New York’s largest state park to open in Brooklyn in 2019
POSTED 19 Sep 2018 . BY Luke Cloherty
Shirley Chisholm State Park is named after the Brooklyn native and first African-American woman elected to Congress Credit: NYS Department of Parks & Recreation
New York State governor Andrew Cuomo has announced that the first phase of a landmark project to open the region's largest state park will be completed by mid-2019.
Sitting on a 407-acre piece of land in the Jamaica Bay area of Brooklyn, the Shirley Chisholm State Park, named after the Brooklyn native and first African-American woman elected to Congress, will offer 10 miles of hiking and biking trails, with the new attraction replacing two giant landfill sites that previously occupied the space.
The state's Department of Parks and Recreation is behind the US$1.4bn (€1.2bn, £1bn) development, which sits on 3.5 miles of waterfront and has specific areas designated for both kayakers and beach-goers.
The plan is part of Vital Brooklyn – a model for community development and wellness, which targets eight integrated areas of investment: Open Space and Recreation; Healthy Food; Education; Economic Empowerment; Community-Based Violence Prevention; Community-Based Health Care; Affordable Housing; and Resiliency.
"Our state parks are community treasures, and this new park transforms what was once landfill into exquisite open space, waterfront access and outdoor recreation for Brooklyn," said Cuomo.
"Shirley Chisholm led the fight to improve the health and wellness of underserved communities that we carry on today with the Vital Brooklyn initiative, and we are proudly naming this park after her in admiration for the example of leadership and devotion she set for all of us."
The park's development dates back 16 years, when in 2002 state officials looked at alternative uses to the existing landfill sites. Since then, the New York Department of Environmental Protection created more than 1.2 million cubic yards of clean soil and planted 35,000 trees and shrubs, which resulted in the bloom of a diverse ecosystem of coastal meadows, wetlands, and woodlands.
After the park opens in Autumn 2019, public meetings will be held to discuss the second phase of the design, which could also feature an amphitheatre, an environmental education centre and a cable ferry.
Experience design company, BRC Imagination Arts, has completed a transition that sees founder
Bob Rogers pass ownership of the business to four long-serving senior executives, while
remaining actively involved with the company.
Movie Park Germany has opened a new Paramount Pictures-themed attraction as part of its 30th
anniversary celebrations, using immersive storytelling and adaptive reuse to reinforce the park’s
longstanding “Hollywood in Germany” positioning.
Therme Manchester’s 28-acre development, which will include interconnected glass pavilions
that measure 65,000sq m, will be the largest bathing and wellbeing attraction in the world once
complete, according to prof David Russell, CEO of Therme UK.
+ More news
COMPANY PROFILES
IDEATTACK
IDEATTACK is a full-service planning and
design company with headquarters in
Los Angeles. [more...]
An opportunity to reimagine one of the UK’s most recognisable towers has been formally
opened by Rivington Hark, as St Johns Beacon invites operators and partners to shape its
next phase. [more...]
New York’s largest state park to open in Brooklyn in 2019
POSTED 19 Sep 2018 . BY Luke Cloherty
Shirley Chisholm State Park is named after the Brooklyn native and first African-American woman elected to Congress Credit: NYS Department of Parks & Recreation
New York State governor Andrew Cuomo has announced that the first phase of a landmark project to open the region's largest state park will be completed by mid-2019.
Sitting on a 407-acre piece of land in the Jamaica Bay area of Brooklyn, the Shirley Chisholm State Park, named after the Brooklyn native and first African-American woman elected to Congress, will offer 10 miles of hiking and biking trails, with the new attraction replacing two giant landfill sites that previously occupied the space.
The state's Department of Parks and Recreation is behind the US$1.4bn (€1.2bn, £1bn) development, which sits on 3.5 miles of waterfront and has specific areas designated for both kayakers and beach-goers.
The plan is part of Vital Brooklyn – a model for community development and wellness, which targets eight integrated areas of investment: Open Space and Recreation; Healthy Food; Education; Economic Empowerment; Community-Based Violence Prevention; Community-Based Health Care; Affordable Housing; and Resiliency.
"Our state parks are community treasures, and this new park transforms what was once landfill into exquisite open space, waterfront access and outdoor recreation for Brooklyn," said Cuomo.
"Shirley Chisholm led the fight to improve the health and wellness of underserved communities that we carry on today with the Vital Brooklyn initiative, and we are proudly naming this park after her in admiration for the example of leadership and devotion she set for all of us."
The park's development dates back 16 years, when in 2002 state officials looked at alternative uses to the existing landfill sites. Since then, the New York Department of Environmental Protection created more than 1.2 million cubic yards of clean soil and planted 35,000 trees and shrubs, which resulted in the bloom of a diverse ecosystem of coastal meadows, wetlands, and woodlands.
After the park opens in Autumn 2019, public meetings will be held to discuss the second phase of the design, which could also feature an amphitheatre, an environmental education centre and a cable ferry.
Experience design company, BRC Imagination Arts, has completed a transition that sees founder
Bob Rogers pass ownership of the business to four long-serving senior executives, while
remaining actively involved with the company.
Movie Park Germany has opened a new Paramount Pictures-themed attraction as part of its 30th
anniversary celebrations, using immersive storytelling and adaptive reuse to reinforce the park’s
longstanding “Hollywood in Germany” positioning.
Therme Manchester’s 28-acre development, which will include interconnected glass pavilions
that measure 65,000sq m, will be the largest bathing and wellbeing attraction in the world once
complete, according to prof David Russell, CEO of Therme UK.
Efteling has opened Hooghmoed, a new family drop tower designed to broaden the appeal of its
recently launched Sirene Island themed area and introduce younger visitors to thrill attractions.
A proposed Puy du Fou development near Bicester and Universal Destinations and Experiences’
planned resort in Bedford are emerging as part of a wider transformation of the Oxford–
Cambridge Growth Corridor into a major centre for UK leisure and tourism inv
+ More news
COMPANY PROFILES
IDEATTACK IDEATTACK is a full-service planning and
design company with headquarters in
Los Angeles. [more...]
An opportunity to reimagine one of the UK’s most recognisable towers has been formally
opened by Rivington Hark, as St Johns Beacon invites operators and partners to shape its
next phase. [more...]