NYC Parks unveils revised Thomas Jefferson dog run plan
The updated $1.7 million proposal would enlarge the Thomas Jefferson Park dog run and add a small-dog area, lighting, seating, water access, lawn, and cherry trees.
Two hosts walk through the week’s edition in conversation — thomas jefferson park dog run redesign, contract 3 property acquisition and construction, and what’s coming next. Generated by Aware, from this week’s verified summaries.
The redesign would give dog owners more space while trading some nearby concrete for grass and trees along Patricia Clark.
A familiar patch of pavement could soon look very different. NYC Parks brought Manhattan Community Board 11 a revised $1.7 million plan for the Thomas Jefferson Park dog run along Patricia Clark. The proposal expands the run and adds a separate area for small dogs, a change aimed at making the space work better for different pets and owners.
The redesign goes beyond the fence line. Parks said the plan includes seating, lighting, and water access, three basics that shape how long people can comfortably use the space and when. It would replace some adjacent concrete with lawn and cherry trees, shifting part of the site from hard surface to planted area.
The presentation landed at the board's Environment, Open Space, and Parks Committee, where members got the latest version of a project that has already been revised. What comes next, based on the committee update, is continued review as the design moves through the public process. For nearby residents, the stakes are straightforward: a larger dog run, more amenities, and a greener edge in one of East Harlem's busiest parks.
Contract 3 property acquisition and construction update
The subway work will outlast this year and the next. MTA staff walked Manhattan Community Board 11 through how Contract 3 property acquisition works, drawing a clear line between permanent takings and temporary work areas or easements. They said the process can include subsurface rights for tunneling, not just use of surface property.
The update focused on what that means on the ground around Franklin Plaza and East 106th Street and East 108th Street. Staff outlined ongoing work and upcoming phases tied to station construction, giving residents and property owners a clearer picture of why different parcels may be affected in different ways.
The timeline remains long. MTA said construction and restoration in the area extend through 2029, which means years more of staging, access questions, and follow-up with the community. For businesses and tenants near the work, that schedule matters as much as the engineering details.
Esplanade advocates push for fuller rebuild
Friends of the East River Esplanade told the board the current $294 million restoration plan falls short of the fuller project previously announced. They said the gap leaves climate resiliency concerns unresolved and signaled they will keep pressing the case at future meetings and public events.
The scope of esplanade repairs affects flood resilience, park access, and how much of the waterfront actually gets restored.
Cafe d’Anvers wins café, license approvals
The committee approved Cafe d’Anvers' new sidewalk and roadway café application and its renewal beer, wine, and cider license for 1567 Lexington Ave. Members spent much of the discussion on past crowding and street access concerns, then added a condition requiring the café to return in six months if 311 calls come in.
Approved new outdoor café and license renewal after crowding concerns, with six-month 311 condition.
Bus lane enforcement worries stay unresolved
Residents, committee members, and DOT spent the meeting debating double-parking, bus lane and busway enforcement, and the loss of curb space on corridors including 116th Street and Lexington Avenue. The discussion tied traffic enforcement to small-business pressure and to sanitation containerization taking up more of the curb.
Drivers, bus riders, and merchants are affected by curb-space changes, fines, and travel times on busy corridors.
Businesses ask for better subway construction help
Community members and business owners said Second Avenue Subway outreach has focused too much on future gains and not enough on present-day disruption. They asked for clearer communication, better coordination on access and deliveries, and stronger support for small businesses dealing with noise, pests, and reduced visibility.
Small businesses and their workers could lose customers and income if access and communication do not improve.
- Manhattan Community Board 11 — Second Avenue Subway Task Force. A CB11 member criticized public messaging from high-level officials as focusing on ribbon-cutting and benefits while not acknowledging community disruption and displacement. MTA staff said they communicate regularly with elected offices and that those offices are concerned about local hiring and business impacts, and that feedback “trickles back.”
