Upper East Side park to receive major facelift
BY EMILY DAVENPORT
An Upper East Side park is getting
a full and complete renovation
thanks to over $8.9 million in
discretionary funding from local elected
offi cials.
Ruppert Park, located at 1741 2nd
Avenue, was originally built in 1979 and
last received $192,000 in funding from
then-Council Member Gifford Miller for
new benches, sidewalk repairs, planting
areas and play equipment. Now, nearly 25
years later, the park will be getting a muchneeded
upgrade.
Funding for the project comes from-
Council Member Ben Kallos, Manhattan
Borough President Gale Brewer, Council
Member Keith Powers and from the City
Council through Speaker Corey Johnson.
Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, Community
Board 8 and NYC Parks, as well
as community stewards for Ruppert Park
from the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce,
Muslim Volunteers for New York
and nearby Knickerbocker Plaza all joined
in heralding the announcement.
“Ruppert Park has needed an overhaul
since I was kid and no one wanted to play
there. As a dad in the neighborhood, this is
the closest park where I can take my 3-yearold
daughter and even she gets bored here.
I can’t believe it took my lifetime, but Ruppert
Park is going to get a complete redesign
to become a destination park in the
PHOTO COURTESY OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBER BEN KALLOS
neighborhood that everyone will want to go
to,” said Council Member Kallos. “Thank
you to Speaker Corey Johnson, Council
Member Keith Powers, Assembly Member
Dan Quart, Congresswoman Maloney, the
Parks Department and the community for
their partnership and investment in Ruppert
Park.”
“The pandemic has illuminated the
importance of well-maintained public
space in our neighborhoods. For decades,
Ruppert Park has been a jewel of the Upper
East Side. I am proud to have helped
secure funding for its renovations and look
forward to spending time there for years to
come,” said Council Member Powers.
The project is funded with 5.3 million
from Council Member Kallos, $200,000
from Council Member Powers, $100,000
from Manhattan Borough President Gale
Brewer, and $3.3 million from the City
Council including Council Speaker Johnson
and the Manhattan Delegation, with Kallos
and Powers advocating for funding in the
2021-22 budget. All of the elected offi cials
have worked alongside Congresswoman
Maloney, who has been a leader in securing
funding for parks in New York City.
“Living in a city, the importance of access
to public parks and green open spaces
cannot be overstated. Ruppert Park is more
than a place for exercise and recreation,
it’s a real community space that many
Upper East Side families rely on, including
my own,” saidAssemblymember Dan
Quart. “Today, I’m proud to stand with
my partners in government to ensure that
our beloved local park gets the overhaul it
deserves and is welcoming, functional, and
beautiful for years to come.”
Kallos and the Parks Department hosted
dozens of residents at a public scoping session
to discuss the details of the redesign of
the park and to hear input from the community.
Residents and organizations have
worked for years to improve existing conditions,
including the Manhattan Chamber
of Commerce, the Knickerbocker Plaza
tenants association, and Muslim Volunteers
of New York.
A design plan will be presented to the
public at Community Board 8 and the
Public Design Commission in 2021, and
the project is expected to begin construction
in 2023.
Krispy Kreme opens new location in East Harlem
BY DEAN JAMIESON
Donut lovers of East Harlem, rejoice!
Fan favorite Krispy Kreme is
coming to your neighborhood this
week with a new location on 3rd Avenue.
Renowned for its signature Original Glaze
donut, among dozens of other delicious
fl avors, Krispy Kreme has been expanding
across Manhattan in the past couple
of years, with locations in Fulton Center
and across midtown. The latest location is
nestled at 1882 3rd Avenue, between East
103rd and 104th Streets.
“We’re so thrilled to be expanding into
a truly special location and to be serving
a community with an exceptionally rich
history,” said Christine Kobrynich, Director
of New York City Operations. “We’re
looking forward to being a great neighbor
in Spanish Harlem and to offer such an
amazing community with joy in the form
of sweet treats.”
Besides their regular menu of donuts
and hot and cold beverages, the new
location, along with Krispy Kremes nationwide,
will be offering a special deal
today: a $1 dozen with every dozen donuts
bought.
These $1 dozen donuts are described
as “an Original Glazed donut featuring a
PHOTOS COURTESY OF KRISPY KREME DONUTS
special strawberry iced BirthYAY sprinkle
donut,” and are being offered today only
(July 16), in celebration for the brand’s 84th
birthday.
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