One Day in the Park With John
An afternoon in one of Tudor City's parks is typically tranquil, far removed from the frenetic pace of the rest of midtown. But on one atypical afternoon in the 1980s, John McKean and other outraged residents poured into the park and placed themselves in front of Helmsley bulldozers. For years Harry Helmsley had been itching to tear down the parks and build high rises in their place. Richard Dresselhuys, a Tudor City resident, headed down to the courthouse and succeeded in getting a court injunction against them. In the end the residents' stand paid off. When Time Equities purchased the real estate in Tudor City, they donated the parks to the Trust for Public Land, preserving them in perpetuity.

Take note: Against the wall of the North Tudor Park lies a plaque in memory of McKean.

Pictured: Fountain in South Tudor Park, left, and North Tudor Park, right. North Tudor Park photo courtesy of Steven Corcoran Real Estate.