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As an urban campus that serves over 33,000 students and is surrounded by many local businesses, high schools, and state agencies LAGCC students and the adjacent community face a series of obstacles based on the lack of access to space. Currently, the neighborhood around LaGuardia Community College is constrained by a lack of open space, polluted air, a lack of pedestrian safety, and lack of access to the nearby water bodies. Furthermore, instead of having one cohesive and connected campus the LaGuardia campus is bisected by several streets. 

 

The vision that is a result of LaGuardia Community College students and the community which they are calling the 47th Ave Vision Plan, addresses many of these shortcomings by creating a campus-like feel for the school and assets to the wider community including: a pollinator pathway, access to the water (post Superfund clean-up), recreational activities, outdoor classrooms, and sustainable green spaces. As Long Island City continues to develop, it’s important to integrate the living environment of the New York estuary into the built the post-Industrial environment with a plan that will guide in the design of equitable, healthy, and interactive public spaces for the people that study, work, play and live in this community. The 47th Ave Vision Plan addresses these issues and will be a key part of LaGuardia’s continued success. This plan has three (3) elements: 

 

• 29th Street between Skillman Ave and 47th Ave will become a plaza with open space, natural elements including trees and a pollinator pathway, seating areas, scenic surroundings, places to rest and a programmable public space

• A portion of 30th Street between Thomson Ave and 47th Ave will be a shared street with spaces for pedestrians, vendors and seating

A section of 29th Street immediately adjacent to and south of 47th Ave will be transformed into a public space with a get down and boat launch for water access, space for the larger community to gather and spend time as originally envisioned by LIC Roots Garden and the Dutch Kills Loop Coalition.