Tompkinsville, Staten Island - Urban Design Forum

About the Project

Staten Island Urban Center (SIUC), in collaboration with A+A+A, will activate Tompkinsville Park as a community asset to uplift the richness of Afro-Caribbean culture through food, art, dance and music grounded in the memories of ancestors. They will launch a food and spice market that brings visibility to Black, Afro-Caribbean, and Latinx communities in Staten Island.

Team meets with community stakeholders at Books Cafe in Summer 2023

Team hosts design workshop with youth in winter 2023

Team visits fabricators T+J SET DESIGN in summer 2024

A close-up of Abuelita Masala, before the ribbon cutting, featuring mural art by Urechi Oguguo. Credit: Andrea Chiney

Drummers offer music and a libation for the Market’s opening day. Credit: Zachary Schulman

Crowd gathers for ribbon cutting at the first day of the Tompkinsville Afro-Caribbean and Latin Food and Spice Market. Credit: Zachary Schulman

Kelly Vilar, Founder of Staten Island Urban Center, gives remarks with the full neighborhood partner and design team. Credit: Zachary Schulman

Design team A+A+A demonstrates the multi-use options of Abuelita Masala. Credit: Zachary Schulman

The market will host food vendors selling Afro-Caribbean food and spices. Credit: Zachary Schulman

Abuelita Masala in Tompkinsville Park

The modular structure can be used in several different configurations by the community, including a library

A detail of Abuelita Masala

Team

Staten Island Urban Center (SIUC) is a community development through community involvement organization, lifting the voices of Staten Island’s most marginalized and vulnerable communities experiencing social, environmental and criminal injustices. Their community-centered work is grounded in the pursuit of cultural equity, thrivability, self-determination and independence.

Kelly Vilar

Staten Island Urban Center

Sarah Blas

Staten Island Therapeutic Gardens

Jamillah LaSalle

Bait-ul Jamaat

A+A+A is Andrea Chiney, Ashely Kuo and Arianna Deane. They are a multidisciplinary design studio committed to making places more inclusive, collaborative and joyful.

Ashely Kuo

A+A+A

Arianna Deane

A+A+A

Andrea Chiney

A+A+A

Images courtesy of partner organizations

Support

Our Rooted Cultures projects are made possible with lead support from the Mellon Foundation and with additional major support from the Charles H. Revson Foundation, the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, the NYC Green Relief & Recovery Fund, and the Lily Auchincloss Foundation.

Urban Design Forum programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

To learn more about supporting the Local Center, please contact Katherine Sacco, katherine@urbandesignforum.org and Lauren Nye, lauren.n@anhd.org.