Green outdoor space, outside of Central Park, is often thought of as a rare commodity in New York City; but now it doesn’t have to be. The recent opening of WNYC’s Transmitter Park on the East River in Greenpoint, Brooklyn is one of the many projects that will be improving over 500 miles of shoreline across the city.
Breaking ground back in 2010, Transmitter Park is now finally open for the public to enjoy. As part of the Waterfront Vision and Enhancement Strategy(WAVES) citywide initiative, Transmitter Park supports the plan’s vision to provide more open recreational space for the city’s residents and a functional waterfront that will no longer display decaying industrial sites. The park is also a result of the 2005 Greenpoint-Williamsburg rezoning meant to provide local residents and visitors with continuous public access to the waterfront. The new park includes1.6-acres of open space with an esplanade for passive recreation, a new overlook to the south, new seating, and a pedestrian bridge built across an excavated historic ferry slip. The center of the park offers a large open lawn with a nautical themed children’s play area that reflects the site’s context, spray showers, and nature gardens.
Constructed upon the former site of the WNYC radio transmission towers, the New York City Economic Development Corporation, responsible for promoting economic growth within the five boroughs, oversaw the construction of the park. Funding for the $12 million dollar project included $9.6 million in city capital funds allotted by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg; $500,000 from the New York City Council; $400,000 by Brooklyn borough President Marty Markowitz; over $1.1 million in grant funds from the Federal Highway Administration and $370,000 in New York State Environmental Protection Fund grants; which are administered by the New York State Department of State.
The parks design can be credited to EDAW/McLaren Engineering Group/WXY architecture + urban design with The LiRo Group as resident engineer, and Phoenix Marine Co. Inc. as contractor.
A collection of photos of the park has developed on Instagram and your photo can be featured as well with the tag #transmitterpark and @greenpointers. Visit greenpointers.com to learn more.
