Midtown South Community Council to Focus on Improvement Initiatives BY DUSICA SUE MALESEVIC Could a rooftop garden grow on top of the Midtown South Precinct this summer? That tantalizing idea is slowly but surely making progress, said John A. Mudd, president of the Midtown South Community Council (MSCC). “Our idea is to green the rooftop of the police precinct,” Mudd said at the council’s Jan. 19 meeting. “We got to talk to the higher ups and we got to make sure it’s feasible and make sure it’s safe. There’s still a lot of work to do.” The precinct’s commanding officer, Inspector Russell Green, is on board with the idea, Mudd said. Earlier this month, on Jan. 4, Green, MSCC members, a structural engineer, and Joe Winter and Daniel Mintz of Inner City Farmer (innercityfarmer.com) met to discuss logistics and how to move the project forward. Mudd said that in addition to One Police Plaza approval, there is Department of Buildings code questions to work out (Midtown South Precinct is located at 357 W. 35th St., btw. Eighth and Ninth Aves.). The vegetables produced may be given to the homeless as well as those who work at the precinct, and there also may be job opportunities for the homeless, Mudd noted, adding, “I think it’s really exciting. I think it could really maybe be part of a movement.” Last summer, Winter and Mintz had a rooftop garden on top of 205 W. 39th St. (btw. Sixth and Seventh Aves.), where sweet potatoes, eggplants, peppers, collard greens and tomatoes were grown, Mintz told
Photo by Dusica Sue Malesevic
Photo by John A. Mudd
Sharon Jasprizza, director of community services for the council, spoke about an upcoming app to help the homeless.
The Community Council is working on the removal of derelict bikes and “street furniture,” such as these milk crates tied to a lamppost.
Chelsea Now after the meeting, which was held at The New Yorker hotel (481 Eighth Ave., btw. W. 34th & 35th Sts.). Winter started Inner City Farmer, whose mission is to donate at least 50 percent of “premium quality fresh produce to those who cannot pay for it.” Mintz said they donated vegetables last year to a nearby women’s shelter and church. In addition to the rooftop garden, the Council
has other improvement initiatives in the works. The Council is proposing fixed installations of magazine and newspaper boxes to replace plastic ones, Eugene Sinigalliano, the council’s beautification director, said. Sinigalliano said there are already some fixed installations in front of Penn Station and around Grand
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