Until Now: AN URBAN WASTELAND
For years, the Brooklyn Bridge has been a monumental physical and psychological barrier in Lower Manhattan, dividing neighborhoods and creating a three-block-long infrastructural wasteland in the urban fabric.
People scurry through dimly lit archways to cross from one side to the other if they must, across intersections that are either fenced off and broken down, or crisscrossed with so many on and off ramps that crossing is perilous.
Buildings along both sides of the Bridge turn their backs to it, emphasizing the abandoned experience of the landscape.
Today: A Place to Gather and dream
The first acre of our envisioned 9-acre public space was opened by Mayor Eric Adams on May 24, 2023, the 140th anniversary of the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge.
With the chain-link fences removed, we got to work with our community to nurture this hard-won space, planting new native plants in the long-forgotten garden beds and reactivating the space with inclusive programming such as music, art, wellness activities - and of course, skateboarding!
Our first Community Block Party in November 2023 was a celebration of our vibrant youth, families and local organizations and gave us a peek of the neighborhood nexus Gotham Park can be...
TOMORROW: A LANDMARK COMMUNITY PARK
The Brooklyn Bridge is an internationally recognized symbol of New York City!
It should be active, celebrated and be the community anchor and hub. By opening up the lands and vaults beneath the Bridge, we will unlock it's enormous potential to create a neighborhood gathering point worthy of the iconic landmark that anchors itself at our doorstep.
Programming that changes throughout the day, week and seasons will utilize open multi-functional spaces so that we can support as many community needs as possible in the same footprint. Open play areas for yoga, tai chi, soccer and bicycling can transform into farmers and flea markets.
Our segmented and separated "parkettes" allow us to create a variety of seating experiences, from relaxing spaces for quiet contemplation with the majestic Brooklyn Bridge as your backdrop, to amphitheaters where you can meet your neighbors, catch an open-air movie, watch daring athletes do their thing, or an impromptu musical performance.
The Vaults at the base of the Bridge are a unique opportunity to house civic space for our residents to learn, grow and share within a world-class Landmark that is rooted in the past and reaching to the future.
The goal of a community hub is to connect people. Programmatically we will actively connect, listen, share, educate, and mentor, with the aim of nurturing career opportunities, skills and support.
In hyper urban cities like ours, well-designed public spaces are ESSENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE.
New York's public parks are where our lives play out. We look forward to playing together.
TOMORROW: An urban hub