| Paley Park | |
|---|---|
 Paley Park in winter | |
 Interactive map of Paley Park | |
| Location | 3–5 East53rd Street |
| Nearest city | New York City |
| Area | 390 square metres (4,200 sq ft) |
| Opening | 23 May 1967 |
| Founder | William S Paley Foundation |
| Designer | Zion & Breen Associates |
| Owned by | The Greenpark Foundation, Inc. |
| Water | Waterfall |
| Plants | Honey Locusts |
| Website | https://www.paleypark.org/ |
Paley Park is apocket park located at 3 East53rd Street betweenMadison andFifth Avenues inMidtown Manhattan,New York City, on the former site of theStork Club.[1] Designed by the landscape architectural firm of Zion Breen Richardson Associates, it opened May 23, 1967.[2][3] Paley Park is often cited as one of the finest urban spaces in the United States.[4]
Aprivately owned public space,[3][5] Paley Park was financed by theWilliam S. Paley Foundation and was named by Paley for his father, Samuel Paley. A plaque near the entrance reads: "This park is set aside in memory of Samuel Paley, 1875–1963, for the enjoyment of the public." ThePaley Center for Media was originally located next to Paley Park in the 17 storey office building at One East 53rd Street.[6]
Measuring 4,200 square feet (390 m2), the park contains airy trees, lightweight furniture and simple spatial organization.[3] A 20-foot (6.1 m) high waterfall, with a capacity of 1,800 US gallons (6,800 L) per minute, spans the rear boundary of the park. The waterfall creates a backdrop ofgrey noise that masks the sounds of the city. The park is surrounded by walls on three sides and is open to the street (with an ornamental gate) on the fourth side, facing the street. Twelvehoney locust trees were planted in the park at 12-foot (3.7 m) intervals and five in the footpath pavement. The green of the ivy−covered side walls ('vertical lawns')[5] ofEnglish Ivy and Thorndale Ivy (Hedera helix 'Thorndale') contrast with colorful flowers.
Finnish−American architectEero Saarinen designed the tables and Italian−American sculptorHarry Bertoia designed the wire framed chairs (Bertoia Side Chairs byKnoll in white), which have been used in the park since its first opening.[7]
A wheelchair ramp is positioned on either side of the four steps that lead into the park which is elevated from the sidewalk level. The park displays a unique blend of materials, textures, colors and sounds. The wire mesh chairs andmarble tables are light, while the ground surfaces are rough-hewn granite pavers which extend across the sidewalk to the street curb.
In 1968, Paley Park and theFord Foundation Building shared an Albert S. Bard Civic Award, distributed to structures that exhibited "excellence in architecture and urban design".[8][9]
Social interaction in the park was analyzed in the 1980 book and filmThe Social Life of Small Urban Spaces byWilliam H. Whyte.[3]
Paley Park also inspired the similarly sizedTheodora Park inCharleston, South Carolina, which opened in June 2015.[citation needed]
40°45′37″N73°58′30.4″W / 40.76028°N 73.975111°W /40.76028; -73.975111
