Albert Capsouto Park is a triangular public space created by Canal Street, Varick Street and Laight Street in Tribeca, Lower Manhattan, New York City.
This is one of the newer parks in New York City. It opened in 2009 and was funded by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation as part of revitalization project.
Who is the Albert Capsouto Park Named For?
The park was originally called CaVaLa Park because of its location at the intersection of Canal, Varick and Laight Streets.
November 2010, the park is named in memory of Tribeca community activist Albert Capsouto (1956-2010).
Albert Capsouto, who died in January 2010 at the age of 53 from a brain tumor, was a leader in the Tribeca neighborhood’s post-9/11 revitalization. He supported small businesses and was the co-owner, together with his older brothers, of the Capsouto Freres Bistro on Washington Street and a longtime representative on Community Board 1.
What You Can Find at Albert Capsouto Park
The park was created by SoHo artist Elyn Zimmerman and Parks Capital designer Gail Wittwer-Laird with modern art and design elements. They were also careful to pay homage to some of Manhattan’s oldest pocket parks with its layout and structure.
Before it became a park, it was a parking lot.
The centerpiece of Albert Capsouto Park is a 114-foot-long sculpture fountain by Elyn Zimmerman. The eight-foot tower’s water release mimics the canal that once flowed along Canal Street by dumping water into a series of stepped “locks”. It is a pleasing feature that many visitors to the park enjoy.
The park also has rows of contemporary park benches where people can sit down and enjoy the park. You can get a view of One World Trade Center from the park.
Three sizable planting beds filled with vibrant perennials and low-growing flowering shrubs can also be found at the park. There is also a double row of street and canopy trees.
At Albert Capsouto Park’s southwestern gate there is a small group of chess tables, an inviting spot for chess enthusiasts to play.
Etched stainless steel plaques with images from the New York Historical Society, New York Public Library, and Library of Congress depict the urban development of the area. The steep plaques can be found at the park’s three entrances.
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