Access + Amenities: NYCHA and proximity to our city’s museums and markets

New York, NY

By Karen Johnson

I’ve long had an interest in how amenities and access to everyday things influence our quality of life. For this project I looked at access to two simple amenities: museums and farmers’ markets. While I don’t think my results are conclusive, the final project was an really interesting excuse to examine how housing and where we live can shape how we see the world, specifically in terms of how we access certain amenities. I was delighted to see that farmers’ markets seem to be located throughout Manhattan, even in neighborhoods where there is less home ownership and more NYCHA housing. I would be curious to explore grocery story proximity in these same neighborhoods. Seasonal markets are great, but they only help with food access in the warmer months. Museums proved to be a different animal all together, with most seemingly located in wealthy parts of the city where home ownership rates tend to be higher.