The triangle at Canal, Varick, and Laight Streets has had several different incarnations over the last three centuries. In 1767, the area was swampland.In the late 1800’s, Canal Street served as an actual canal and the triangle was a part of it. By 1921, the canal was paved over and the Crucible Steel Company occupied the triangular shaped parcel. Later that decade, the Crucible building was demolished to make way for the elevated subway line. Finally, in the 1940’s, the triangle was morphed into a cobbled roadbed and served as a parking lot until recently.
Site of the CaVaLa Park June 2008
In 2005, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation proposed building a park on the parcel of land and was given ownership of the area by the Department of Transportation. Later that year, DOT constructed sidewalks around the triangle to complement the park that was yet to be built. In 2006, the Tribeca Film Festival donated money to the Department of Parks and Recreation to recreate the triangle into a grassy lawn for patrons.
Summary
The schematic design of the CaVaLa Park envisions a “passive open space” that will serve as a gateway to Lower Manhattan. The park will have three entrances at each corner and will be adorned with modern details. A tiered canal-like fountain built in locks will be the main feature of the park. The sculptured fountain will be 113 feet long and 6 feet wide. The proposed budget for the park comes to $2.3 million.
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