▁space ▁was ▁designated ▁a ▁Sc en ic ▁Land mark ▁by ▁the ▁Land marks ▁Pres ervation ▁Commission ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁one ▁of ▁nine ▁city ▁par ks ▁that ▁have ▁received ▁the ▁design ation . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁the ▁area ▁surrounding ▁both ▁Ver di ▁Square ▁and ▁Sh erman ▁Square ▁was ▁known ▁by ▁local ▁drug ▁users ▁and ▁deal ers ▁as ▁" Ne ed le ▁Park ", ▁and ▁was ▁featured ▁prom in ently ▁in ▁the ▁g rit ty ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁dram atic ▁film ▁The ▁Pan ic ▁in ▁Need le ▁Park , ▁directed ▁by ▁Jerry ▁Sch atz berg ▁and ▁st arring ▁Al ▁Pac ino ▁in ▁his ▁second ▁on screen ▁role . ▁ ▁The ▁original ▁brick ▁and ▁stone ▁shelter ▁leading ▁to ▁the ▁entrance ▁of ▁the ▁ 7 2 nd ▁Street ▁sub way ▁station , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁ 2 8 ▁sub way ▁stations ▁in ▁Manh attan , ▁remains ▁located ▁on ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁wide ▁islands ▁in ▁the ▁center ▁of ▁Broadway , ▁on ▁the ▁south ▁side ▁of ▁West ▁ 7 2 nd ▁Street . ▁For ▁many ▁years , ▁all ▁traffic ▁on ▁Broadway ▁flow ed ▁on ▁either ▁side ▁of ▁this ▁median ▁and ▁its ▁sub way ▁entrance , ▁and ▁its ▁u pt own ▁lan es ▁went ▁past ▁it ▁along ▁the ▁western ▁edge ▁of ▁tri angular ▁Ver di ▁Square . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁renov ation ▁of ▁the ▁historic ▁ 7 2 nd ▁Street