Thanks for the wonderful pics.  BP's transformation from the 80's open drug market is a major urban American success story.

I truly wish Cleveland could send its most gifted geologists to NYC. There they would use some kind of machinery to scour beneath Bryant Park secretly in the dead of night and steal it. Just whisk it away. Maybe we could pay Pennsylvania for safe harbor, since NYC would be surely be pissed and try and stop us. I'm guessing it would have to be airlifted. Either way it would have to be done quickly. But then once safely back, the park could then be gently placed right on top of Public Square. We'd only need to cut out a section to fit over the Soldiers monument. Superior and the other crossing streets be damned.

Awesome, thanks EVD.

 

I'm a total sucker for mature trees, movable chairs, high quality paving/infrastructure, and good concessions.  I think I have Bryant Park in the back of my mind when I think about those elements for Cleveland's Public Square.

 

EDIT: great minds, surf.

.. perfect pictures .. !!!!!!!!!!!!

One of America's finest public spaces.

look at all those thugs loitering in the park. just sitting there with no agenda. oh, this isn't a public square thread? my bad. 

 

Great pics though!

whew -- no more signs of the panic in needle park!

 

but seriously -- here is some interesting trivia and rare views of what lies under bryant park:

 

http://gothamist.com/2008/10/24/underneath_the_new_york_public_libr.php#photo-1

Awesome, thanks EVD.

 

I'm a total sucker for mature trees, movable chairs, high quality paving/infrastructure, and good concessions.  I think I have Bryant Park in the back of my mind when I think about those elements for Cleveland's Public Square.

 

EDIT: great minds, surf.

I remember when those French-style chairs were first introduced when the park was being refurbished and everyone was so psyched out--"wow, it's going to just like Paris!" lol. Now you see them everywhere, like the High Line. You can probably buy them at Bed, Bath & Beyond.

 

 

Awesome pictures! Now thats a public space!

Sweet!

 

Who needs a house, out in Hackensack? Is that all you get for your money?

I remember when those French-style chairs were first introduced when the park was being refurbished and everyone was so psyched out--"wow, it's going to just like Paris!" lol. Now you see them everywhere, like the High Line. You can probably buy them at Bed, Bath & Beyond.

 

 

I remember everyone thinking they would all get stolen.  There's nothing special about the chair design themselves but I strongly prefer them to fixed seating in public spaces if the budget is there for maintenance/evening lock-up.  Infinite flexibility, much better usage rates than fixed seating, and easy to swap out when they break or get covered with pigeon crap.  Holly Whyte's famous video got that part totally right, even if he overplayed the dangers of limited entry and walled edges.