What were the most influential innovations in the Central Park design ?
A stylish place for open - air driving , similar to the Bois de Boulogne in Paris or London 's Hyde Park , was felt to be needed by many influential New Yorkers , and , after an abortive attempt in 1850-51 to designate Jones 's Wood , in 1853 the New York legislature settled upon a area from 59th to 106th Streets for the creation of the park , at a cost of more than US$ 5 million for the land alone .