Gramercy Park Block Association

Clean Streets & Streetscape

Every day, our professional Clean Team keeps the streets around Gramercy Park clean and cared for, sweeping sidewalks and curbs, emptying litter baskets and removing graffiti and stickers.

A Clean Streets team member on Gramercy Park West with broom, dustpan and collection bin.
A member of the Clean Streets team at work on Gramercy Park West, 2025.

What the Clean Streets team does

Clean Streets is one of the Gramercy Park Block Association’s flagship programs. Our team makes repeated rounds of the neighborhood throughout the day, sweeping sidewalks and curbs, emptying and sanitizing litter baskets, and picking up the litter that accumulates around tree gardens and street corners.

That daily attention extends to graffiti and stickers on street fixtures, leaves and debris at storm drains, and snow and slush in winter. The work continues through the seasons, keeping the public streets around the Park welcoming for everyone who lives, works or walks here.

Neighbors’ contributions pay for the team, supplies and equipment that make this daily care possible.

Care in every season

Daily cleaning and seasonal work go together. Fallen leaves collect along curbs and at catch basins; storms make clear drains especially important. Winter brings snow and slush, while warmer months call for repeated attention to litter and heavily used areas.

Painting, power-washing and small repairs complement the daily rounds. Fences, lampposts and other fixtures receive touch-ups between larger projects, helping the streetscape withstand weather and everyday use. The annual Neighborhood Refresh brings that work together across the Park’s surroundings.

Before-and-after photographs

Before and after: a selection from the team's reports since 2022. Open any photograph to see it at full size.

Lamppost base

BeforeGraffiti and a chain on an ornate black lamppost base.
AfterThe lamppost base repainted black, with the chain removed.
A lamppost base cleaned and repainted.

Curbside litter basket

BeforeAn overflowing GPBA litter basket at the curb.
AfterThe curbside litter basket emptied and lined.
An overflowing litter basket emptied.

Tree garden cleanup

BeforeAn old tire and fallen leaves in a tree garden.
AfterThe tree garden with the tire removed.
A discarded tire removed from a tree garden.

Parking meter 104229

BeforeGraffiti and stickers on parking meter 104229.
AfterParking meter 104229 with its panel and parking symbol cleaned.
Graffiti and stickers removed from parking meter 104229.

Sidewalk under scaffolding

BeforeLitter scattered on the sidewalk beneath scaffolding.
AfterThe sidewalk swept clear beneath the scaffolding.
Litter swept from a sidewalk under scaffolding.

Blue USPS collection box

BeforeGreen and white graffiti on a blue USPS collection box.
AfterThe blue USPS collection box with the graffiti removed.
Graffiti removed from a blue mail collection box.

Tree garden fence

BeforeA tree garden fence before repainting.
AfterThe same tree garden fence after repainting, with a wet-paint sign.
A tree garden fence repainted black.

Sticker removal

BeforeA sticker on a green traffic control box.
AfterThe green traffic control box with the sticker removed.
A sticker removed from a traffic control box.

Red street box

BeforePosters and stickers cover a red street box beside a crosswalk.
AfterThe same street box repainted red.
Posters and stickers cleared from a red street box.

Traffic control cabinet

BeforeGraffiti across a green traffic control cabinet.
AfterThe traffic control cabinet repainted green.
Graffiti removed from a traffic control cabinet.

Litter basket by a building

BeforeAn overflowing litter basket beside a building fence.
AfterThe litter basket emptied beside the building fence.
A litter basket cleared beside a building fence.

Parking meter 104227

BeforeGraffiti and stickers on parking meter 104227 beside scaffolding.
AfterParking meter 104227 cleaned beside the scaffolding.
Graffiti and stickers removed from parking meter 104227.

Parking meter 101167

BeforeWhite and blue graffiti on parking meter 101167.
AfterParking meter 101167 with the graffiti removed.
Graffiti removed from parking meter 101167.

Posters on a traffic box

BeforePosters and graffiti on the back of a green traffic control box.
AfterThe back of the traffic control box repainted green.
Posters and graffiti cleared from a traffic box.

Stickers on a lamppost

BeforeStickers cover a black lamppost base beside a litter basket.
AfterThe lamppost base repainted black beside the litter basket.
Stickers removed from a lamppost base.

Fire hydrant

BeforeGraffiti and worn paint on a fire hydrant.
AfterThe fire hydrant repainted black and silver.
A fire hydrant cleaned and repainted.

