| Plaza Lafayette | |
|---|---|
 seen from the northwest on West 181st Street | |
  location in New York City | |
| Type | public |
| Location | Hudson Heights, Manhattan,New York City |
| Coordinates | 40°51′06″N73°56′30″W / 40.85167°N 73.94167°W /40.85167; -73.94167 |
| Area | 0.09 acres (0.036 ha) |
| Created | 1918 |
| Operated by | New York City Department of Parks and Recreation |
Plaza Lafayette is a 0.09-acre (0.036 ha)pocket park and surrounding streets in theHudson Heights neighborhood ofWashington Heights,Manhattan,New York City. Named after theMarquis de Lafayette, the French hero of theAmerican Revolution, the park is roughlytrapezoidal in shape, and is bounded byRiverside Drive – originally called Boulevard Lafayette in this area – on the west, the westbound lane ofWest 181st Street – also called "Plaza Lafayette" here – on the north, the eastbound lane of West 181st Street/Plaza Lafayette on the south, and Haven Avenue on the east. The land was acquired by the city on February 23, 1918.[1]
The park itself has no amenities, but across what is now Riverside Drive is a small viewing area. This and the parklet itself are located near the highest natural point in Manhattan – about 5 block away inBennett Park – and the viewing platform has unobstructed views of theGeorge Washington Bridge, theHudson Palisades, and theHudson River.[1]
The platform has stairs leading down to what is now theHenry Hudson Parkway, which was once Riverside Drive. The staircase is now gated off, but can still be seen from theHudson River Greenway, on the other side of the parkway, which is reachable by a pedestrian bridge about a block north of the Plaza.
Media related toPlaza Lafayette at Wikimedia Commons
