Had occasion to be downtown this morning. We've got several projects down there, and one of them needed a site visit to coordinate scanning of two adjacent buldings.
This morning the park (really a plaza with some trees, no grass whatsoever) was originally scheduled to be cleared for "sanitizing". As it turned out the Mayor changed his mind and allowed the protesters to stay. FWIW, there was no "smell", no bad behavior (I didn't see anyone defecating on police cars, for example). Except for the densly packed crowd, it wasn't much dirtier than on a heavy tourist day in Lower Manhattan.
In fact, I'd be willing to bet if you added up the number of police and media, they'd have come close to outnumbering the protesters.
The "park" is actually an privately owned open space owned by the office condo just to the north, a tower known as One Liberty Plaza. In 1967, the Singer Building (erected in 1908) came down and a steel and glass box (the U.S. Steel Corporation Building) went up in it's place.
http://nyc-architecture.com/GON/GON003.htm
http://www.emporis.com/application/?nav=building&lng=3&id=1libertyplaza-newyorkcity-ny-usa
In order to get some zoning concessions, the owner made a deal with the city to create the space. That space was the former Washington Life Building (erected in 1898), a thin skyscaper that had also been acquired and demolished by U.S. Steel.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/79443966/washington-life-building-new-york-ny
The Singer Building is still the tallest building in the world ever intentionally demolished. The tower portion was only 65 feet by 65 feet square, making it unfeasable for rennovation and reuse. The debris was collected at the top and lowered down the elevator shafts floor by floor.
The park is named for John Zuccotti, former deputy mayor of NYC who has been active in real estate since he left office, and is chaiman of Brookfield Properties, current owners of One Liberty Plaza and the Park.
From what I heard on the radio, they said the park was private property, but dedicated for public use, is that correct?
In order to benefit from the zoning concessions, the owners had to agree to maintain and keep the park open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with the exception of one day a year to close it off to preserve it as pivate property against AP claims.
All PUBLIC parks in NYC have a curfew, usually either dusk or 9 PM.
So, ironically, if it wasn't private property, the demonstrators wouldn't be able to stay there.
Would this be an example of an easement appurtenant ?
