Wait, are you actually a proponent of this thing??
Not right now, I just believe that this could be made to work as intended without causing any unforseen consequences under normal conditions. But, assuming that a solution to the storm surges is built in the form of massive sea walls, then yes, I would support the land bridge since I feel soft measures alone wouldn't be able to ensure the safety of anyone living there.
New York needs to think big to meet the challenges of this century and dumping landfill to create more space for the city to expand makes sense after all of the desolate industrial areas on and close to Manhattan have been taken.
Governors Island, now an isolated retreat for a summer weekend a seven-minute ferry ride from Manhattan, could be transformed into a 24-hour a day educational or commercial hub under a request for proposals to restore and reoccupy 40 historic buildings on the island.
Now the Trust for Governors Island, a not-for-profit group that manages the development of Governors Island, is asking educational institutions, hotels, businesses, retailers and arts groups to come up with plans to bring new life to historic buildings.
The buildings include a 700-seat theater, a former YMCA and a 400,000-square-foot barracks building designed by McKim, Meade & White in 1929 that runs across much of the width of the island.
In a statement on Monday, Mayor Bloomberg said that Governors Island "is the centerpiece" of the "transformation of the city's waterfront." He that the city's spending on rebuilding the infrastructure made possible the return of "year round tenants and uses."
Governors Island is now open to the public only on weekends in spring and summer, and is currently closed to visitors until May.
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“Office buildings are our factories – whether for tech, creative or traditional industries we must continue to grow our modern factories to create new jobs,” said United States Senator Chuck Schumer.
In Detail> Governors Island
With construction progressing, West 8 discusses the landscape transformation of a New York jewel.
December 11, 2012
Aaron Seward
Quote:
The first phase of construction efforts to transform Governors Island from a Coast Guard base into a public park has been underway since May, racing toward an expected completion by the fall of 2013. Designed by Dutch landscape architecture practice West 8 with contributions from local firms MNLA, Rogers Marvel Architects, and Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the makeover focuses on altering a once closed and militarily regimented environment into one that encourages visitors to explore, interact, and claim the grounds as their own.
The first phase includes the restoration of many of the historic buildings on the island as well as the construction of 30 contiguous acres of new parkland. This includes Soissons Landing, the long-time ferry dock by which visitors will access the island; Liggett Terrace, a patio tucked into the embracing wings of the McKim, Meade & White–designed, neo-georgian Liggett Hall; Hammock Grove, an undulating forested area; and the Play Lawn, an 11-acre grassy field for sports and sunbathing.
he alterations being made to Soissons Landing and Liggett Terrace are relatively straightforward from an engineering and construction point of view. The ferry dock is being made more inviting with the addition of shade trees and mosaic paving. Visitors will be greeted by the opportunity to take a spin on free bicycles. Signage by design firm Pentagram will make it clear which way to go to find what. Restrooms, concessions, and other amenities are being integrated into the historic structures that surround the landing. Liggett Terrace will capitalize on the sheltering aspects of the existing architecture and will feature more mosaic paving as well as flowerbeds and café seating.
Things get more interesting at Hammock Grove and the Play Lawn. The first step in the process of turning this old military marching ground into a lushly planted zone of verdant grasses and nut-bearing trees is ensuring a supply of fresh water, not to mention good soil. While much of Governors Island is a mound of solid granite, much like Manhattan, this southern portion is composed of landfill. Dig a hole just a few feet beneath the surface and it will begin to fill with brackish water from the harbor—not an ideal condition for supporting the 55 species of trees from the oak-hickory forest family that will occupy the grove.
West 8 solved this problem by raising the level of the island. In part this is being accomplished with fill made from the rubble of the island’s demolished structures. The other part is lots of good quality topsoil, bought on the market and imported to the site to serve as the park’s chief growing medium. This solution also allowed the architects to sculpt the landscape, creating undulations in the earth that frame selected views, such as to the Statue of Liberty, or to Lower Manhattan. In a future phase of construction, fill will be used to sculpt high hills from the top of which visitors will be able to obtain 360-degree views, ascertaining once and for all that they are indeed on an island.
All of this new planting will require irrigation. Governors Island is being linked to the city’s water system with a pipe from Brooklyn as part of this first phase of construction.
__________________ NEW YORK is Back!
“Office buildings are our factories – whether for tech, creative or traditional industries we must continue to grow our modern factories to create new jobs,” said United States Senator Chuck Schumer.
“Office buildings are our factories – whether for tech, creative or traditional industries we must continue to grow our modern factories to create new jobs,” said United States Senator Chuck Schumer.
There's just ONE thing the plans for this island retreat is missing... MONKEYS!!!
