In Mayor Bill de Blasio’s State of the City speech given last Thursday, a significant mixed-use development initiative was proposed that would transform Governors Island, which measures 172 acres in the Upper Bay just off the southern tip of Manhattan, into a year-round community. According to Politico New York, the car-free island has 900,000 square feet of development potential on 33 acres, and the mayor is seeking to utilize it to build cultural, educational, and commercial properties. The project will be handed over to the Trust For Governors Island and a Request for Proposals (RFP) should be launched later this year. Construction could begin as soon as 2019, although the Hills, a 10-acre man-made park designed by West 8, is slated to open this summer. The National Park Service oversees two 19th century forts (22 acres) on the island and roughly 92 acres on the historic northern end is a U.S. National Historic Landmark.
Currently underway Phase 1 redevelopment on Governors Island
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NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ONE OF THE JOYS OF GOV’ISLAND IS THE OPENNESS WHEREVER ONE WALKS NOT SOMETHING
REMINISCENT OF A MALL WHICH WILL DETRACT TOTALLY FROM THE FEELING OF BEING
“AWAY” AT SOMEPLACE “DIFFERENT”.
EVEN THE OLD BUILDINGS HAVE THEIR CHARM AT BEING LOW SCALE, IMBUED WITH SOME HISTORY, AND GIVE A FEELING OF FUN WHILE WALKING AMONGST THEM.
HOW SOON WILL THE WALGREEN, 7/11, ETC, FOLLOW ONCE THE INITIAL MISTAKE IS MADE.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT MAYOR’S THAT DON’T UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF “PARK”? HERE IN WEST NEW YORK, THE LOCAL MAYOR REMOVED BEAUTIFUL TALL OLD TREES ATOP THE PALISADES TO POUR MORE CONCRETE. JOKE IS HE DID IT WITH GREEN ACRES FUNDS.
QUICKLY GIVE DIBLASIO (WHO I LIKE BY THE WAY) COPY OF THE WORD “PARK” AS IN THE DICTIONARY.
PLEASE, ONCE AGAIN, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There was a burger king, bowling ally and movie theatre there, I wish they could bring them back.