Our Residential Community

The Turtle Bay Association was formed in 1957 to address residents’ concerns over a city plan to widen East 49th Street, increasing crosstown traffic, narrowing sidewalks and uprooting well-established trees in the process. The organization was successful in its efforts, and before long, expanded its purview, because of a myriad of issues related to the city’s growing development that not only affected the functioning of the neighborhood, but the quality of life of its residents.

The Association today not only strives to modify conditions that may erode the residential character of Turtle Bay, but tries to expand the experience of living here by acting as a bridge to all the urban resources available in the city, such as from government, civic institutions, businesses, landmarks, and especially the development of our parks and public spaces.

Then too, we think it is no less important for the Association to work to create a “sense of neighborhood” here in the biggest of cities, and along those lines, we regularly sponsor events where we celebrate the neighborhood, and where you might actually meet your next-door neighbor.

In short, the Turtle Bay Association works to preserve and improve the quality of life for the people who live, work, and visit Turtle Bay.