Nosy Neighbor: Why Were the Trees Outside Goldman Sachs Cut Down?

Why has Goldman Sachs been wood-chipping all the trees on the Vesey Street side of their building? Nine down. One to go. —J.

The trees actually the domain of the Battery Park City Authority. “We’re in the process of replacing the nine trees in front of Goldman Sachs, between West Street and North End Way/Goldman Alley,” said a rep for the BPCA. “These will be replaced by Gleditsia triacanthos, or honey locust trees in common parlance. These are part of a larger, 32-tree planting that will occur across Battery Park City this fall, whereby older trees will be replaced with younger and healthier ones. Planting of new trees will start shortly (usually right after the first frost).”

A worker at the scene told me that one of the trees in that row was actually a honey locust, which is why it was left alone.

Got a question? Email

Previous Nosy Neighbor posts:
When did the signage on 49 Chambers change?
Why are Tribeca’s street numbers messed up?
Why are there hay bales at construction sites?
What’s that terrace above Le District?
What’s happening on the old Aloha Rag space?
When is DanceBody going to open?
What’s the white stuff all over Northwest Tribeca?
Why has construction stopped at 30 Warren?
Why is Tribeca Tower’s plaza still closed?
What’s this restaurant opening on Spring Street?
Why is the MTA parking buses on Church?
Is that a Dan Flavin artwork on Worth?
What’s the deal with 79 and 81 Warren?
Is work finally starting on 172 Duane?
Is this parking lot at risk of getting developed?
Why do buses have backward flags on the windows?
What are cars doing on the Esplanade?
How do these metal braces work?
Is Franklin Place really a private street?
Where are the World Trade Center soldiers based?
What are these new blue parking signs?
What’s this thing embedded in the sidewalk?
Where can I buy photos of old Tribeca?
Why are these people gathering on Broadway?
What are those things at Warren and Church?
Why does 3 World Trade Center have tailpipes?
What’s that thing on 60 Hudson’s roof?
Why is this statue behind a fence?
Why does 1 World Trade Center look so unfinished at night?
Why do Brookfield Place’s escalators run that way?
Where can I get breakfast in Tribeca?
Who are the Goatsingers?
Why was this cornice removed?
What are those doodads on 60 Vestry?
What’s up with the exposed wall at 111 Murray?
What’s inside the base of 7 World Trade Center?
What’s the Supermarket?
What’s happening at 172 Duane?
Is this rooftop addition legal?
Who’s painting those faces all over?
What are those panels on the sanitation garage?
How many fake restaurants are on Seamless?
Why is 15 Warren painted that way?
Where do Laughing Man’s profits go?
When will FiOS come to Tribeca?
What’s up with 60 Hudson?
What goes on at 444 Greenwich?
Why are Goldman Sachs’s lights always on?
Who’s responsible for the snowflake lights?
Why does cobblestoning require sprinklers?
Do newspaper boxes need permits?
Why does 161 Duane say “Whalebone”?
What’s the story behind those Harrison townhouses?
What’s that thing at W. Broadway and Leonard?
Are buses allowed to idle on Laight?
Can you recommend any Tribeca picture books?
Who enforces sidewalk-café regulations?
What do the characters on 47 Vestry mean?
Where was the original Blues Bar?
Can we walk on the West Street medians?
What’s the story behind the lights at 289 Church?
What’s the Dream House at 275 Church?



  1. From todays’ perspective 8 trees mowed down seems rather symbolic. Perhaps the saplings can be seen as a memorial?

  2. Probably diseased or something. Those trees are required per the new building application approval; I could look up how many are required, but I’m lazy. They will likely be replaced soon. Otherwise you could get all 311 with it and likely get DOB/Parks to issue a violation.

  3. Did the BPCA rep actually say “Goldman Alley” or was that your editorializing?