The West Street
Garden Foundation

Neighbors committed to enhancing the quality of life in the West Village by transforming and preserving the West Street Garden into a beautiful natural oasis accessible to all.

Volunteers helping at the West Street Garden

About Us

The Garden

The West Street Garden is owned by the New York State Department of Transportation, and maintained by Friends of the West Street Garden. The Garden is enjoyed daily by hundreds of passing joggers, walkers, dog walkers, bikers, children in strollers and nature lovers. Tax-deductible contributions can be to the West Street Garden Foundation, a 501(c)(3) dedicated solely to the Garden.

Our Story

In 2016 we cleared and cleaned up the Garden, then erected the ornate railing in 2017 thanks to our supporters thanks to contributors like T.F. Cornerstone, Rockrose Development Corp, the Jane Hotel and countless individuals from the neighborhood residing at 99 Jane Street, 100 Jane Street and other buildings.

In 2018 the garden was launched when three neighborhood children planted butterfly weed, one of the very few host plants for monarch butterflies to lay their eggs. A core group of neighbors organizing improvements to the Garden then met with the New York Department of Transportation (NYDOT), the owners and then operators of the Garden. The meeting concluded with an agreement by NYDOT to landscape the Garden and empower the Foundation to henceforth manage and improve the Garden.

The period of Covid and two scorching summers brought some degradation to the Garden, as well as the realization that the rat control (not provided by government), an irrigation system and more community partners are vital to sustaining and enhancing the Garden.

It is definitely a work in progress and we look forward to many more years of growth, neighborhood engagement, and continued transformation with the help of volunteers, donors and businesses in our community.

Here are just a few photos to show you how far we have come!

Before our efforts, the West Street Garden, the plot of land was overgrown with weeds.

Garbage often littered the streets around the Garden before 2016.

Neighborhood volunteers breaking ground on the park’s first garden in 2017.

Our new fence went in September of 2017 thanks to community effort and contributions.

A bed of purple flox blooming for the West Street Garden.

Volunteers planting beds of grass in the Garden.

Volunteers spread compost which was generously provided by the Hudson River Park Trust.

Location

The West Street Garden is bordered by West Street, Horatio Street, and Jane Street in the West Village. Across the street is Hudson River Park and one block north is The Highline and The Whitney Museum. The Garden is a flourishing community space enjoyed by hundreds of passing neighbors each day.

Map indicating the location of the West Street Garden.

The Foundation in Action

Recent Achievements & Future Plans

Our new fence went in September of 2017. This was a community effort. Special thanks to contributors like T.F. Cornerstone, Rockrose Development Corp, the Jane Hotel, and countless individuals from the neighborhood residing at 99 Jane Street, 100 Jane Street and other buildings .