Chelsea Improvement Company

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• 14th Street Park
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• Streetscape & Design
  • Trees and Treeguards
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Streetscape & Design

Trees with tree-guards and planting areas

58 units installed

Planting trees in New York City sidewalks is a challenge because conditions underground often get in the way of a healthy root system. Electric vaults, building vaults, basements, hydrants, waterproofing, street furniture, and manholes are only some of the interferences we encounter.

Despite these challenges, CIC has planted 58 new trees in southwest Chelsea. We selected those locations from over 80 considered during our in-depth utility and building vault survey. Each tree pit includes a large planting area around the tree to allow for more vegetation and a natural irrigation system.

The tree species we installed are Gleditsia triacanthos (Honey Locust), Quercus palustris (Pin Oak), Ulmus americana (American Elm), Zelkova serrata (Japanese Zelkova), and Quercus phellos (Willow Oak).

Each tree pit features a custom-designed tree guard that protects the tree and other plantings in the tree pit. The design of the tree guards relates to the old meatpacking building canopies, the historic High Line structures, and other CIC street furniture.