Shit ain’t leather

I gave myself two black eyes from all the face palming this video led me to. 1. The entrance to the park is at 13th St. which is in Greenwich Village not Chelsea. 2. NYC is expensive. Why does everyone who visits and post a “review” have to point that out? 3. You were there in the middle of a workday, of course the park was full of tourists!!! The locals go on the weekends, and the evenings. 4. The “playground” is a euphemism. The city generally builds playgrounds in smaller neighborhood parks. Why? Because, that’s where the children live! 5. There isn’t a lot of shade because…. The park is new and the greenery hasn’t matured yet! 6. The entrance seems awkward if you’ve never walked around Manhattan before. Manhattan is a system of compromise and shared spaces. As someone who lived in Chelsea before the Highline and before Little Island I can tell you is a huge f@cking upgrade.

I lived in this neighborhood the first 17 years of my life. The Pier 54 I grew up with was a flat slab of asphalt, maybe 500 x 80 feet. And I LOVED it. It was where I taught my little brother to ride a bike. It was where I could throw a football with friends. It was special to have SPACE to actually recreate in, which is a rarity in the city. I find Little Island ...okay. I believe you're mistaken about the stairs, all paths are ramps and the stairs are shortcuts. And eating from a tourist trap park vendor is on you. As far as an actual playground goes, there's a fantastically designed one on Pier 51 just south of there. Saying Little Island's entrance is underwhelming and needs better connection to the High Line is an insanely tourist take. Little Island is in Hudson River Park, which New Yorkers actually use. It's well integrated into pedestrian and cycling infrastructure.

Quality edit, I’ve lived in nyc for 5 years and never felt the need to check it out, seemed like a billionaires vanity project with no soul, not surprising that it wasn’t designed with people in mind, but too look good as a model to show financiers who need their egos stroked.

Comments are not passing the vibe check at all. This park is an amazing amenity and we’re lucky to have more green space in that section of the greenway. While I agree with some points, this park does more good than bad so I personally think it’s a success! It definitely could use some planters or foliage to line its bridges and create an “entrances”.

What are you complaining about? This park is fantastic! I watched your video to see if you had any valid points, and nope! NYC is expensive, dude. Bring your own lunch and enjoy the views!

Had no idea this was your first video until you said it, great job!

I like the way that you told the story, a blend of comedy, fact and critique.

I lived in Manhattan from 1971 to 1994. It may have been in disrepair and in need of a thorough douche, but it was a place where I could afford to live and work in. Since I now live in Rochester NY…I’ve been witness to the disgusting rise of capitalist extravagance and an ongoing “pissing contest” for greedy real estate hogs and sell out architects to scream “mine’s bigger than yours” and “mine cost the most to occupy”. It looks like a distorted picture of the Manhattan I left behind. Despite the towering stalagmites and cultural barriers it looks like it’s on the verge of some sort of breaking point. This stupid park is a great example of unnecessarily invasive and reckless spending. Great review! 👍

Little Island is pretty cool and it’s free. So no complaints about it. Really enjoyed walking through it. Will definitely be back again.

he got his money up AND his funny up 🤯 no mess

Yes, you have access to the little island from Chelsea, but it’s part of the West Village not Chelsea just nitpicking. I guess you can understand that.

Totally agree with most of your points (though could have used a few less meme soundbites), but I have to say, the landscaping on the island is really well done in my opinion, doing a great job of hiding the crowd even when it's fairly dense, which is pretty cool in a city as busy as NYC. Although you could have talked more about how little island being built was a handshake deal for the developer to get more waterfront permits from the city. Definitely think you missed out not visiting pier 53's park roof deck next door, it's a much more open space, and has great views of the waterfront 4-5 stories up. PS, The neighborhood is the Meatpacking District, the Chelsea line is a few blocks north.

Pretty damn good execution & story for the first video! I appreciate the first person perspective about your experience in it & AROUND the area including access & amenities.

