Call it the Green Real Deal.
Councilmember Carlina Rivera recently joined GrowNYC and the Village Alliance Business Improvement District in celebrating the opening of the new Astor Place Greenmarket with a ribbon cutting.
Located on the Astor Place south plaza at E. Eighth and Lafayette Sts., the Greenmarket — which only operates on Tuesdays — sports a selection of locally grown vegetables and orchard fruits, baked goods, cider, jams, maple syrup and honey from regional farmers.
GrowNYC previously ran a Greenmarket at St. Mark’s Church.
“I’m happy GrowNYC is continuing to expand food access throughout the city and in my district by opening another market that will serve my community with healthy, local food where customers can use SNAP benefits to receive additional Health Bucks for fresh fruits and vegetables,” Rivera said.
“Not only do these markets keep New Yorkers fed,” she added, “they keep New York farms in business, ensuring our city will have a local supply of food in the event of another emergency.”
“After years of planning, we are thrilled to partner with GrowNYC to bring a weekly Greenmarket to Astor Place,” said William Kelley, executive director of the Village Alliance BID. “Thousands of local residents, students and office workers will now have access to the region’s best produce at the junction of East and West Villages.”
GrowNYC worked for more than 10 years to try to bring a Greenmarket back to the neighborhood. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, GrowNYC has implemented a number of new safety protocols at all of its food-access sites to keep New Yorkers safe while they shop for fresh regional fruits and vegetables.
The Astor Place Greenmarket will be open Tuesdays through Nov. 24, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This is marvelous. Will there also be collection there of food scraps for composting as there is at some other greenmarket sites?
This is nice.
And proves everyone right that they all of a sudden closed and took away the St Marks market to move it here after some quiet time.