Block Party NYC

About Block Party NYC

The Idea

Block Party NYC is a new program by the New York City Streets Renaissance which is helping neighborhoods around NYC come together and enjoy their street for a day, free from the usual hazards and distractions of automobiles. This summer alone, we're providing mini-grants to over 30 block parties throughout the 5 boroughs. Each of these parties also gets the services of a professional urban planner for a day, who will help find community solutions to community problems like traffic, speeding, and noise and air pollution. They will also talk to residents about what they like and dislike about their street, what they want to preserve, and what needs to change.

The Parties (How Do I Apply?)

Please note: we are no longer accepting applications for the summer of 2008. Of course, you can go ahead and throw a great party anyway; for tips on how to get started, check here.

To Apply

First, fill out the Block Party NYC application. Please fill out all of the application. We will accept applications from anyone in any neighborhood, regardless of whether they've organized a block party before. However, it helps to give us some idea of why you're the right person to organize your block for a party, and to let us know what kinds of things you might want our help to talk about. This can be anything from how to make sure that the things you like about your block don't change to how to redesign your block to make it more people-friendly.

After you've submitted your application (by the deadline—no late applications are accepted), you will receive a note from us letting you know we got it. If you don't hear from us within a day or two, let us know.

It takes us about two weeks from the deadline to make our decisions and notify everyone that whether or not their application has been approved. Please be patient with us, we are few and you are many.

If you have any other questions that aren't answered here, please feel free to contact us, and we'll do our best to address them.

The Team

The New York City Streets Renaissance is a collaboration between Transportation Alternatives and The Open Planning Project. An array of folks from those organizations and more have come together to bring you Block Party NYC. A few of the notables are:

The Planners

Jessica Brown was born and raised in the city-state of Rhode Island, where she worked as a community gardens coordinator. She has a degree in Spanish and Latin American studies and is currently working towards a Masters in Landscape Architecture. She is excited to bring together her interests in community organizing and urban design in her work as a Block Party NYC Urban Planner.
Matthew Ides has over eight years experience working for not-for-profits, elected officials, and planning organizations. He is focused on improving quality of life and services for neighborhoods and communities throughout New York. Recently he worked on the Long Island 2035 plan, completed a new design for Grand Army Plaza, and wrote a rezoning proposal for downtown Staten Island. Currently he is writing a report about inclusionary housing in Brooklyn for the Fifth Avenue Committee and conducting a New York City Bike Commuter study to be published this summer.