A New York City financial executive, Benjamin “Ben” Pike delivers client-centered investment advisory solutions. With a strong sense of place, Ben Pike enjoys exploring the locales that make New York City a premier tourist destination. Among these is Greenwich Village, a tree-lined neighborhood that was traditionally an enclave of artists, musicians, and those who valued a small community feel within the big city.
At the terminus of Fifth Avenue and at the heart of the Village sits Washington Square Park, one of the city’s most utilized public spaces. Designed with a fountain at the center, the park was created in 1892 for the centennial of the inauguration of George Washington as the country’s first president. During the 1950s and beyond, it gained a reputation as a spot for folk musicians to meet and share songs in the open air, and it features the iconic stone chess tables at which legends such as former Grand Master Bobby Fischer honed their skills.
Today, Washington Square Park offers a green oasis that, like its much larger sibling Central Park, features walking paths with mature elms and other trees, and expansive grassy lawns. At night, the park comes alive with the glow of replica historical lamps that give it an ambiance of the past. Local musicians living in the area keep a free-wheeling spirit alive, with jams featuring acoustic guitars and the occasional tambourine. There are also two elaborate playgrounds in the park for those who visit with families, one for elementary school children and one for toddlers.
