At a recent press conference Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Governor David A. Paterson, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and State Senator Daniel L. Squadron announced an agreement on the long-term development, funding and governance of Governors Island in which New York City will have primary responsibility to develop and operate the island. The newly-created Governors Island Operating Entity will be responsible for the planning, operation and maintenance of 150 acres of Governors Island.
As a part of the announcement, the City and the State together released the Governors Island Park and Public Space Master Plan, a comprehensive design for 87 acres of open green space, rejuvenating existing landscapes in the National Historic District, transforming the southern half of the island and creating a 2.2 mile Great Promenade along the waterfront. The park and public space plan was designed by a team led by the landscape architecture firm West 8. Governors Island reopens for public use on June 5. Moving forward with the Park and Public Space Master Plan, schematic design and environmental review will begin later this year and continue through 2011. Following that, community review will commence in 2012, and pending review, the first phase of construction will begin in late 2012.
Below are the renders that were released with the City and State Release Governors Island Park and Public Space Master Plan for 87 Acres of Open Green Space






[IMAGE CREDIT: West 8, Rogers Marvel Architects, Diller, Scofidio + Renfro, SMWM, Urban Design+]
[IMAGE SOURCE: Governors Island Park & Public Space]
RELATED STORY IN THE PRESS
Also recently published was the architectural review by NICOLAI OUROUSSOFF of the Governors Island Master Plan in the [New York Times – Governors Island Vision Adds Hills and Hammock]