The Lower Manhattan Development Corp. last week opened a public plaza — with a Ping-Pong table, shuffleboard court, beanbag toss and other games — just one block from the 9/11 Memorial.
The urban oasis is surrounded by NYPD security cameras and a high-tech, black metal fence built to stop a 15,000-pound truck traveling at 50 mph.
The heavily protected corner, at Greenwich and Albany streets, was formerly used as a queuing area for crowds waiting to enter the memorial.
But the LMDC-owned plot stood vacant when the 9/11 fountains became accessible in May.
“That seemed silly,” said Downtown Alliance President Jessica Lappin. “Why not open it back up to the public?”
First there was a tug-of-war with the Port Authority. The agency erected cement barriers around the site, which abuts a temporary, barbed-wire gated PA police station.
“They [the PA] had security concerns. We went back and forth on this,” said LMDC president David Emil, who argued the anti-terror fence offered enough safety.
The PA finally agreed to remove the barriers, clearing the area for the plaza and a new Greenmarket now open every Tuesday.
“It shows that life goes on and people can enjoy their lives,” said Raquel Rabionet, of Spain, visiting the memorial with her husband and three kids, who stopped to play the games.