Stanley Isaacs Playground

What was here before? 
In the early 20th century, the southern half of this site was occupied by a large storage facility owned by the New York Edison Company, a power utility and precursor to today’s Consolidated Edison. It encompassed an entire city block between East 95th and East 96th Streets. The northern half of the parcel was occupied by a garage, another New York Edison Company facility, and a building belonging to the Kenlon Coal Company. The latter fought against condemnation for the construction of the new East River Drive. They were the last legal hurdle to the project until their application for an injunction was denied by Supreme Court Justice Samuel I. Rosenman in 1935, allowing the land to be seized. There were also two small piers for barges on the East River, at the ends of East 95th and East 96th Streets.

How did this site become a playground? 
In 1941, both parcels of land were condemned by the City to build the East River Drive, but were ultimately not used and assigned to Parks in 1946. The playground opened the following year, with a play area, softball diamond, areas for horseshoe pitching and paddle tennis, and handball, volleyball, and basketball courts. During the construction of the New York City Housing Authority’s Isaacs Houses, which opened in 1965, East 95th Street (the park’s southern boundary) was eliminated. The park is currently bisected by the East 96th Street entrance to the FDR Drive. The City Council named this park Stanley Isaacs Park in 1974. It was later renamed Stanley Isaacs Playground in 1998.

In 2000 NYC Parks installed new benches, play equipment, and planting areas, and the usable park space expanded by moving fences to the edge of the property lines. The same year, the roller hockey rink was dedicated as Paul L. McDermott Rink. McDermott (1953-1996) was a long-time coach and volunteer at the rink, known for telling participants, “Play hard, always give a good fight, but most of all have fun.” McDermott died of cancer at the age of 43.

The rink was upgraded in 2024 with funding from the New York Rangers and Benjamin Moore Paints. This project included a new playing surface and dasher boards, updated fencing, a ramp to enhance accessibility, and fresh paint for the public restrooms and an adjacent playground area.

Who is this playground named for? 
This playground honors Stanley Myer Isaacs (1882-1962), a lawyer, civic leader, and independent thinker who strolled this park each week. Born and raised in New York City, Isaacs graduated from Columbia College and New York Law School before embarking on a career in public service. During World War I, he served as chairman of a local draft board on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Between 1938 and 1941, as Borough President of Manhattan, Isaacs worked with Parks Commissioner Robert Moses to complete the East River Drive, now known as Franklin D. Roosevelt Drive. The New York Times once called Isaacs “the conscience of our city government.”

Shortly after he was elected Borough President, Isaacs faced controversy when he hired avowed Communist Simon Gerson to handle his press relations. Despite Gerson’s resignation in 1940, the Republican party did not support Isaacs in his run for a second term as Borough President. Isaacs was, however, elected to the New York City Council five times, serving until he died in 1962. For years, Isaacs was the only Republican member of a Democratic City Council and crusaded against injustices such as racial discrimination in New York City housing. Isaacs also served as the president of United Neighborhood Houses and actively participated in various

Jewish organizations and advocacy groups. In 1956, he organized a rally protesting a Robert Moses plan for a parking lot expansion at Central Park’s Tavern on the Green, and the resulting public outcry was the plan’s demise. A playground opened on the half-acre site the following year.