Design Unveiled For Upper East Side's New Ruppert Park: See It

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — Grassy lawns, a brand-new playground, seating areas and other improvements may soon be coming to Ruppert Park, the much-loved but awkwardly-laid-out green space in the heart of Yorkville.

The changes were unveiled Thursday night to Community Board 8, as the Parks Department presented details of the park's planned renovation that was first announced in May. Officials described this week's version as a "first bite of the apple," with a final version to be presented in January.

Spanning Second Avenue between East 90th and 91st streets, Ruppert Park dates to the 1970s, and is showing its age. Wide concrete paths and metal fences divide the park into four quadrants, including a little-used dirt patch repurposed as a dog run; outdated play equipment limits kids' enjoyment of the park; hilly areas pose accessibility issues; and overgrown vegetation blocks sunlight and attracts insects, among other problems.

After soliciting public feedback, the city is now rolling out its proposed $8.9 million redesign, which will center on a pair of passive lawns near the park's center.

The playground will be moved from the park's west side to its southwest corner, with a unique design that incorporates the park's natural slope into an overlook featuring a slide and a "rock scramble," according to Parks designer Alex Zervos. (The overlook and playground tower will both be wheelchair-accessible.)

"We wanted to open these spaces up again and let them shine," Zervos said, referring to the little-used, hilly corners of Ruppert.

Speaking of that slope: Ruppert Park's existing steep, central hill will re-graded to be "more gentle," Zervos said. Other changes will include a new spray feature near the playground, a number of solar-powered "Big Belly" trash cans, new lightpoles, benches on the park's east side, and the addition of new, shade-tolerant plant species.

A four-foot fence will be installed around the park's perimeter, replacing the existing seven-foot fence that has been criticized as unwelcoming. Most of the park's 88 trees will be kept in place, while a few unhealthy ones have been removed.

Dog run, bathrooms are absent

Two items were notably absent from the city's plan: a dedicated dog run and bathrooms. The city's design leaves room for a future comfort station with bathrooms, but the current Ruppert plan lacks enough funding for the notoriously pricey facilities.

The absence of a dog run, meanwhile, prompted concern from neighbors during Thursday's meeting — both dog owners and other park users who said the lack of a devoted pet space would pose sanitation issues in the rest of the park.

"We need to dedicate a portion of the park to meet the needs of dog owners, because not everyone is abiding by the rules," said Mubeen Siddiqui, a co-founder of the group Muslim Volunteers for New York, which has led the push for Ruppert's renovation.

Once construction starts, it will last about a year, according to Parks official Steve Simon, though he did not say when work would begin.

Most residents reacted warmly to the design after Thursday's presentation. The $8.9 million figure includes $5.3 million allocated by Councilmember Ben Kallos, a combined $3.3 million from Council Speaker Corey Johnson and the body's Manhattan delegation; $200,000 from Councilmember Keith Powers, and $100,000 from Borough President Gale Brewer.

"Now that I'm a dad with a 3-year-old, I am at Ruppert Park I would say every day," Kallos said Thursday. The Ruppert renovation may mark Kallos's final major achievement after eight years in the Council, since he is set to leave office Dec. 31.

The park occupies the former site of the Jacob Ruppert & Company brewery, which closed in 1965 and was replaced by the Ruppert Towers apartment complex — as well as the park, which opened in 1979.

Previous coverage:

• Upper East Side's Ruppert Park To Get Major Renovation
• Ruppert Park's Big Renovation On UES Gets $8.9M Boost