Work is nearing completion on Gansevoort Peninsula Park, a new 5.5-acre public recreational green space along the Hudson River waterfront off the West Village. Designed by James Corner Field Operations and commissioned by the Hudson River Park Trust, the park will contain a full-size soccer field surrounded by lush landscaping and shrubbery, numerous pathways, stepped seating, a children’s playground, kayak slips, a salt marsh, a dog run, viewing platforms, and Manhattan’s first public sandy beach. The site is located next to Pier 53, directly across from the Whitney Museum of American Art along Hudson River Park.
Large sections of the park’s infrastructure were still being formed at the time of our last update nearly one year ago. Since then, workers have distributed mounds of rocks against the water, delivered topsoil for the garden beds, inserted long stone blocks for walkways and seating along the southern edge next to the David Hammon’s Day’s End pier-shaped abstract sculpture, poured reinforced concrete floor slabs for the walkways and wooden seating, and installed canopies, wooden boardwalks, light poles, and the rectangular metal framework for the soccer field netting. Landscaping also made tremendous progress with more trees and shrubs of various species and sizes planted on site.
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Meanwhile, the nARCHITECTS-designed pavilion structure is now in the process of being built by Padilla Construction Services at 427 Gansevoort Street, to the east of the soccer field. Crews have formed the majority of the walls and raised roof, while the space for the sidewalks connecting to Hudson River Park remains to be laid down as this stretch of land is being used by construction machinery. A section of the building on the northernmost end is still being created, with metal shoring and concrete formwork in place to help assemble the rest of the superstructure.
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
The below rendering depicts the final appearance of the pavilion. Outdoor seating is shown on the left side of the image next to what looks like a space for a food vendor, as well as public bathrooms.
The Gansevoort Peninsula Park pavilion, designed by nARCHITECTS.
Some of the team members that have contributed to the project include Silman as the structural engineer, Plus Group as the MEP Engineer, HLB as the lighting consultant, Front as the façade consultant, Philip Habb & Associates as the civil and traffic engineer, Altieri as the site MEP engineer, Langan Engineering as the marine and geotechnical engineer, Craul Land Scientists as the soil consultant, Naturcycle LLC providing the soil, Northern Design in charge of irrigation, and eDesign Dynamic overseeing the natural resources for the park.
A finalized opening date has yet to be confirmed, though reports have indicated Gansevoort Peninsula Park opening sometime this summer.
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They got rid of the beach and substituted rocks. Not sure that piping structure was necessary
The piping structure is an art structure associated with the Whitney Museum across the street. it is called “Day’s End” by David Hammons.
The piping structure creates the outline of the pier that used to be there. I think it makes a brilliant historical reference.
What are the building across the street?
Some people on this site can never be satisfied. Why even comment if you only have negative opinions about literally everything?
I live in the neighborhood and applaud HRP for all the new parks for us to enjoy.
Waterfront that I saw would definitely be construction of the building, just looking around I could imagine that it wasn’t easy. Because there is co-operation from many parties, so awesome at sandy beach which I don’t think would fit on soccer field: Thanks to Michael Young.
A wonderful addition to the Hudson River waterfront, which has so much to enjoy now. Why can’t something be done to improve the East side waterfront? Does anyone know if anything planned for that?
You need to Google “East Side Coastal Resiliency”. They are doing great work on the east side waterfront.
The East River is much harder to develop than the Hudson. The ER currents are greater than Hud. Hudson is wider and less deep at the edges than ER.
This should be a really beautiful park to visit once completed. I’m loving how that so many parks are being constructed on the riverfronts lately.
There should be more of these built on NYC waterways. Flushing Bay near Citi Field, should be explored. With the new Soccer stadium and willets point development, a park like this could really help rejuvenate the area.
A water thirsty ball court, that is not good for the environment nor the public who need large shade trees, fountains and promenades to relax. This is so diabolical. 20 people might enjoy the playing ball there, but 20,000 people will have a third of the peer to relax and enjoy the river breeze. But of course, the modern architects have cut their connectio line to the public need for beauty and the basics, replacing them with their competitive geometrics and fancy unrealistic ideas. What a shame.
Very true!
it is a synthetic turf soccer field. how is that “water thirsty” ? A soccer field is actually a very good “water sink” for flash flooding. recreation is needed in NYC. Kids needs to get outside and away from their screens.
Diabolical is a bit excessive, but definitely agreed in concept. Allocating >50% of the available space—and just a massive space—to a specialized and limited use is at best suboptimal. Simple green space with big shade trees would’ve done far more good for far more people, especially since Hudson River Park (and the west side in general) does not have a large tree-shaded space similar to what people enjoy in Central Park, Prospect Park, etc. In HRP, those types of spaces are afterthoughts, mostly limited to small, narrow areas along the edges of the linear park.
That said, I’m somewhat hopeful that the existence of a huge regulation soccer field here could remove the need to have ballfields at Pier 40 when that pier is inevitably redeveloped. Pier 40 would be an even better location for that type of regular shaded park use given accessibility from Houston & Canal and its location at the intersection of multiple residential neighborhoods.
It’s a private park, and they wanted a space for people to play sports. For that you called them diabolical, which means akin to the devil… Maybe the person paying for the thing likes soccer and wants to bring his nephew there, even that would be a good enough reason to build it the way they did.
You called them evil for building a privately funded park not up to your idiotic specifications, consider that you are a walking waste of space
The field will be artifical turf.
The field will be artifical turf.
Finally – it’s almost but still not quite open. It’s really good to see the rubble rock edge at least along part of the park. The sand beach wouldn’t have lasted. Rubble rock is so much better for the remaining sea life, compared with concrete or steel seawalls.
What is the point of adding more parkland to this neighborhood, if we aren’t going to upzone for more residents? Every block along West Street that overlooks the Hudson River Park should be zoned for the maximum residential/commercial density allowed.
If the salt water of the Hudson rises again, you can kiss all the trees goodbye. Way back, they made that mistake and planted many trees along Flushing Creek in a tidal marsh. They all died within a few months. If someone invents a winter hardy mangrove, that would be ideal.
Lot of hate for The Beautiful Game, but nice new park.