Penn South Playground

W. 26 St., 8 Ave. To 9 Ave.

Manhattan

Directions via Google Maps

This text is part of Parks’ Historical Signs Project and can be found posted within the park.

What was here before?
In the 1950s, this lot was procured by the City of New York for a new housing project. At that time, state law allowed the City to acquire property that was deemed substandard and convey it to approved redevelopment companies. These companies had the power to demolish existing buildings and build new moderate-income housing. A multiblock parcel between Eighth and Ninth Avenues from West 23rd to West 29th Streets was acquired for the construction of a large cooperative residential development, Penn South Mutual Redevelopment Houses, sponsored by the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU). Previously, it was occupied by a mix of tenements, brownstones, loft buildings, small industrial buildings, automobile repair shops, parking lots, and two theaters.

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