Improving Parks Together
Green Below 14 improves parks, playgrounds, and
open spaces in Manhattan below 14th Street
Help us make our local parks as marvelous as they can be.
Know of a park below 14th St that needs some love? Let us know so we’ll be sure to take care of it.
The Challenge
NYC Parks are Underfunded
New York City directs only 0.55% of its annual expense budget to 29,000 acres of NYC Parks.
Downtown Manhattan is Park Starved
The NYC standard for open space is 2.5 acres per 1,000 residents and downtown Manhattan is well below this standard. Manhattan Community Board 2 and Manhattan Community Board 3 have open space ratios of 0.58 and 0.66 acres per 1,000 residents, respectively.
Our Mission
Who We Are
Green Below 14 is a non-profit organization incorporated in New York State. GB14 promotes community involvement and financial support for the maintenance, development and improvement of parks, playgrounds and other open spaces.
What We Do
Our mission is to improve parks, playgrounds and open space in downtown Manhattan below 14th Street. We are improving parks together with the community.
Our Programs
Artside
In partnership with the Children’s Museum of Art “CMA” and NYC Parks, Green Below 14 has created a program for the community to work with artists on community art projects for temporary installation at parks and playgrounds. “Parks is thrilled to welcome this wonderful project from Green Below 14 to some of our smaller downtown Manhattan parks and playgrounds. This program offers us the opportunity to engage with young people in the local community and beautify our public spaces,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP. “Public art in parks gives us the chance to appreciate our shared green spaces in a whole new light and Artside is a wonderful example of that.” For more information, please email info@greenbelow14.org and sign up for updates on our mailing list.
Greener and Cleaner
NYC Parks consistently receives less than 1% of the NYC Budget to maintain the 14,000 acres of parkland it is responsible for as well as all the recreation centers, pools and facilities assigned to NYC Parks.
To help keep our parks clean, well-maintained and landscaped, Green Below 14 has partnered with the Horticultural Society of New York “the HORT” and the Association of Community Engagement “ACE” to create a supplementary maintenance program staffed by professionals in select participating parks. Regarding the Greener and Cleaner Program, NYC Parks Manhattan Borough Commissioner William Castro said, “Community support and engagement is critical to the success of parks.” For more information, please email info@greenbelow14.org and sign up for updates on our mailing list.
Playground
STEM
Green Below 14 believes in the value of open-ended, creative play in stimulating the social, emotional and intellectual development of all ages. Finding ways to incorporate Science, Technology, Engineering and Math “STEM” into play creates a natural and fun learning environment we’re experience and senses contribute as much as planned lessons. With partners such as Imagination Playground, the Uni Project, City Growers and The Battery, Green Below 14 offers opportunities for playful learning outdoors.
We consider parks our Outdoor Labs and invite local programs such as the Brooklyn Robot Factory, Science Sarah, Silly Sally’s Bubbleology and Launch STEM to conduct fun, informal workshops for all ages to enjoy. Playground STEM enjoys support from Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer. For more information, please email info@greenbelow14.org and sign up for updates on our mailing list.
