It’s Participatory Budeting Vote Week: March 29-April 6, 2025
PHOTOS BY CHRISTIAN MILES, TEXT COMPILED BY SCOTT STIFFLER | March 29-April 6, NYC residents can vote for locally developed projects to improve schools, parks, libraries, and other public spaces in their community. Voting is open to everyone ages 11 and older who lives in or has a special connection to (i.e. goes to school or works) their Council District.
“Participatory Budgeting is democracy in its purest form,” says NYC Council Member Erik Bottcher, whose District 3 area of coverage incudes Chelsea. “It empowers New Yorkers to directly decide how public dollars are spent in their neighborhoods—on the projects they care about most. Every vote is a powerful reminder that our communities know what they need, and they deserve to have a real say in shaping their future.”
IN-PERSON VOTING, MARCH 29-30 (March 31-April 6 info coming soon)
Saturday March 29, 11am-3pm
—Abingdon Square (Hudson St. btw. 8th Ave. & 12th St.)
—Penn South Community Senior Center / 290A Ninth Ave.
—Manhattan Plaza / 484 West 43rd Street
Sunday March 30, 11am-3pm
—James Jay Walker Park / Hudson Street, btw. Leroy & Clarkson Sts.
-–Penn South Program for Seniors / 290 Ninth Ave.
—Manhattan Plaza / 400 West 43rd Street
—Mathews-Palmer Playground, 12pm-3pm / 445 W. 45th St. (btw. 9th & 10th Aves.) / Join Hell’s Kitchen Community Composting, the Lower East Side Ecology Center, and Council Member Bottcher’s Offuce to learn about composting options and vote on PB. A limited supply of free countertop compost bins will be distributed on a first come, first served basis.
Capital Projects on the Distrit 3 PB Ballot (You may cast up to 3 votes)
Category: Arts, Culture & Community Facilities (1 Ballot Item)
Library Technology Upgrades
Location: All libraries in District 3 / Cost: $250,000
Project would provide technology upgrades.
Category: Education (3 ballot items)
P.S. 41 Play Yard Renovation
Location: 116 West 11th Street / Cost: $300,000
Project would replace existing surface, install playground equipment and a water bottle filling station.
Bathroom Renovations at Quest to Learn Middle School
Location: 351 West 18th Street / Cost: $300,000
Project would renovate bathrooms on the 7th floor, adjacent to the gym that serves multiple schools.
PS33 Auditorium Seats Replacement
Location: 281 Ninth Ave, / Cost: $450,000
Project would replace existing seata in the school auditorium.
Category: Parks & Recreation (3 Ballot Items)
Pier 51 Playground Upgrades
Location: Pier 51 at Hudson River Park / Cost: $350,000
Project would provide initial funding towards new playground equipment, a new safety surface and make repairs to the fence, wall and gates.
Hell’s Kitchen Park – Initial Funding
Location: 10th Ave. btw. West 47th & 48th Sts. / Cost: $350,000
Project would provide initial funding for renovating the park.
Pickle Ball at Dr. Gertrude B. Kelly Playground
Location: West 17th Street (btw. 8th & 9th Aves.) / Cost: $300,000
Project would convert two handball courts into pickle ball courts and replace the entire playing surface.
Category: Streets (2 Ballot Items)
Tree Guards on the Avenues
Location: Avenues in District 3 / Cost: $200,000
Project would install over 100 tree guards to protect trees.
Flatiron Plaza Reconstruction
Location: 23rd Street at 5th Ave. & Broadway / Cost: $300,000
Project would redesign the large pedestrian plaza in the heart of the Flatiron District.
MORE OF CHRISTIAN MILES’ PHOTOS FROM THE MARCH 27, 2025 COUNCIL DISTRICT 3 PB EXPO
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