Graduation Year

2025

Document Type

Open Access Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Environmental Analysis

Reader 1

Char Miller

Reader 2

Thomas McHenry

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© 2024 Lena A Farley

Abstract

This thesis examines two Manhattan neighborhoods, Battery Park City and Alphabet City, through the lens of New Urbanism—an urban planning approach developed in the 1990s. New Urbanist principles prioritize walkability, connectivity, mixed-use development, diversity, varied housing options, architectural quality, green transportation, sustainability, and accessible green spaces. While Battery Park City represents a top-down, master-planned New Urbanist neighborhood based on a 1979 plan, Alphabet City emerged from the 1811 Manhattan grid with significant community-driven design, notably through community gardens and grassroots initiatives. Using a mixed-methods approach including residential surveys, qualitative, and quantitative analyses, this research investigates how these neighborhoods embody New Urbanist principles. The findings reveal that despite fundamentally different planning approaches, both neighborhoods demonstrate core New Urbanist characteristics, suggesting flexibility in urban design implementation. This research raises critical questions about urban development strategies, particularly regarding community engagement in master-planned developments and mitigating gentrification in evolving urban landscape.

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