's a look at some of Houston Street with the empty lot next to it. 

Houston Street continues west and leads to the nearby West Side Highway, which Google Maps tells me is 9A though I've never heard it called that. 

That's all I can think to write about this small block in the West Village which has a more industrial feel than other more artistic parts of the neighborhood. But it has some interesting and important elements to it, and thanks for reading this post.