The Birch Wathen Lenox School on the Upper East Side has secured permission to transform public roads into playground spaces for the school year.
Manhattan Community Board 8 has approved the school’s application, which costs around $62,500 annually, allowing them to shut down part of East 77th Street for three hours a week during peak times, starting next month.
“It’s a wealthy student body. It feels like a case of 99% versus 1%,” said Todd Lane, who manages a nearby laundromat just steps from the school.
“Why should they take control of the whole street and affect local businesses here?” he asked.
The approval was granted last month for the private K-12 school, known for its notable alumni like Barbara Walters. This is part of the city’s debated open street initiative, which involves closing busy streets during specific hours weekly.
The school, which has about 500 students, had faced rejection previously when it aimed to close roads for five hours daily, citing the limited size of its rooftop playground that could accommodate only one first-grade class at a time.
Local businesses have voiced concerns that even a brief street closure could threaten their survival.
“I informed the community board about it, but they didn’t seem to think it was a significant issue since they were still trying to allow some traffic to flow,” he noted.
Toby Chancey, owner of Toby Clairty Lighting, indicated he could lose roughly 10% of his revenue, as many customers typically drive to his store.
“This isn’t good for anyone on this street. I hope it all works out, but I have my doubts,” he remarked.
Residents also seem to share concerns about the new plan, as noted by Linda Cornelius from the East 77th Block Association.
Birch Wathen Lenox School has assured that it will work on keeping the roads clear as needed.
A representative from Northwell Hospital stated that street closures typically don’t pose problems for ambulances.
Principal Bill Coon has stated that the school intends to keep lines of communication open with neighborhood residents throughout the year. The Open Street proposal will be reviewed periodically, with the possibility of revoking it if necessary.
The updated open street plan, which Community Board 8 approved in a unanimous vote, has been significantly scaled back, now only requesting two hours of closure three times a week.
