There are at least ten nearly identical limestone apartment buildings on Third Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. Each building has eight apartment units and practically identical apartments.
All the buildings have generous front yards, which means that the adults and children who live in these buildings spend an awful lot of time in the fair weather hanging out there.
Some buildings have nicer yards than others. The limestone coops, as a rule, have spent money to fix up their yards. Some have replaced the rough concrete sidewalk with smoother stone or brick. A few of the buildings have done extensive planting. Two buildings on the northside of the block have large trees in the yard, which creates an enviably green and shade environment.
Our yard is one of those that hasn’t been fixed up at all. It’s bare and brutal. The rough concrete sidewalk can cause nasty cuts and abrasions if a child, while playing, falls down on it.
The old iron fence is pointy and sharp. The swinging gate door could cause someone to lose a finger.
The less than sightly garbage and recycling pails occupy one side of the yard. There’s a big plastic Kitchen Aid storage bin used by the occupants of the 4th floor for stroller parking.
We do however have a nice big tree, owned by the city, in front of our building which provides some nice shade on the east side of our yard.
Our first floor neighbors also planted small clay pots with beautiful flowers and greens, which has added some color photosynthesis to the east side of the yard as well.
Despite the rather shabby condition of the yard, the occupants of this building spend exorbitant amounts of time there. And when we do, the yard can feel festive and fun. Even attractive.
We bring green plastic yard furniture, colorful toys, bikes, a green turtle pool and other recreational accessories for the kids into the yard. Someone was throwing out a colorful Fisher Price water and picnic table and that’s out there too. While often cluttered, the summer stuff distracts from the fact that there is basically not much else to look at out there.
But really, it is the power of our personalities that transforms the yard into a warm, and inviting place. The kids run wild and play elaborate imaginary games.
Because the yard is big and bare, it can be a batting cage, a small soccer field, a space to practice Tai Kwon Do or host a mega-stoop sale. It can be a quiet spot for reading the Sunday Times or a perfect setting for a large BBQ.
With rose colored glasses, there is little difference between what goes on in our yard and what goes on in the fancier yards on Third Street. So we don’t have a Smith and Hawken bench or luscious flagstone on the ground. After a few plastic cups of wine, who cares? The conversation is just as good and the kids don’t notice the difference.
Tomorrow: Stoop Envy