Southern Gateway

HELP TRANSFORM the 17/18th Street & 5th Avenue Corridor

Proven Community Momentum

  • Invest in the Streetscape.

    Strong corridors start at the curb. By pairing local art initiatives with expanded green infrastructure, we transform standard sidewalk frontage into a vibrant, high-visibility destination that drives foot traffic straight to local merchants. Your material sponsorship directly funds heavy-duty steel guards, soil amendments, and resilient native plantings.

    Image Credit: 236 17th Street Pollinator Pilot, 2025, (Blair Guppy)

    Sponsor a Tree Bed

  • We Provide the Labour.

    The primary barrier to public greening is long-term maintenance—and we’ve already solved it. Organized by local residents, our volunteer cohort manages site prep, permitting, planting, and guaranteed Year-1 establishment watering. All we need from neighbors and landowners is a commitment to steward their adjacent plot.

    Photo Credit: Aaron Condominium Owners, Installation Day 2024, (Blair Guppy)

    Sign Stewardship Pledge 
03.URBAN CONTEXT

A Cohesive Streetscape Vision

Connecting our local business corridor with citywide visioning, neighborhood arts, and long-term streetscape resiliency.

The Gateway Anchor

Positions our two blocks as the vital transition point connecting Prospect Avenue, the overpass art initiatives, and Open Source Gallery directly to the commercial heart of 5th Avenue.

Image credit: Artist Impression (Blair Guppy)

DOT Visioning Strategy

Aligns local volunteer efforts directly with the NYC Department of Transportation’s broader 5th Avenue Streetscape Vision Plan—delivering physical streetscape improvements now rather than waiting years for municipal capital construction.

Image credit: WXY

Supporting Local Commerce

A cohesive, green street edge calms pedestrian traffic, improves sidewalk comfort, and anchors our diverse merchant community—from staples like Freddy’s, The Marketplace, Empanada Loca to Bagel World, Jubilat to El Nopal, and Yardsale to the Hamilton Vision Centre.

Photo Credit: Kathy Sykes
04.PERFORMANCE + SYSTEM

Ecological Infrastructure at the Curb.

Transforming standard tree pits into functional, high-performing green assets for the 17th and 18th Street blocks.

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Porosity & Flood Mitigation

Widening tree beds and decompressing soil intercepts stormwater runoff before it hits storefront entrances, mitigating localized street flooding during severe rain events.

Have a read if you’re interested in the aggregate impacts of improving the absorptive capacities of our city streets and sidewalks.

-15℉

Urban Heat Reduction

Combining expanded soil volume with salt-tolerant native ground cover cools the sidewalk microclimate, making outdoor dining and walking along the avenue comfortable throughout the year but most noticeably during peak summer heat.

Native

Pollinator Palette

Featuring hardy, drought-tolerant species like Itea virginica 'Little Henry', Solidago caesia, Symphyotrichum cordifolium, Coreopsis lanceolata, Eurybia divaricata, Achillea millefolium, Agastache foeniculum, Clethra alnifolia 'Hummingbird', Chasmanthium latifolium, Monarda punctata—selected specifically for street-edge durability and ecological performance.

05.STEWARDSHIP GUARANTEE

De-risking Maintenance for Local Businesses.

The most common failure point for public greening is long-term care. Our model removes that burden from local merchants.

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  • Site surveying, engineered soil specs, plant palette, and NYC DOT/Parks permit coordination.

  • Painted steel guards, soil amendments, mulch, and native perennial stock.

  • Excavation, bed widening, soil preparation, and planting.

  • Weekly establishment watering schedule, weeding, trash removal, and seasonal upkeep.

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  • Lead Landscape Architect & Volunteers in collaboration with NYC Tree Pit Services and/or NYC Tree Time.

  • Merchant & Partner Contributions, 5th Avenue BID

  • Organized Volunteer Labor (Aaron Condo & Neighbors, “the cohort”)

  • Dedicated Resident Stewards, Land Owners & Signed Business Partners

06.TRANSPARENCY

Where the Investment Goes.

100% of contributed funds go directly toward raw physical materials. All labor, design, and coordination are donated by neighbors.

Download Itemized Cost Breakdown Spreadsheet (PDF) 

07.PARTICIPATE

Join the Southern Gateway Cohort

SPONSOR

Merchant & Business Sponsor

Sponsoring businesses receive a custom window decal ("Southern Gateway Green Partner") and featured placement on this portal.

PLEDGE

Resident Stewardship Pledge

Commit to assisting with weekly watering or maintenance for your adjacent tree bed plot.

Image Description - Prospect Ave to 18th Street is the Southern Gateway to Park Slopes’ 5th Avenue Business Improvement District. The above diagram highlights all active tree / planting bed locations. Our neighbor's at Open Source Gallery have been working to find additional locations and funding for art to improve the vibrancy of these two commercial blocks.
Image Description - The above diagram highlights our community's existing pollinator garden. With the exception of one existing bed at 627 5th Avenue, all others current have trees planted. We imagine a future where all others are planted with complementary pollinator species, and expanded beds where possible.

Organizing Group

The Aaron Condominium Community & 5th Avenue South Slope Neighbors

In Collaboration With

Local 5th Avenue Merchants & Supporters of the Park Slope 5th Avenue BID

Design + Coordination

whatifstud.io