Park Avenue Malls, 1934.

These patches of green were originally fenced in shrubs that were planted to obscure the view of railroad vents.

From 1894 until 1920, the Park Avenue Association formed a coalition that would totally cover the unsightly vents and eventually receive funding from private donors to plant over 7,000 trees in the malls. Flowers were added to the narrow plots by 1946.

In 1969, the Parks Department hired landscape architect Clara Coffey to redesign the malls. She removed the fencing and tall hedges which disrupted the view of the well-maintained little gardens, which no longer hid subway vents.

Today, the Carnegie Hill Neighbors and Fund for Park Avenue maintain the Mall and host an annual tree lighting ceremony at its intersection with 91st Street.