Tompkins Square Skatepark regulars welcome new community-driven renovations and find a difficult time adjusting to new locals.
Local skater King Abdo pedaled into Tompkins Square Park on his bike, 15 minutes later than our scheduled meeting time. He sat down on the rusty green bench, pulling out rolling papers and RAW filters. Initially avoiding eye contact, he slumped over the small green buds in front of him, pulling them one by one and placing them meticulously on the paper.
Abdo is a resident skater at the Tompkins skatepark, known as the “Training Facility,” or simply “TF.” Though he has lived in Bushwick his whole life, he feels as though he truly grew up in the East Village–it’s been the stomping grounds for him and his friends since elementary school. “90% of my time was spent here. I’d go home, sleep, shower, eat, do the necessities,” Abdo said, “but anytime I was out doing an activity or out with my friends, I was in the East Village.”
Abdo and his friends fit naturally into the Tompkins ecosystem, waving hello to young and old locals, flying off skate ramps and smoothly landing intricate skate tricks. They can be found huddled around each other, holding tall boys in brown bags, their skateboards and bikes leaning on the black fence next to them.
They consider themselves to be the last real community of Tompkins, having had to fight to save the skate park in September of 2019. The New York City Parks and Recreation Department planned renovations that would add turf to the Tompkins Square “TF,” making the park virtually un-skateable.
Adam Zhu, a resident skater and photographer, created a petition to halt the renovations of the skatepark and “Save Tompkins.” “A shitload of people were posting [the petition], and it was getting a lot of traction. If [the renovations] did happen, it would have been an outrage…People would have chained themselves to Tompkins,” said Abdo. Once the park was “officially saved”, the rally that was intended to protest the renovations became a community celebration.
This time around, the city’s plans to renovate are in favor of the Tompkins skate park community. According to the local news website EV Grieve, the NYC Parks Department plans to “reconstruct the multipurpose courts in Tompkins Square Park,” by fall of 2023. The plans were announced by city officials on September 14, 2022. “We were chilling in the park, and…[Parks representatives] gave us an edit update [on the park]. That’s different. Like that’s community driven.” said Abdo. These renovations will include new water fountains, benches, redone asphalt pavement, and zero un-skateable turf.
Since then, what once was a community filled with recognizable faces and affordable housing has transformed into an in demand location for almost every young, well-off twenty-something. From 5th to 14th street, First Ave. to Ave. C, this small community is packed with trendy restaurants, bars, and vintage stores. Nestled right in the middle of it all lies Tompkins Square Park–crowded with new residents who sit on their overly decorated fire escapes, drink $8 dollar lattes, and wear $500 dollar sneakers. “When you walk through the East Village now, versus 10 years ago, it’s a very clear difference–like, oil and water,” Abdo said. “If you are a part of the huge flock of human beings that want to live in New York City, to some degree you are helping gentrification because you’re a part of that market that’s willing to pay that price.”
The park continues to undergo a number of new renovations, such as the current 18 month project on the Tompkins Field house, and the effort to reseed the main lawn in the park. These new “community driven” and “skate-aware” projects could be attributed to the attention and commission that a new demographic of renters, as well as largely recognized skate companies, have brought to the park.
“I don’t think [new residents] are taking up space. I think maybe they’re not aware of their space” said Jaden Davis, the 23 year old self proclaimed freelancer of just about everything. Davis lives in the Bronx with her grandparents but can often be found in the skatepark with her friends. She is the friendlier of the bunch. “When I started college… I think that’s when I really started coming downtown and kind of like, ‘finding my tribe’.”
Davis, like Abdo, has spent most of her time and adolescent life in Tompkins Square Park, and has seen many of the changes herself, but isn’t worried. She only has one issue. “I feel like there isn’t an incentive to get to know the history of Tompkins. I mean, Tompkins has a rich history as a public park… like Rachel!” Davis gestured enthusiastically at an older brunette caucasian woman, with a small ratty dog. “She lives right there…her whole life. She is a freaking director. She is very locally known as a filmer in this area. But if you ask a kid from Boston, who says ‘Oh my god, I love Tompkins,’ they’re not gonna know who Rachel is.”
As a result of the infiltration of newcomers, Abdo feels displaced inside his own home. “I’m supposed to feel comfortable in my skin. I’m supposed to feel comfortable in the place I’m from…It’s not the place I’m from anymore,” said Abdo.
Abdo stresses that good things can come from the recognition Tompkins has gotten over the years. “I feel very conflicted…it just sounds like I’m like ‘Fuck everyone’… that’s not how I feel.” Abdo said. The “Saving Tompkins” protests in 2019 garnered the attention and support of multiple large skate brands like “Supreme” and “Fucking Awesome,” who helped promote the petition on their social media pages. “Supreme” even provided the skate park with new ramps, which weren’t allowed until shortly after the protests. The park became a hub for popular skaters and influencers alike, like Emma Chamberlain–who was photographed with resident skaters in the park for a profile in Vogue–or the heart throb actor Evan Mock who frequents the park.
“Okay, like, that’s cool, ‘Tompkins is in Vogue,’ Does Emma Chamberlain know Rachel? What does Tompkins mean to Vogue?” adds Davis. “I’m not a fan of the media attention…I don’t think that’s going to ‘Save Tompkins’.”
The mainstream spotlight shown on the skatepark brought more skaters, like Rhyan Mickey, into the park. Mickey, who reluctantly stated his name, is a Bronx native. “To be honest, this is not my home,” he revealed, refusing to lock eyes. “I think I’m really worried about the Bronx getting gentrified and shit like that,” he said.
Mickey, however, is constantly spending time in Alphabet City where he assists his friend, Kyota Umeki, with the skate clothing brand “The Star Team.” The brand, which is based in the East Village, began in 2020 shortly after “Saving Tompkins.”
The 25-minute promo video for the brand features a group of skaters including Mickey and Abdo. Throughout the video is cheesy and meticulous product placement of the brand’s jeans, hoodies, headsets, and shoes. The video also includes clips of the crew performing skate tricks anywhere and everywhere, including Tompkins skatepark. The video has a little over 81,000 views on YouTube, and is featured on The Star Team website. “After the iPod video that’s when…more people were fucking with [The Star Team brand].”
As the Star Team garnered success, they gathered enough money to purchase a storefront on E 9th street in between Ave A and 1st Ave. Mickey ended up moving to the East Village to be closer to the store, but in contradiction with his friends, Mickey described the area as not as community driven as the Bronx.
Mickey explained that he is well aware of the affects he and the brand he works for may have on gentrification, but he also recognizes that “the money is here. Almost everything I did or I do now comes from being down here,” he said. “It’s not that I want to be down here. Shit if I could live in Jersey and just drive to the city, I would.”
The gentrification of the Lower East Side has spiked within the past 10 years. “I definitely have a lot of emotion towards it. But at the same time how can I expect them to understand? You haven’t seen my perspective.” said Abdo. “There’s obviously still a lot of kids from the neighborhood who do hang out in Tompkins, but I just feel like it’s not going to be like how it was for me. I feel bad for them.”
Whether the renovations the park is currently enduring are a response to the new demographic is unknown, but Tompkins community members are still trying to keep the authenticity of the skate park and its energy alive. While longtime park-goers have differing opinions on the trajectory of the park, this project might offer a glimmer of hope.