Gramercy--So Close, but Not Worth the Walk

The boundaries of Gramercy vary depending on which real estate developer you believe. But whether the technical boundaries extend to 30th St. or only to 23rd,the Gramercy Park Historical District is what the area is identified with.

Only a short walk from Union Square, Gramercy Park, it's southern boundary E 20th St., might as well exist in another place or time or both. On a pleasant summer evening, Union Square is filled with people and the noise that accompanies such concentrations of humans. The music, shouting, and general bustle associated with New York City are all present. A few blocks away, the Gramercy Park Historical District languors, devoid of crowds and excitement.

The entire neighborhood could be described in the terms of its centerpiece, Gramercy Park. One of the two private parks in New York City, it is barricaded from the masses by a wrought iron fence. The gates are locked, and only those that live in the immediate vicinity of the park are allowed to pay the $350 yearly fee for a key that unlocks the secret garden. Inside this oasis, the privileged may stroll along the gravel paths, may not bring pets, alcoholic beverages, groups larger than six, frisbees, soccer balls or any other sort of hard ball, cannot play music, etc.(source). On this perfect spring evening, three people were enjoying their exclusive park. Each had their pick of a multitude of benches—so different from Union Square, where there benches were filled and people were playing music, and frisbee and skateboarding and had pets and were sitting on the grass!


The entire neighborhood reeks of this exclusivity. The park has a physical barrier that keeps out the unworthy, and the neighborhood's prohibitively high housing costs has the same effect. Across from the park, on the south side is the National Arts Club. Membership is by “invitation only.” For the rare event that is open to non-members, there is a “suggested” business casual dress code that is “strictly encouraged.”Unlike the rest of the city, Gramercy does not encourage traffic. The business models of the restaurants seem to encourage quality patrons, rather than quantity.

Gramercy seems forgotten by the rest of the city. Its intimidating buildings, old aristocratic mansions, private park, high prices, and general exclusivity leave no reason to go there, and they are intent on keeping it that way.