- Manhattan Community Board 11 — Second Avenue Subway Task Force. A community representative raised safety and enforcement concerns about contractor vehicles parking improperly despite flyers, describing near-miss hazards. The speaker said they worked with a police station sergeant to ticket vehicles. They also asked about local hiring metrics; MTA described tiered local hiring goals tied to about 20 zip codes and broader economically disadvantaged areas.
- Manhattan Community Board 11. Residents and attendees commented on double-parking and bus lane enforcement on corridors such as 116th Street and Lexington Avenue, debating cultural norms, business needs, and traffic impacts. Speakers also raised concerns about shrinking parking supply due to development and an upcoming sanitation containerization program that could remove curbside parking.
What we didn’t fit in this Sundays edition
Manhattan Cb11 had 66 more items this week. Here are sixfour — the rest are on Aware.
- GOVERNANCESafety and access complaints raised around subway work. Residents and CB11 members described ongoing safety and quality-of-life problems around Second Avenue Subway work zones, including blocked crosswalks, poor ADA access, bad signage, fencing issues, contractor parking, and bus stop changes near 106th Street. MTA and DOT representatives pointed residents to complaint channels and said conditions and compliance would be reviewed.
- GOVERNANCETask force discussion and public concerns: Franklin Plaza noise, complaint reporting channels, and overnight work rationale. CB11 members and attendees raised ongoing concerns about Franklin Plaza noise—especially overnight—and questioned how the MTA evaluates complaints and thresholds for mitigation. MTA staff stated every complaint via hotline/email is logged and investigated, and explained reasons some work must occur overnight (egress, sensitive facilities, utility/traffic constraints).
- GOVERNANCESLA Application — Tacos Corporation DBA PTA Class (Class Change to Full Liquor License). The committee heard from the applicant’s representative for Tacos Corporation DBA PTA Class regarding a class change to a full liquor license at 1505 Lexington Ave (near E. 97th St). After discussion of hours and missing paperwork, the committee approved, contingent on receiving the signed class change form by email.
- GOVERNANCEAnnouncements: garden tours, backpack/supply distribution, food pantry, DSNY bin enforcement reminder. The chair announced the final community garden tours on September 12, a CB11 school backpack/supply distribution event, and a food pantry distribution. A DSNY reminder was read regarding required NYC bins for 1–9 unit residential buildings and ticketing beginning September 8.
- GOVERNANCEContract 2 construction update: blasting progress at Lexington/120th and Park Avenue/125th. The team reported Contract 2 blasting and shaft work: at Lexington/120th, blasting had reached about 25 feet with about 50 feet remaining and would transition to horizontal blasting; at Park Avenue/125th Viaduct, excavation and bracing were underway with blasting expected to start in the second week of October and later proceed horizontally.
- GOVERNANCEMTA reviews monitoring data and Phase 1 lessons. MTA staff opened the Second Avenue Subway discussion with an overview of agenda topics, prior concerns, and July air monitoring results that were below action thresholds. A CB11 member urged the team to apply lessons from Phase 1, citing earlier air-quality documentation and community frustration with past impacts.
- GOVERNANCENew business discussion: Marcus Garvey Park concerns (rusty gym equipment; smoking/drinking in park; enforcement challenges). In new business, a committee member raised concerns about rusty gym equipment in Marcus Garvey Park and reported observing drinking and smoking in the park, offering to send videos/pictures to Parks. Discussion included the community-origin history of the equipment, questions about permitting, and concerns about enforcement of park rules.
- GOVERNANCESupport letter approved for two Central Park projects. The committee voted to issue a letter of support for Central Park Conservancy work at Rudin Playground and Pine Bank Arch. The bundled motion passed to support the projects as they move through Public Design Commission and Landmarks review.
- GOVERNANCEAnnouncements: NYC DOT Program Installation Plan and MTA OMNY Transition Outreach. The chair delivered announcements including an NYC program installation plan at 123rd Avenue City Fresh Market and an MTA outreach offer to explain the transition to OMNY tap-to-ride as MetroCard acceptance changes.
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