By: Nick Carraway

As first reported by the New York Post, a prestigious Upper East Side private school has secured permission to partially close a public street during the school year, sparking outrage among local business owners and residents.

The Birch Wathen Lenox School – which charges $62, 500 in annual tuition and counts Barbara Walters among its alumni – will shutter East 77 th Street between Second and Third avenues for two hours a day, three days a week starting next month. Manhattan’s Community Board 8 voted unanimously to approve the plan under the city’s controversial Open Streets program, allowing the 500-student K–12 institution to use the roadway as extra play space.

The decision came after the school dramatically scaled back its original proposal, which sought to block the street for five hours a day, five days a week. Administrators argued their rooftop playground is so small it can only accommodate one grade at a time. The revised request – from 11 a. m. to 1 p. m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays – passed 42–0, with the stipulation that the school will clear the road immediately if a delivery truck or emergency vehicle needs access.

Still, shop owners along the block told the Post they fear the closures will cripple their already fragile businesses. “It’s a school filled with very rich kids. It’s like the 1% taking away from the 99%,” said Todd Layne, whose laundromat sits just feet from the school. Layne called the plan “a major impediment” to daily operations and doubted the logistics of letting vehicles through without disrupting classes.

Lighting store owner Toby Chancey predicted up to a 10% drop in sales, noting many of his older customers drive directly to his storefront. “It’s bad for all of us on this block,” he told the Post. “I wish everything could work out for both parties, but it’s just not going to happen.”

Residents are also uneasy. Linda Cornelius, head of the East 77 th Block Association, said the stretch is part of an “ambulance avenue” used to reach Lenox Hill Hospital. She questioned whether the school could reliably monitor both ends of the street and respond quickly in emergencies. Noise and accessibility concerns also topped neighbors’ complaints.

Despite the criticism, the Post reported that a spokesperson for Northwell Hospitals downplayed the impact on emergency response, saying ambulance crews adapt quickly to detours and will receive advance notice of closures.

Head of School Bill Kuhn promised to keep communication open with nearby businesses and residents throughout the academic year. He emphasized that the scaled-back proposal reflected extensive community feedback. “Our revised plan reduced our initial request by 70%,” Kuhn said. “We are committed to working with our neighbors to ensure the Open Streets program runs smoothly.”

The arrangement will be reviewed at the end of the school year, meaning the street could reopen fully if the plan proves too disruptive. For now, however, East 77 th Street will double as a private playground – and a flashpoint for a larger debate about how New York City allocates public space.