Modern Zen Spots of The City

Modern Zen Spots of The City

By Nicolas Chavez, ELITE Amenity Management

As Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel said back in their 1966 Sounds of Silence album – April, Come She Will. It appears that in April 2021, the fog of the past year has begun to dissipate and after a particularly long winter, New Yorkers are clamoring for rays of sunshine and the harmony of the outdoors. We at ELITE, are eager to unveil some pockets of tranquility via the POPS (privately owned public spaces) database that are nestled right in Manhattan for a dose of premium Zen time. Below are three spots that will prove to be valuable in your arsenal of peace and quiet. 

FINANCIAL DISTRICT RESPITE

Grab a fresh from the oven bagel at nearby Leo’s and escape the shadows of Wall Street towers to 55 Water Street. Once you arrive, look for a staircase flanked by two escalators – that is your stairway to heaven aptly named The Elevated Acre. After you earned half your day’s step quota, you’ll be greeted with a panoramic vista that includes the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge Park, and a shimmering East River. An acre tucked in between three buildings with lush vegetation makes this spot the perfect nook to have a spring picnic or enjoy the vernal weather.

The Elevated Acre | 55 Water Street, New York, NY 10041 

MIDTOWN HYDROTHERAPY

Would you believe that amidst the behemoth corporate buildings of Midtown East lies a waterfall so picturesque that it rivals the ones found upstate? Let ELITE save you a Metro-North trip by suggesting this vest-pocket park a stone’s throw away from Lexington Avenue. Nearly hidden from street purview thanks to Zen-like trellises and plenty of greenery, Greenacre Park, although small in dimension, delivers in impact – soaring edifices in the foreground of the 25-foot cascading waterfall exemplifies the allure of Manhattan magic.

Greenacre Park (Opens April 5) | 217 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022

URBAN BABYLON

With upcoming April showers, it is handy to spotlight an indoor location to seek shelter from the storm. Unlike the name suggests, The Ford Foundation Building features neither the humming of a motor nor the emissions of carbon. Rather, inside the atrium, one is transplanted to an urban oasis, making you question if you are near the United Nations or in the middle of a national forest. With the sun shining in from nearby Tudor City through the glass walls, one gravitates towards the idyllic water feature in the center of the space that is circumvented with trees – each with its own hue of an invigorating green.