Nolita residents rally behind Elizabeth Street Garden amidst lease termination

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Residents took up protest signs and packed into Elizabeth Street Garden in Nolita on Sept. 26 in a push back against an eviction notice.

Executive Director Joseph Reiver sat on a bench under the shade of a tree on Sunday, reflecting on a near decade-long fight to save the garden his father founded. Clasping his hands together, it is clear the fight has taken its toll, leaving him, and the surrounding community as a whole, emotionally exhausted.

However, no matter the fatigue or the heartache, Reiver asserts that he and garden visitors will fight to ensure its greenery can continue to be enjoyed for years to come despite a notice of eviction that tells the staff to be off the land by Oct. 31.