Archinect - News 2024-11-21T18:20:37-05:00 https://archinect.com/news/article/113354403/new-map-tool-reveals-nyc-s-vacant-lots-zoned-for-revitalization New map tool reveals NYC's vacant lots zoned for revitalization Diane Pham 2014-11-11T11:46:00-05:00 >2014-11-11T11:46:54-05:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/jb/jbfppfc6r9rdlib0.gif" border="0" /><em><p>Developed with the help of a team of volunteer researchers, urban planners and designers, this new online tool allows anyone to view the staggering amount of publicly-owned lots that once had an urban renewal plan in the pipeline but were scrapped due to bureaucracy. By mapping out all of the vacant spaces across the city, 596 hopes that we as a community can take a top-down approach to turning these urban blights into public gardens, play lots, and spaces where people can &ldquo;co-create.&rdquo;</p></em><br /><br /><p>From 1949-1974 NYC took on an urban renewal project that resulted in the bulldozing of "slums" across Manhattan. The vast majority of the proposals planned for the land floundered and today nearly 15,000 lots across the city lay vacant. 596 Acres, a grassroots land access nonprofit, had developed a map tool called Urban Reviewer that pinpoints all of these spots&mdash;most owned by the public&mdash;already zoned for action.&nbsp;</p>