I think the ultimate goal should be to eliminate as many traffic lanes possible around all of these new plazas. People should be able to sit and relax without continually inhaling exhaust.

And maybe those government employees should be taking public transit...

BTW did anyone notice the other (and BIGGER!) before and after in that picture? One small park created but a much bigger one lost.

Having a degree in forestry (specializing in urban forestry), I can tell you that only the female Ginkgo trees produce the smelly and slippery fruit. The male trees are almost always exclusively planted in urban settings. If females were accidentally planted somewhere then someone wasn't doing their job.

BTW, the smelly fruit of the Ginkgo tree is considered an Asian delicacy and in places where the female trees are found, the fruit usually doesn't last long since they are often quickly harvested by Chinese and other Asian immigrants.

I live near this plaza and really love it. I also like the skateboarders-- they keep it active through dusk so if feels safe over there. And they are funny to watch.

I predict that in the summertime, every square inch that's possible to sit on will be occupied at lunch time.

Yes, you are correct. And at most other times, every square inch is occupied by skateboarders. Perhaps due to the Law of Unintended Consequences (actually, almost certainly due to that law since it has a "No Skateboarding" sign), this plaza has become a Mecca for the skateboarding community from about 3 p.m. until past midnight every day turning warm (and chilly, and anything except sub-freezing, blizzard-like) weather.

Not that I'm complaining. First, SKATEBOARDING IS NOT A CRIME!!!!! Second, they're entertaining to watch, and in fact sometimes draw small crowds, esp. during Yankee games. This plaza clearly fulfills at least one need that is obviously not being met.

I think they would do much better to create a traditional New York style park design similar to, say, City Hall Park, Peter Cooper Park, or Father Demo Square.

-- "They can't walk two blocks to a garage, but they all walk to Queen for lunch," quipped one insider, referring to a well-known Court St. Italian restaurant.

On topic: It will be interesting to see if Yankee fans use this space before or after games. Instead of "meet me at the bat," it is conceivable that people will meet in Lou Gehrig Plaza. Will the slugger be commemorated somehow, or is the space just named for Gehrig?

I predict that in the summertime, every square inch that's possible to sit on will be occupied at lunch time.

> I think there's a very real safety concern particularly related to criminal
> court judges

Can't the courthouse afford a small parking garage?! Are we down to just nabbing any convenient nearby parkland for their (and only their) use? Feh.

I'm not sure why the quotes around judges in the first comment - the people concerned ARE judges, and while I don't like their use of park space as we've seen, I think there's a very real safety concern particularly related to criminal court judges. That being said, there's no similar such concern with regards to, say, administrative personnel.