SAVE THE SCULPTURE GARDEN
Please help save the sculpture garden %u201CAnother Man%u2019s Treasure%u201D%u2019
I am writing to you concerning the sculpture garden in the rear courtyard of 424, 422 and 420 West 56th Street, Manhattan.
Four years ago, David Scalza (a resident of 424) started the sculpture garden. What was once a dangerous place, filled with debri and utilized by drug dealers, has been completely transformed into a safe, interesting, art installation utilizing recycled art objects. This courtyard has become a artistic space that people stop by to enjoy and contribute to.
The Sculpture Garden achieved several things: Cleaned up an area that was used to dump trash and dog waste from the many apartments; Helped curb the drug use and dealing; Created an environment that is enjoyable and inviting for all the apartments; Most of all the Sculpture Garden is created from chairs tables mirrors plants and many interesting objects put on the sidewalk to be thrown away. So David Scalza's Sculpture Garden is recycling and giving rebirth at it's best.
Sadly, the Sculpture Garden has been deemed unsafe and unsanitary by a New York City Building Department Inspector and as a result the landlord is assuming all the contents of the courtyard are violations and the entire garden is being threatened and slated for removal prior to the court date of December 3, 2009 in order to avoid any possible fines or fees from the city.
Please use your influence which was granted to you by the people of this district, to have the Sculpture Garden restored.
The Sculpture Garden was removed by the landlord's workers and now it sits in the basement of building 424, the court hearing was adjourned until March 30th in the meanwhile, the Judge said that the Art work was never a problem only that which blocked the fire escape,the fire dept cleared the space only two days prior to the arrival of a hostile building inspector who only saw trash and not Art. This petition will be used as leverage to insist that the landlord but the Sculpture Garden back to it's place.