Great content brother. You are off to a good start. As someone who visits the park often, the main drawback is the lack of a playground. I can't visit there with my son, and when I shared my frustration with some local residents I was surprised to hear some of their responses and I quote" there are so many playgrounds in the neighborhood, why bring your kids here?" What the he'll was that? Isn't a park supposed to be a place you take your families and kids to?

uh, its a park in the concrete world of NYC!. Very simple threshold of success - grass and open space! Both of which are a premium within the city. I visit often and enjoy its simple offering in conjunction with the Highline. In my opinion, let the "rich money" flow toward public projects like this. With due respect to your opinion - expectations are a bit too high.

POV: you’re a tourist in NYC and think you know what’s best for NYCDOT, Parks Dept, tourism, and DEP.

As soon as they announced little island I was against it. 260 million was donated to make it which is nice. But that money could have been used to repair all the current parks that need to be cleaned up and have loads of locals that use them. 300 million woulda went a long way. Very nice video btw. Just subbed! =)

NYC is desperately in need of better bang of the buck, of which IMHO this video illustrates. A few hundred yards north of "Little Island" is the "Superpier", which it is not. Visit the rooftop park of said pier and you will find mostly sterility. Had there been better design, planning and financial acumen applied to these 2 mind-boggling boondoggles some money and "programming" could have supported something in a lower income neighborhood.

I thought it was a cool place to visit for a bit when I went in February, wonder what the free events are like now that it's summer. I agree that the money could have been spent better though

Oh hell yeah, a new creator with amazing content. Noting I was here before homie blows past 500k in a few months

They should’ve built a real park for real New Yorkers. Queens and Brooklyn are lacking any real green spaces. Even improving what currently exists would be welcomed.

I was excited for this and went right after it opened and you still had to schedule a time to visit and they limited the capacity. My gf really wanted to like it, but found it felt like any other small park once you’re on it. Now I’d suggest to anyone visiting NYC the best way to enjoy the Little Island is get some great food at Pier 57 food hall just a little up the riverfront and get a table with a view of the island- it does look amazing from the side.

I also think as the trees grow out it will become more interesting.

Unironically well edited man inshallah you make it huge 🙏🙏🙏🇵🇰🇵🇰🇵🇰🇵🇰

I agree it needs a better, more welcoming entrance. Perhaps in the future, the High Line could be extended to connect Little Island across the highway. And yeah, doing this while cutting parks funding is gross. I'm for any green spaces in NYC.

Dude, I live downtown. Only several blocks from this park, and I've never gone there. When it first opened I heard it would have nights when it was only for members. I was surprised to see it so open to the public. These vanity projects are the death of us.

Excellent observations and commentary. "Little Island" (an insipid name) is an overwrought and contrived ornament built for vanity. The amphitheater should have been oriented south affording backdrop views of lower Manhattan, far more visually interesting than the New Jersey Hudson coastline and avoiding crowds facing a setting sun. More broadly, the money spent on it would've been better spent on upkeep or improvement of existing parks.

I thought it was really cool. It looks like something out of Mario or Zelda.

first video? solid. subscribed.

Uhm, I went last week. The park is an amazing urban park. Lots of trees and very lush. No idea when this video was taken.

City slicker 🏙️💯

I live in brooklyn and been here exactly once. its an extremely mid experience overall.

I’ve been once, I thought it was eh. Obviously impressed with the structure itself and I thought it would be cool to see a show at the amphitheater. Never been back though.

Good objective review. I agree with all of your points. The $40 million spent by NYC Parks should have been spent elsewhere.

Great first video fam! Keep them coming.

Great video! Review of maggie daley park in chicago coming next?

Seems less of a park and more of an overdesigned 'Instagram Moment' backdrop.

