An overview shot of the new park taken from a W. 12th St. balcony of Lenox Health Greenwich Village, above. Work being done on the emerging park viewed from the corner of W. 12th St. and Seventh Ave. South, at right
BY LINCOLN ANDERSON | The new park at the former “St. Vincent’s Triangle” — at Seventh Ave. South, Greenwich Ave. and W. 12th St. — is rapidly nearing completion. It will include a lawn, wooden benches, movable tables and chairs and “interactive water jets” for kids to play in.
The site will also eventually include a trellis-like AIDS memorial at its western angle, which reportedly will be completed by the end of the year.
The park is being built and will be maintained by Rudin Management, which is also constructing the Greenwich Lane luxury residential development on the former St. Vincent’s Hospital main campus.
“The park will open soon,” John J. Gilbert III, chief operating officer and executive vice president of Rudin Management, told The Villager. “We are waiting for final approvals from the city and then we will have a brand-new open space for the public to enjoy. We are very excited to be so close.”
Rich Caccappolo, chairperson of the Community Board 2 Parks Committee concurred, “It looks close to being open. It looks great.”
Caccappolo said that last Sunday he was told by someone at the site that the new greensward could be open in one to two weeks.
As for the park’s name, it will be unveiled soon. The inspiration for having an AIDS memorial at the site was the pivotal role that St. Vincent’s played in treating early victims of the devastating epidemic.
In 2010, after 161 years of operation, the historic but bankrupt Catholic hospital closed, $1 billion in debt.
