We're going to be awfully sad when Phase II of the seemingly never-ending Washington Square Park redesign comes to a close, because that means no more incredible exposés about the Parks Department ordering the wrong color of granite tiles. But anyone can see that Phase II is almost finished, and therefore its various controversies have subsided. Or have they?! The watchdog Washington Square Park Blog notes today that the fence along Washington Square North has come down, but Phase II is still at least a couple weeks out from officially reopening. Conspiracy theory time!
It’s evident that the re-designer of Washington Square has a strong desire to please those living and working along tony Washington Square North. This segment of the block has a heavy NYU presence (many of the university deans inhabit these buildings) and is also the location of the Washington Square Association, an organization which supported designer’s George Vellonakis’s plans for the park, while many did not. So, it’s impossible not to link the fervor to please the inhabitants of this block and the fence being removed in that location, and only that location, first. Now, those folks have a picture perfect, unfettered view into the park – after 19 months of construction – before everyone else, except where their view becomes a hilly tree-topped terrain at the far eastern end.
So the richest Washington Square folks get unfettered views two weeks early? We'll file that one somewhere between Castro killing Kennedy and the faked Moon landing in our conspiracy cabinet. A Washington Square North house just hit the market for $25 million, which is really all the proof we need.
· WSP Phase II Construction Still 2 Weeks Away from Opening Yet Fences Come Down Along Tony Washington Square North. Only. More to this decision than meets the eye? [Washington Square Park Blog]
· Tour the Unfinished Parts of Washington Square Park [Curbed]
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