New York City Outsmarts Skateboarders At Chinatown Banks

Chatham Square's derelict little park in Chinatown, a sorry excuse for a "park" not really maintained or cared for by the Parks Department, is a favorite of skateboarders and BMX bike riders from Manhattan and beyond. They affectionately refer to it as the Chinatown Banks, due to the multitude of sloped edges built on the exterior of monstrous planters. A few years ago, some enterprising chaps even took to filling a section of rough stones with cement, for a smoother trip. When signs appeared informing skating was not allowed failed to deter anyone, the Parks Department got clever and installed a bench in front of the beloved, cement filled slope, earlier this month. As you can see, this confused the skateboarders. They left moments later.

As skateboarding website Quarter Snack lameneted, "there is pretty much no reason to ever come here again."

Previously:

• Friday Night Throwdown Under The Manhattan Bridge (Video)
  
• The Final Hours Of Chinatown Fair, The Last Arcade In Chinatown
  
• The Hidden Graffiti Of Chinatown
  
• Pop-Up Park Opens In Nolita
  
• Downtown Manhattan's Collect Pond Park Overrun With Rats (VIDEO)
• Tomato, Spearmint And Sunflowers Take Root In Petrosino Park
  

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Chatham Square's Contribution To Gentrification Row Nears Completion

After some delay, the facade at 17 Chatham Square has finally been completely windowed. It stands now as another completed piece of modern architecture on Gentrification Row, formerly known as the Bowery and today running from Houston to Beekman Street, anchored at the north end by Avalon Place and Gehry's Beekman Tower to the south. Here's a photo of the cute building that used to occupy this lot.