I've thought since before Diller's Island was first suggested that a multimodal transportation and sanitation facility including notably freight rail, with gantry cranes for loading ships parallel to the shore, should be located on the approximate spot. (You could make a much larger park on top of it, and bring you kids to watch the loading and unloading as from an airport "ramp".) I still occasionally try to promote a plan that would enable same, through means of a trans-Hudson passenger tunnel designed to accommodate double-stack freight, being the first to reach what I call the West Side Line (rail), located right there, under the West Side Highway, aka the Hudson River Greenway. Truly there would be a lot of opposition (even though it would probably benefit the adjacent Little Island by having a bigger, more accessible one right next to it, conveniently connected for pedestrian access) ...opposition, by people who are extremely convinced that it's extremely important to use every linear foot of some of the greatest waterfront property in the world - which largely made not only the city, but the US, what it is today - as a restricted-development area for limited recreational use by people who can afford to conveniently get there from across the giant expanse of highway (My working design includes three very broad landscaped bridges with ADA elevators, etc.) i.e. an "elite" minority. That's what they are and they made the laws. And while I do think of the present Island: "it's a nice idea" - it doesn't address the much more pressing concern of not having rail freight access for goods, food and refuse since all the car float terminals were 86'ed back about 1960. The "modern" way to address this would be through trans-Hudson freight rail access. Duh. ...which would eliminate the unsightly car float terminals, having the tracks hidden under a profusely landscaped and cleverly designed park with "root-space" for growth potential, i.e. plant growth.

Keep these videos up!

Awesome video. Looks like the project was aimed at having people awe at it rather than being functional.

This guy sounds like a real hater

Algorithm nation ✌️

Great critique! You should do the rail park in Philly next!

Good job on your first video. Liked and subscribed. I think your critique is valid - if you look at the Little Island in isolation. It does sit, however, the middle of the 550 acre Hudson River Park. And HRP does provide all the things LI lacks; ball fields, tennis courts, dog runs, children’s playgrounds, shade. For what it is, a charming events space for the community, I think it succeeds. And it is the only outdoor amphitheater in the area. And the views are nice and also unique to the area, as a public amenity.

Really interesting topic and video essay! This will be a "free" park for about 2 years max. It's billionaire green washing.

As a NYC Resident, real.

Am a fan of the park though I have never been there, don't live in n.y. but was impressed by Barry Dillers generosity and the additional open space. Improvements could be made that you mention including maybe a canopy over the entry walkway or plantings there, additional water fountains and waste baskets but I think the space fits in with what that rich neighborhood wants.

The park is not meant to be a sports park. Also you can exit the high line at 14th street and walk to little island. I do agree there’s no shade at the park and it was built to please tourists and the money should have been used to other boroughs

I bike past it almost daily and have had no interest to go in there. Not into that tourist trap shit.

Very nice video, I would love to hear you remove more city related stuff like parks. The design reeks of privately owned public land that we see a lot in NYC. Increased FAR grants are given if developers put plazas in front of their buildings, which are often made to be uncomfortable or non-obvious as a way to avoid them being used.

No New Yorker goes there. There is really no seating and along the route up to the lookout there are so few seats and barely any seating at top. It’s a tourist trap and not a New Yorkers destination.

Please don't call the West Side Highway an expressway. It's West St. or the West Side Highway. I now have less desire to go to this park because I have bad knees and the stairs are too much. Thank you for making this video. My son's building was in this video a couple of times. That was fun to see!

I would like to have known what the alternatives were. My guess is this stopped some monstrosity from going up. So in that case it's good. A place by the water in the city with no playground (which can be changed), a place for adults to relax and contemplate or attend a show is not the worst idea. But the whole thing is odd. Which in itself isn't bad. Nice work bringing it to us.

Went here on shrooms. It made my shroom trip boring lol.

Interesting video, but I missed the part where the park *failed* ! I love the fact that I can learn about my hometown places I never wanted to visit from tourists. I especially appreciate the warning about lack of accessibility and shade!!! They didn't play that up in the park's promotion! 😄 Thanks!

I really like the comedy + history aspect of the video. Keep going 🔥🔥

Learned something new today. Nice vid 👌

Can’t believe this is your first video. Really nicely done man, subscribed

If you consider the context in which Little Island is situated, the conclusion might be very different. The Hudson River Park which surrounds it has sports fields, playgrounds, food and beverage spots, and even a sand beach located very close to Little Island. Sure, it's a hot spot for tourists. But it is in no way a failure, and your critiques from one visit are not reflective of how those of us in the neighborhood feel about the park

Why does his voice slowly get quieter like hes running out of breath many times when hes finishing sentences? Its distracting lol. Either way good video.