Construction notice board

BeforeGraffiti on plywood beside construction notices.
AfterThe construction notice board with graffiti removed.
Graffiti removed from a construction notice board.

Parking meter 104228

BeforeWhite graffiti on parking meter 104228 in front of brownstones.
AfterParking meter 104228 with the graffiti removed.
Graffiti removed from parking meter 104228.

Stone facade

BeforeGraffiti being pressure-washed from a stone facade behind scaffolding.
AfterThe stone facade with the graffiti removed.
Graffiti washed from a stone facade.

Green mail relay box

BeforeWhite, green, and black graffiti on a green mail relay box.
AfterThe green mail relay box with graffiti painted over.
Graffiti removed from a green mail relay box.

Litter basket along the Park

BeforeCups and bags overflow from a litter basket along the Park fence.
AfterThe litter basket emptied along the Park fence.
An overflowing litter basket cleared along the Park fence.

Parking meter rear panel

BeforeWhite graffiti on the back of a parking meter beside the Park fence.
AfterThe parking meter rear panel with the graffiti removed.
Graffiti removed from the rear of a parking meter.

Graffiti on a traffic cabinet

BeforeWhite graffiti across a green traffic control cabinet.
AfterThe traffic control cabinet repainted dark green.
White graffiti removed from a traffic control cabinet.

Traffic box beside brownstones

BeforeDark graffiti on a green traffic control box beside a gray pole.
AfterThe green traffic control box with the dark graffiti painted over.
Dark graffiti removed from a traffic control box.

Parking meter 107369

BeforeWhite graffiti on parking meter 107369.
AfterParking meter 107369 with the graffiti removed.
Graffiti removed from parking meter 107369.

Construction wall with teal graffiti

BeforeTeal graffiti on a two-tone construction wall beneath posted notices.
AfterThe construction wall with the teal graffiti painted over.
Teal graffiti removed from a construction wall.

Construction wall with purple graffiti

BeforePurple graffiti on the lower part of a two-tone construction wall.
AfterThe construction wall with the purple graffiti painted over.
Purple graffiti removed from a construction wall.

Traffic box by a crosswalk

BeforeWhite graffiti on a green traffic control box beside a crosswalk.
AfterThe traffic control box repainted green beside the crosswalk.
White graffiti removed from a traffic box beside a crosswalk.

Traffic box beside a gray pole

BeforeWhite graffiti on a green traffic control box beside a gray pole.
AfterThe traffic control box with the white graffiti painted over.
White graffiti removed from a green traffic box.

Parking meter 102531

BeforeRed graffiti on parking meter 102531.
AfterParking meter 102531 with the graffiti removed.
Graffiti removed from parking meter 102531.

Gray lamppost

BeforePeeling paint on the base of a gray lamppost.
AfterThe lamppost base freshly painted gray.
Peeling paint repaired on a gray lamppost.

Parking meter 101166

BeforeGraffiti on the front and side of parking meter 101166.
AfterParking meter 101166 with the graffiti removed.
Graffiti removed from parking meter 101166.

Where we work

Clean Streets covers the Park’s perimeter and adjoining blocks, on both sides of the streets shown on the service-area map.

Clean Streets service area, with the covered streets marked in gold. Street boundaries are listed below.
Service-area map from the Block Association’s July 2026 newsletter. Open the map to enlarge.

The program covers both sides of:

  • 20th and 21st Streets, from the east side of Park Avenue South to the west side of Third Avenue.
  • Gramercy Park East and West.
  • Irving Place, from the north side of 19th Street to Gramercy Park South.
  • Lexington Avenue, from Gramercy Park North to the south side of 22nd Street.

The annual Neighborhood Refresh

The 2026 Refresh began with the Park-facing streetscape and continued along the buildings facing it. Both phases were complete by July. Coordinated painting and repairs gave the fixtures that frame the neighborhood a fresh finish.

See the fixtures repaired and repainted in the 2026 Neighborhood Refresh.

See the 2026 Refresh

A program built by neighbors

The Block Association proposed Clean Streets in December 2021 and launched the program in May 2022. Subsequent reports introduced the team, documented improvements and, in May 2025, announced longer daily service hours.

Neighbors’ contributions pay for the crew, supplies and equipment. Support Clean Streets and our other neighborhood programs.

Read how Clean Streets began
Photo credits for this page