Residents approve of city park, building sale near U.N.

Almost three-quarters of East Side residents approve of proposals to sell city-owned land — including the Robert Moses Playground next to the United Nations and U.N. Plaza 1 and 2, two city-owned building occupied by the U.N. on 44th Street — to finance the completion of a 21-block gap in the East River Greenway, according to the Friends of the East River Greenway, Crain’s reported.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation in July calling for a decision to be reached by Oct. 10 between city and state officials to sell the 29,000-square-foot park at East 42nd Street and First Avenue.

David Cantor, a spokesperson for the Friends of the East River Greenway, said $200 million would likely be generated by the land deals to fill the greenway gap.

“The greenway would create a far more open space out there than there is now,” he told Crain’s. “Part of our argument is that the East Side has the least amount of open area in Manhattan.” [Crain’s]