We Need A Home
Providing a permanent home in the Floral District will preserve the legacy
Being able to raise funds to purchase property outright is key for the floral district’s survival. With nonprofit status this will become a permanent structure that will not be shaken by landlords.
Currently the district is diminishing slowly because of steadily rising rents. Between 2020 and 2022, we lost three wholesale companies, two retail storefront companies and one plant store. So six business have fallen. There remains only one family florist that has been here since the 1930s, Superior Florist. During the mid-century peak between the 1940s and 1960s, there were as many as 50 wholesale companies, plus additional supply companies. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that New York had the biggest wholesale district in the country in 1957.
At last count, there are only eight cut flower/branch wholesale companies, nine plant stores, three retail florists and four floral supply stores left. Now we are the smallest.
OUR VISION
Our Rooftop Greenhouse – where the pinnacle meets the past, and nature and history intertwine to create a breathtaking urban oasis. Inspired by the grandeur of the Original Penn. Station and adorned with the elegance of art nouveau accents, our rooftop stands as a verdant crown, a tribute to the heyday of the floral industry in New York from the 1890s to the 1920s. It will be utilized both for events & a tranquil space for the public to use. The plants will be tropical and domestic species.
ROOFTOP
6Th Floor
Studio Rentals For Florists
5th Floor
Dirty Hands
These spaces will serve as areas for children to explore the realms of flowers and farming, encouraging them to immerse themselves in the earth. Through hands-on experiences, we aim to reconnect kids with the natural world. Accomplished guest farmers and florists will contribute by sharing their insights into the significance of flowers and how it has shaped their lives.
Reflecting on my earliest gardening memories, I recall cultivating a 5ft by 5ft plot in the back of our Brooklyn home with my mother. At the tender age of 5, we harvested carrots, strawberries, and tomatoes. The joy of consuming these fruits straight from the plant, with their unparalleled sweetness, left an indelible mark.
These spaces will not only be havens for exploration but also venues for workshops targeting disadvantaged populations. Our goal is to provide valuable skills within the floral community, echoing the industry's historical role in supporting generations of immigrants over the past 175 years in New York. In line with tradition, we are committed to giving back to our communities and supporting fellow New Yorkers in their journey towards empowerment and growth.
4th Floor
Contemporary Floral Art Galleries
Floral artists of all mediums will be able to have a platform to express themselves, to show their skills and artistic visions to the world.
3rd Floor
HISTORY OF THE FLORAL DISTRICT
Explore exhibits showcasing the rich history of florists, wholesale companies, and floral farms that have played a transformative role in our great city and nation over the past 200 years. These displays aim to educate visitors on the vital contributions of the floral industry, emphasizing its impact on humanity and the significant role flowers have played in shaping our culture and society.
The NYC flower market has such a colorful history which is so paralel with NYC itself, from its (Greek) immigrant beginnings, to the current makeup of the flower market community. Accepting people of all races, countries, sexual orientations and religions.
It has gone through many changes and faces many challenges but is still there and will be there a long time. A flower market museum will be a shining light on beautiful little jewel in the middle of Manhattan!
Owner of Dutch Flower Line
Cas Trap
I am so excited that this museum is finally approved. It will help reinvigorate the floral market as a whole with exposure. There is so much rich history in this market and it is fading rapidly. We are being taken over by hotels!! There is such a vast floral community and we spend so many waking hours together that we become family. Having this museum will help preserve this industry and also expose it with a new lens. This exposure will help drum up business for all and also usher in new blood that will be hungry to express themselves with floral art. Imagine there is no market, where would all these massive local venues and hotels get there flowers from? We are sourcing the most exotic things that the world has to offer. NYC is the epicenter of the flower world, everything goes through us. That being said for many years now the whole market has downsized and wholesalers are fading away. This museum will put the industry back on the map and help pay homage to the rich and extensive history of the 28th Street flower market.”
Owner of AbraFlora Wholesale
Shadow
First and most a museum can bring awareness to the floral industry of New York City. It can promotes artists work and their creativity. Flower lovers can get to experience the designers art, the floral culture, and the history of the market. Hopefully becoming a place of attraction for tourists or even people right in our community.
Owner of JRose Wholesale Flowers
Troy Baksh
The New York City Flower District certainly has its place in history... a gem in the heart of the action, the flower district lies between New York’s fashion center, NOMAD and Chelsea. Who hasn’t had a smile during their morning commute upon viewing palm trees in the Flower District?
The Flower District is an integral part of spreading beauty around this city. It supports many different businesses in the city such as interior design, art, floral design, restaurants, museums, advertising, event planning and photography, among others.
The fact that the Flower District is something that thrives behind the scenes, gives us more of a reason to realize its importance. Its own museum would give the floral district the recognition that it deserves. To support the Flower District is to highlight nature within the city, to bring us inspiration, and to bring our awareness to protecting the earth, which is the foundation for my art.
Jean Marie Bucich, Artist