Popular Upper East Side School Gets New Flower Beds: See It

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — After months of work, more than two dozen flower and tree beds were unveiled Monday around a popular school on the Upper East Side.

Carnegie Hill Neighbors, a nonprofit organization that preserves the heritage of a chunk of the Upper East Side, partnered up with City Council Member Keith Powers and Hunter College to completely refurbish 26 tree beds on all four sides of Hunter College Campus School — between 94th and 95th streets, and Park and Madison avenues.

Each bed was enlarged to its maximum allowable size, amended with mulch and fresh soil, and fitted with eco sustainable custom tree guards.

"Hunter College Campus School is distinctive because it is one of New York City's best K-12 schools, but also because it is connected to the former 8th Regiment Armory facade facing Madison Avenue," Carnegie Hill Neighbors Executive Director Joanna Cawley said in a news release. "As the preservation and quality of life organization in Carnegie Hill, both factors are important to us, as well as stewardship of the street trees, and the health of our Carnegie Hill neighbors and the school's population."

A ribbon cutting ceremony took place Monday involving the different parties that played a part in the tree bed improvements. It was also attended by Rep. Carolyn Maloney, Hunter College President Jennifer Raab, and Alex Bores, who is a Hunter High School graduate and current candidate for the Upper East Side's State Assembly District 73.

Carnegie Hill Neighbors also gave out daffodil bulbs for students to plant in the newly refurbished beds.

The neighborhood organization plans to replicate the project at other educational and cultural institutions in Carnegie Hill.