The term “neighborhood commons” was first widely used by landscape architect, educator, and psychologist Karl Linn, who guided the creation of many spaces during the 1960s through 1980s. Linn envisioned a neighborhood commons in every residential block as a framework for the development of a new kind of extended-family living based on mutual aid among neighbors.

Stryckey’s Bay Neighborhood Council and The DOME Project have long served as “neighborhood commons” models for the community. It was the DOME/Strycker’s Bay partnership that involved children, storeowners, schools, parents, and religious institutions in saving seven local city-buildings as low income housing, creating a multi-generational, ethnically and economically diverse group of neighborhood stakeholders that worked together to raise funds through an annual street fair and make these buildings safe for the 200 families residing there. We believe in programs centered on area residents and community stakeholders. Their commitment, interest, and investment of time are what create the extended neighborhood family- the foundation of “the commons” we envision here.

In 2012, through a joint lease with The New York City Housing Authority, we secured the DeHostos Community Center located at 696 Amsterdam Avenue. The West Side Commons has since served as a hub for programs that help community residents access opportunities for personal growth and community empowerment. The Commons is a space for cross-cultural exchange and engagement, creating opportunities for giving and sharing across diverse populations in the community.