Parks Seeks Ideas for Broadway Malls Building at W. 96th Street

NYC Parks is looking for someone with a plan for the little building in the Broadway median at West 96th Street on the Upper West Side. Responses are due Friday, Dec. 11, at 2 p.m.

The agency issued a Request for Expressions of Interest to “repurpose” the Broadway Malls W96 Street Building and the park area around it for a parks use.

The site is listed as Block 1243, Lot 55, at West 96th Street and Broadway. The city calls it the “Licensed Premises,” which tells you this is set up as a concession: an outside operator, a license, a park use.

How it works

An RFEI is an early-stage step. Parks is asking who’s interested and what they’d do, not awarding anything yet.

A remote informational meeting is set for Friday, Nov. 13, at noon. Parks says anyone considering a response should “make every effort to attend.”

Site visits are possible, but only by appointment and subject to availability.

The RFEI documents became available Friday, Nov. 6, for free. They can be downloaded from the Parks business opportunities page (nyc.gov/parks/businessopportunities, under “Concessions Opportunities at Parks,” login required), or requested as hard copies from Kat Cognata, Senior Project Manager, at (212) 360-3407 or katherine.cognata@parks.nyc.gov.

What the notice does not say

There’s no word on what the building is used for now, how long it has been in its current state, or what kinds of “parks use” Parks has in mind.

The notice also gives no license term, fee or timeline for picking an operator. Neighbors who’d like a say on what lands in the median should watch for a future concession hearing, which is where these deals typically get public airing.

Related coverage

• Union Square Holiday Market Deal Heads to Public Hearing
• Landmarks Nov. 17: Barrow St. Merger, UWS Addition, Air Rights

Details as filed. Verify times and locations before attending.