CARMEN PABON COMMUNITY GARDEN
LOCATION: Lower East Side, New York, NY
PROGRAM: Neighborhood Community Garden
TOTAL AREA: 3,100 SF
PARTNERS: Carmen Pabon Community Garden
Community gardens are part of the Lower East Side’s rich tapestry, enlivening the neighborhood while offering quiet respite from city life. After years of neglect, the Carmen Pabon Community Garden was brought back to life.
Before designing, our team met with the community garden group to understand their needs. The garden’s axial path leads from the entry gate on Avenue C to a raised terrace on the west side. Existing steps and a terrace serve as a backdrop for new stepped seating, where performances and talks can take place. New raised planters and trellises define the main axis and its branching paths. The team worked with gardeners to select regional plant species for year-round color.
Open pavers with grass line the main path, allowing drainage and softening the hardscape. Two trees were planted in the sunny northwest corner, and a gazebo on the north side provides a shaded gathering space. On the south side, an existing mural and two sculptures were restored, honoring the garden’s history in the community.
Carmen Pabon was a Puerto Rican activist who uplifted her neighborhood for six decades. She founded the garden in 1984. When the city sold the land to a private developer in the 1990s, she fought fiercely to save it. In 1999, the NYC Council declared it a permanent community garden and awarded her a 99-year lease.