Actually a big thing is missing, access. Ferries are not ideal as they are expensive to run and require waiting. The gondola system that was proposed would work well. Gondolas are inexpensive and reliable. London just put a gondola system up, it would work here too.
If it were tropical it would nice for NYC to have a monkey island, but sadly that is not the case.
We’ve started laying down the pre-cast concrete curbs that arrived a few weeks ago. Eventually they will help define pathways and green “petals” of lawn and trees in the new park and public spaces.
....We know you can’t see us out here in the middle of the Harbor in the winter, but we don’t want you to miss out on all the action. So we’ve added two fun new ways to peer over our construction fences. We’re snapping shots on Instagram, so follow us at governorsisland (if you didn’t just delete your account this week). And we’ve started a neat slideshow on dropbox that shows construction progress in a series of before and after shots with renderings. It changes every week, so be sure to keep checking in.
“Office buildings are our factories – whether for tech, creative or traditional industries we must continue to grow our modern factories to create new jobs,” said United States Senator Chuck Schumer.
Actually a big thing is missing, access. Ferries are not ideal as they are expensive to run and require waiting. The gondola system that was proposed would work well. Gondolas are inexpensive and reliable. London just put a gondola system up, it would work here too.
If it were tropical it would nice for NYC to have a monkey island, but sadly that is not the case.
There will be no monkeys on Governor's Island. If you want to see monkeys in NYC you can go to the Central Park Zoo, or the Bronx Zoo. There is no need for them on the island.
There will be no monkeys on Governor's Island. If you want to see monkeys in NYC you can go to the Central Park Zoo, or the Bronx Zoo. There is no need for them on the island.
Schwartz would also like to see three new pedestrian/bicycle bridges built. One would go from downtown Brooklyn, go through Governors Island and lead to the financial district; another would connect Greenpoint/Long Island City to Manhattan’s East Side, and a third would go from Hoboken/Jersey City to Manhattan’s West Side.
“Office buildings are our factories – whether for tech, creative or traditional industries we must continue to grow our modern factories to create new jobs,” said United States Senator Chuck Schumer.
Imagine the views you would get from just walking across them.
-------!! WOW !!-------
Yeah...and I assume these are just meant to be representations, as they're taller than some of those highrises , but they might have given a better impression if they went with more subtle (less imposing) structures.
Obviously, the scale is different. But that first image (the Lower Manhattan-DT Brooklyn bridge) just seems so...big.
Anyways, I think the scaling is probably just way off.
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"I'm not an armchair urbanist; not yet a licensed planner" MCRP '16
Governors Island Seeks 'Visionary' Developer for Southern Half of Island
January 30, 2013
By Irene Plagianos
Quote:
The Trust for Governors Island is looking for “visionary” developers to design the southern half of the island, they announced this week. The Trust issued a request for expressions of interest (RFEI) for the “creative” and “transformational” private development of 33 acres on the southern half of the island that’s currently off limits to the public.
The trust is seeking to “generate the broadest possible spectrum of ideas” for the redesign of the land where vacant industrial buildings and old housing now sit, they said in a statement. Nonprofit, cultural, educational and commercial developers are all encouraged to apply.
The request is the latest step in a massive plan for overhauling the former Coast Guard base. The city plans to invest more than $260 million by 2014 to revamp the island’s infrastructure and build 30 new acres of public space that includes ballfields, a grove of trees and a playful green space with maze-like hedges.
According to the Trust, the 33 acres are bordered by new park space on one side and the future Great Promenade that will encircle the island, on the other.
This is the second call for private development on island. In December, the Trust issued an RFP for the redevelopment of existing buildings in the Governors Island Historic District. The RFEI and RFP, both due on March 14, "represent the next chapter of the Island's ongoing redevelopment," the Trust said.
“With public investment, the transformation of Governors Island is well underway,” said Leslie Koch, President of The Trust for Governors Island in a statement. “With this RFEI, we are inviting organizations to share their vision and ideas for the southern half of the Island and to tell us how they would realize their aspirations.”
The ultimate goal of the large-scale redevelopment is to make the island “a vibrant, year round destination for commercial, as well as cultural and educational purposes,” the Trust said.
The first phase of the island’s new park and public spaces, designed landscape architecture firm West 8, is currently under construction and is slated to be completed in the fall of 2013.
Governors Island will reopen to the public May 25, 2013.
__________________ NEW YORK is Back!
“Office buildings are our factories – whether for tech, creative or traditional industries we must continue to grow our modern factories to create new jobs,” said United States Senator Chuck Schumer.
“Office buildings are our factories – whether for tech, creative or traditional industries we must continue to grow our modern factories to create new jobs,” said United States Senator Chuck Schumer.
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I love those bridges !! 
-------!! WOW !!------- 
, but they might have given a better impression if they went with more subtle (less imposing) structures.
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