Jared Kushner — son-in-law of Donald Trump, destroyer of newspapers, buyer of buildings — now has his sights set on a humbler target: the quaint garden behind 170-174 East Second Street, a walkup his company Westminster Management recently purchased in the East Village. Residents of the building, who built and maintain the garden themselves, are gutted. What kind of monster would destroy this? Look at those matching adirondacks!
“To destroy the garden would be of no benefit to Westminster, and to the tenants it would be a tragedy,” one tenant told EV Grieve. “Our garden is not just a decorative tableau, but a part of our daily lives: during the day, it is a place to do our professional work, and to make use of the carefully constructed space dedicated to meditation.”
The same tenant believes Westminster’s motives might be more insidious than they seem. “We reject the notion that a community garden is not a valuable resource,” the anonymous resident added. “In fact, we believe that it is this use of our garden — as a place to foster community — which is the reason why it has been targeted.”
