Gov. Island Gets Open Space Makeover

NEW YORK CITY-Gov. Eliot Spitzer and Mayor Michael Bloomberg have revealed the selection for the design firm who will revamp Governors Island. Landscape architecture firm West 8 was the team chosen against four other finalists, which were picked last January by the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corp. to design the Island’s future open space, including a new park and promenade.

The firm plan of three new open spaces on the Island: a two mile Great Promenade along the water’s edge; a new major park located on the southern half of the Island; and an improved park design within the northern Historic District was chosen. Together, the area comprises 90 acres of parkland that will provide unique outdoor recreational activities for New Yorkers, according to a prepared government statement.

The Great Promenade and 40-acre park will provide places to relax, play sports and explore, all with an incredible view of the Statue of Liberty. In the National Historic District, visitors can continue to enjoy acres of green space that include buildings and homes dating from 1810, the statement explains.