This patchwork quilt of garden plots, located at the corner of 6th Avenue and 15th Street, is the largest green space in the BANG Land Trust. 6/15 Green boasts vegetable plots, communal herbs, community composting, and a large gathering space surrounded by ornamentals and a towering willow tree.
In 1987, concerned citizens began a cleanup campaign on an abandoned lot that had become a serious health hazard. An abandoned trailer on the lot had become a haven for drug use. By dragging the trailer into the streets, we gained the attention of the Sanitation Department who eventually removed the source of the drug problem.
Over the next five years, a war was waged against illegal dumping and deteriorating conditions. Construction refuse, kitchen waste, furniture, automotive oil, and an abandoned car were dumped at the site. Sidewalks were cracked and dangerous. Holes in the existing fence allowed vagrants to wander inside. Thanks to the efforts of neighbors, local politicians, and the Sanitation Department, bulldozers and dump trucks were brought in to remove the waste and add clean top soil.
Today, that abandoned lot has been transformed from an eyesore and public nuisance to an urban oasis and source of local civic pride. From five pioneering gardeners in 1994, the 6th Ave & 15th Street Community Garden was created. Renamed 6/15 Green in 2001, the garden has grown to become an incorporated organization with over a hundred members, composters, and supporters with programs that reflect the diversity of the members as well as the needs of the community.
Block 1048, Lot 34
Community Board: 7
City Council District: 39 – Shahana Hanif
State Senate District: 21 – Kevin S. Parker
State Assembly District: 52 – Jo Anne Simon
US Congressional District: 7 – Nydia Velazquez
Learn more about 6/15 Green with the following links:
BANG Land Trust 