Podcast Summary: "Where Is Your Favorite Public Bench in New York?"

Podcast: All Of It
Host: Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Guest: Anna Kodey (New York Times reporter)
Date: November 4, 2025

Overview

This episode of "All Of It" explores the cultural significance, design evolution, and current challenges facing public benches in New York City. Host Alison Stewart is joined by Anna Kodey, whose New York Times article "The Slow Death of the New York City Public Bench" serves as a springboard for their discussion. Listeners also contribute personal stories, underscoring the bench’s unique place in urban life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Cultural Role of Public Benches

• Bench as Urban Stage: Anna describes benches as democratic spaces where the mundane and the profound intertwine, for activities ranging from people watching to quiet reflection.

  • "It's there. Anything can happen on a bench... you can eat a meal... shared, open kind of space." (Anna, 02:55)

• Shaping Our Perception: Taking the time to rest on a bench can change how we experience the city—turning us from hurried commuters into present observers.

  • "That small pause when you just sit down, you see the scene unfolding in front of you... you feel like you're living in the city together." (Anna, 04:23)

2. The Changing Design of Benches & Hostile Architecture

• Evolution in Design:
  • Early Central Park benches (settees) were cast iron without armrests (1870s).
  • Introduction of armrests attributed to the Robert Moses era to discourage people—especially the homeless—from lying down.
    • "He had designed... a bench for the 1939 World's Fair... with huge hooped armrests that would really deter someone from trying to lay down on it." (Anna, 07:25)
• Leaning Benches:
  • New forms, such as "leaning benches," save space but are difficult to use—often unrecognized as actual benches.
    • "They look like these black metal bars... it just looks so foreign... not many people know how to interact with." (Anna, 11:12)
• Hostile Architecture:
  • Any design that deters unwelcome behavior, often targeting the homeless, but impacting all.
    • "Hostile architecture refers to design meant to keep out unwanted populations... but it ends up affecting everyone: pregnant women, older people, anyone who needs to sit." (Anna, 13:24)

Notable Quotes

• "These benches don't really allow for people to lay down or spend long periods of time on them anymore." (Anna, 03:20)
• "When we remove benches or redesign them to be uncomfortable, those spaces shift... they're no longer social places." (Anna, 23:25)

3. Listener Stories & The Human Element

Listeners called or texted with favorite bench stories—most highlighting memories, routine, sentiment, and accessibility needs.

• Sarah from Manhattan:
  • Bench at 107th St & 5th Ave, by Harlem Meer; memories of sitting with her mother, notes some benches removed due to homelessness.
    • "It gives me so much memories... Benches do have a lot of memories for everyone." (Sarah, 08:17)
• Cheryl from Soho:
  • Discussed the need for benches due to age and mobility; missed the humane aspect.
    • "Pregnant ladies need benches... it just seems cruel not to have them." (Cheryl, 09:35)
• Marilyn from Chelsea:
  • Praised "friendly architecture" of the High Line's movable lounge chairs.
    • "You can push them together... it's fantastic to be sitting there... Excellent people watching." (Marilyn, 13:59)
• Charles, Upper West Side:
  • Benches in Red Hook with views of Statue of Liberty and sunsets, used for social gathering.
• Heather Randall (widow of Tony Randall):
  • Shakespeare Garden, Central Park—a family tradition and site of cherished memories.
    • "It's really hard for me even to walk through there... it was such a beautiful memory." (Heather, 16:05)
• Adam from Westchester:
  • Filmed a Mars bar commercial on a Riverside Park bench; reflecting on benches as a way to calm and observe nature, even in a city.
• Barbara from Brooklyn:
  • Expressed distress over the unexplained removal of a bus stop bench vital for seniors.
    • "I miss the bench terribly. Like many... I'm in my 80s and need to sit." (Barbara, 21:09)
• Matt from Roosevelt Island:
  • Describes benches facing the river, as places of calm, reading, and community.

Listener’s Perspective

• Many linked benches to pivotal personal moments: romance, time with loved ones, aging, and city living.
• Removal or redesign unanimously viewed as a loss, especially for vulnerable populations.

4. Broader Trends, Policy, and The Future

• City Vision:
  • NYC's plan to install benches at every bus stop by 2035—but many with armrests (potentially limiting).
• Benches Elsewhere:
  • Similar trends reported across other cities, though New York's density and diversity make its situation unique.
• Policy Influence:
  • The fate of public benches rests on civic priorities and leadership.
    • "Trends seem to be that they are either disappearing or coming in unrecognizable forms... it depends on policy and what kind of public spaces the city wants to invest in." (Anna, 19:53)

Memorable Quotes and Moments

• On the Purpose of Benches:

  • "Benches are a sign of a civil society with many benefits for everyone." (Barbara, 21:09)

• On COVID-Era Benching:

  • Alison: "I spent my birthday on a bench six feet away [from a friend]... I have that strong memory in my mind of a New York City bench." (20:35)

• On Public Spaces Becoming Transitional:

  • Anna: "When we're removing benches or making them objects that are not very comfortable, these spaces shift... they're no longer social places. They become just another place to pass through and get onto the next thing." (23:25)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:42] – Anna on the role of benches in NYC culture
• [05:40] – Anna’s favorite bench and personal reflection
• [06:25] – History of Central Park settee benches
• [07:25] – Robert Moses era and the rise of armrests
• [08:17] – Sarah from Manhattan’s personal story
• [09:35] – Cheryl on the need for accessible seating
• [11:12] – Discussion of "leaning benches"
• [13:24] – Anna explains hostile architecture
• [13:59] – Marilyn praises friendly architecture on the High Line
• [16:05] – Heather Randall shares personal memories
• [19:53] – Anna’s outlook for benches’ future
• [21:09] – Barbara laments removal of bus stop seating
• [23:25] – Anna on benches and public space as more than transition zones

Conclusion

This episode highlights how the humble public bench is far more than furniture—it’s a linchpin of urban social life, a site of remembrance, and unfortunately, a new front in the contest for public space. Through personal stories, expert insights, and vivid listener calls, the conversation reveals how benches both reflect and shape the soul of New York City.