Ah, no one told you... Central Park sits where an affluent black community once existed (Seneca village), but was seized using eminent domain and razed.
this post was submitted on 09 Apr 2026
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As is tradition.
... Can't let black people build something nice.
Clicked through to comment this. Thank you for your service. ✊🏼
Seneca Village was 5 blocks. Central Park is 153 blocks.
The 5 blocks seem like a drop in the bucket, they probably could have just carved it out and let it be right? Oh nevermind, the rampant racism, class war, and general greed got in the way.
but did this include their farmland?
Just read a bit on it and it's not farmland. However, the story is pretty grim where they tried to build the park elsewhere but rich families pushed back. Then, among the lot they finally chose, there was communities of slaves and european immigrants. They used racism to make their eviction look better referring to them as insects among other things. Landlords (20% of the pop) got compensation but squatters and renters did not.
Plenty of other better examples of thriving black communities being destroyed by eminent domain by the US however. https://historyfortomorrow.org/story/eminent-domain-and-the-displacement-of-black-communities/
Not sure if "affluent" is the right word. The people there were absolutely fucked over, and the decision to raze the village was blatant racism. But it was only 225 people, and the vast majority were living in poverty; only a couple could even be considered middle class by the standards at the time. It was no Black Wallstreet.
Pretty sure I read it was placed where the affluent black community was and displaced them. Because racism.
Had the wealthy black families been on the Hudson River we'd probably have left side park instead.
Green spaces have cooling affects around them, so all sides benefit if it's in the center
That had nothing to do with the decision to raze Seneca Village to make room for the park the bigots wanted, FYI.
No way... They were definitely doing this because of the environment and cooling zones in 1857! /s
And because of states' rights
Actually, it probably did, considering that Seneca Village was only 5 blocks, a tiny fraction of Central Park.
They didn't say it had anything to do with it, just stating its effects.
Correct. Your comment has nothing to do with his.
It’s there because wealthy wanted to get rid off Seneca Village, not to homes near the river.
Honestly if it were on the shore there would be no end of developers clamoring to build into the park or at least along the shore edge of the park. The park would be whittled down to a few spots with a view available to thr general public. Eventually some politician would cave to campaign donations from a wealthy developer.
Well, you just going to sit there complaining? Or are we going to do something? Grab a shovel and a plasma cutter, we have buildings to move!
I'll grab a bucket.
None Apartment with Left Park.
And there's no "left" on a map. 🙃
Kind of important to note that this concept is especially important since the longitudinal axis of Manhattan is not exactly north-to-south. I guess you could take a port-starboard approach, but compass directions and street names are just so much easier.
Uptown, not Uprighttown
Uprightdog
What's "updog?"
Right?
West is on the left if facing North.
Wiser to lead with the "if" in those instances.
Left siiiiiiede
Looks like left side has a decent park.
yeah there's a string of lovely waterfront parks from 55th St all the way up to Inwood (northernmost Manhattan). the area around 79th St boat basin is particularly nice
Real estate on 4 sides is worth more than on only 3 sides
Left field.
That's also not on the river. It's next to it.
Sounds catchy enough, tho 🤷♂️
Peripheral Park