Great vid. Subbed!

been to this spot in late 2022. except for icecream and sodas sold out, it was fine

Really good! I used to go to NYC pretty often and didn't even know that park existed. I agree -- I probably wouldn't be intrested in visiting

amazing first video 😁

Spinning art insulations, to hypnotize you into liking the place 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Oh lighten up. This is such an fanciful, inventive place with spectacular views. The piers south of there are filled with sports areas and everything else, beautifully planted and considered. It is a magical place to just walk anytime I am there. Maybe NYC is not for you. Go home

Great video! Can’t wait for more :]

Hyper critical

You can like or dislike the design of the park but you I would rather see a billionaire spend money on a park or other facility than spend it on yachts and mansions. You don’t get to tell people where/how they can spend their money or at least they don’t have to spend it on projects they don’t want to. And wealthy people usually like to donate money in ways that get noticed and unfortunately downtown/lower Manhattan gets noticed while the outer boroughs usually don’t. There are people who complain about Central Park and Riverside Park because they have active conservancy/charities that privately fund much/most of the upkeep of those parks. Their doing so frees up money that the Parks Dept can use to support other parks and other neighborhoods can create groups to support other parks if they want to. Montefiore Park which is a small park in my neighborhood has it’s own association that looks after the park.

two baffling flops, this (looks like a stage from a videogame) and the vessel and the Lowline doesn't get any funding. (that said i've not seen any live music tho on the island, which seems like would be interesting) the roof on pier 57 (google building) is much better . . . new sub, this is great stuff

Fabulous thought stupid idea. This is a city that has extreme weather conditions. I didn't see a lot of shade or practical areas. If its windy on the Hudson you're stuffed . If it's hot, raining, cold then no one with a brain would go.

the expensive project isn’t really beneficial to the people who woulda thunk

I hate the audio in this video

I live here and the park is magnificent and very popular. Pearls before swine. This dude is just nit-picking and probably wouldn’t like Central Park either.

I went to the island once and it was very empty and boring apart from the view.

Looks blah. Uninteresting.

You earned a Sub. Good Job.

I really enjoyed this thanks

Yo. Where's that sandwich shop?

I love little island it’s beautiful

1:22 Says a lot about why some of your statements are largely untrue.

Not impressed! Looks like giant golf tees.

Ive been there a few times since it was built and i enjoy the scenery but that’s about it. I love those hypnotic discs those lol

Fair review.

the compost and garbage goes to the same place buddy

We visit the Little Island one time and it was a nice Park. Sad it did not catch on tho.

Ah. A 2024 KZfaq post about a 2021 civic structure with 2016 "bro" style editing.

It's spectacular. It was a few acres of flat concrete dilapidated slab of nothing before. NYC Central Park was a flat terrain of nothing before, now it's rolling terrain. Rich investment created Central Park, Washington DC, Eiffle Tower, Every Museum in the world, so shut your trap. Did a poor man build Empire State, Dubhai, Noem, Buckingham Palace, Great Wall of China...money people are the builders. It's an Uber designed Park for people, like the high line, any new innovative green space is a plus for NYC. Just saw Twyla Tharp Dance in the amphitheatre there and it was super. As you said you visited meaning you don't live here in NYC, where do you live and show us your park and what your community has done for you before mouthing off about the greatest USA city in the world...and BTW don't come back.

nice mini doc!

Yeah, I rarely get up to NYC these days and - this - is not on any Bucket List… but I haven’t gone up Suicide Tower, yet, either sooo??? I agree wit’ the comments on the video editing “Great Job” but the audio/vocal is very distracting (backed by repetitive Muzak) was it AI’d ? Breath control. Don’t try to read a line longer than you can sustain a clean tone… I’m hanging on every last breath not finishing a sentence. As for “budget cuts” Hey, Sanctuary Cities that New Yorkers voted for but NIMBY as 30 millions have been urged to come here as replacement “citizens” who will need Tax Payer $$$ for as long as they’re encouraged to stay. Most wanna go to NYC because that’s where the sap is 😏

I keep forgetting to check it out

Yea I was there and it was so boring. Beautiful but like nothing to do really on the island.

Wait, that's the TITANIC gate, right?

stuff new yorkers never do

Little little st James

Please look at the other new park 50 Kent Bushwick inlet park. It's horrible.

This is my favorite video

this shit is fire fr

Chelsea is west village