Washington Square Park Plans Get Cool Reception

The city Parks Department released its latest sketches for a redesigned and renovated Washington Square Park last night, but based on reactions from community and government representatives attending the forum at which they were presented, the designs are unlikely to be approved.

Speaker Christine Quinn and Council Member Alan Gerson, a Democrat of Lower Manhattan, had called the meeting to push forward the public approval process. A lawsuit filed in 2005 stalled the process, the chairman of Community Board 2, Brad Hoylman, said. "We're hopeful that this jumpstarts" the renovation, Mr. Hoylman said. He is also a co-chairman of the Washington Square Park Task Force, a group of public officials and community members appointed to oversee the process.

The first-phase designs, approved by the community board in 2005 but later rescinded, include aligning the park's fountain with the Washington Arch, leveling the fountain plaza, constructing a 4-foot fence around the perimeter, and changing the pattern of several walkways.

In October 2005, Ms. Quinn and Mr. Gerson sent a letter to the Parks Department outlining specific measures for the park design, including suggestions for appropriate fence height and plaza size. The drawings presented yesterday generally complied with those measures, Mr. Hoylman said. "I think we need to look at it more closely and meet as a group before we come to any conclusions."

A member of the Task Force, Keen Berger, a 40-year Village resident, said she thinks the task force will not agree with the designs. "It's clear to me it does not meet the Gerson-Quinn agreement, and those are minimal, minimal standards," she said.

A spokesman for the Parks Department, Warner Johnston, said, "It's a popular park; people feel very strong about this park, but it's in dire need of restoration."