Governors Island Redevelopment

The Native Americans of the Manhattan region referred to the Island as Pagganck after the Island’s plentiful hickory, oak and chestnut trees. Its location made the Island a perfect fishing camp for local tribes and the Island was used seasonally by many residents of the area. In June of 1637,…  more

The Native Americans of the Manhattan region referred to the Island as Pagganck after the Island’s plentiful hickory, oak and chestnut trees. Its location made the Island a perfect fishing camp for local tribes and the Island was used seasonally by many residents of the area. In June of 1637, Wouter Van Twiller, representative of Holland, purchased Governors Island from the Native Americans of Manahatas for two ax heads, a string of beads, and a handful of nails. Though he was a representative of the Dutch Government, Van Twiller purchased the Island for his private use. The Island, thereafter known as Noten Eylant or Nutten Island, was confiscated by the Dutch Government a year later.

In 1664 the English captured New Amsterdam, renaming it New York, and took Nutten Island, which had been left unfortified by the Dutch. The Island switched hands between the British and the Dutch over the next 10 years, however, the British regained control and used the Island for the “benefit and accommodation of His Majesty's Governors,” and it was thus called Governors Island, although it was not officially named until 1784.

The Island’s strategic location resulted in its use as a military facility by British and American forces for over 200 years. Following the British evacuation of New York in 1776, Americans fortified the Island in fear of further advances by the British navy. When fighting broke out in August,…  more

The Island’s strategic location resulted in its use as a military facility by British and American forces for over 200 years. Following the British evacuation of New York in 1776, Americans fortified the Island in fear of further advances by the British navy. When fighting broke out in August, the English overpowered General George Washington and his men, and American forces retreated from Long Island and Governors Island.

After the Revolution the Island reverted back to New York State, and remained inactive for several years. In 1794, with the country in need of a system of coastal defenses, construction was begun on Fort Jay, on high ground in the center of the Island. In 1800, New York transferred the Island to the United States government for military purposes. Between 1806 and 1809, the Army reconstructed Fort Jay and built Castle Williams on a rocky outcropping facing the Harbor. During the War of 1812, artillery and infantry troops were concentrated on Governors Island.

The Island continued to serve an important military function until the 1960’s. During the American Civil War, it was used for recruitment and as a prison for captured Confederate soldiers. Throughout World Wars I and II, the Island served as an important supply base for Army ground and air forces.

Physically, the Island changed greatly during the early twentieth century. Using rocks and dirt from the excavations for the Lexington Avenue Subway, the Army Corps of Engineers supervised the deposit of 4,787,000 cubic yards of fill on the south side of Governors Island, adding 103 acres of flat, t…  more

Physically, the Island changed greatly during the early twentieth century. Using rocks and dirt from the excavations for the Lexington Avenue Subway, the Army Corps of Engineers supervised the deposit of 4,787,000 cubic yards of fill on the south side of Governors Island, adding 103 acres of flat, treeless land by 1912, and bringing the total acreage of the Island to 172.

In 1918, the Army built the Governors Island Railroad, which consisted of 1 ¾ miles of track, and three flat cars carrying coal, machinery and supplies from the pier to shops and warehouses. Six years later, a municipal airport was proposed for the Island. Instead, Liggett Hall, a large structure designed by McKim, Mead & White, was built and became the first Army structure to house all of the facilities for an entire regiment.

With the consolidation of U.S. Military forces in 1966, the Island was transferred to the Coast Guard. This was the Coast Guard’s largest installation, serving as both a self-contained residential community, with an on-Island population of approximately 3,500, and as a base of operations for the Atlantic Area Command and Maintenance and Logistics Command, Atlantic, as well as the Captain of the Port of New York.

Over the years, Governors Island has served as the backdrop for a number of historic events. In1986, the Island was the setting for the relighting of the newly refurbished Statue of Liberty by President Ronald Reagan. In 1988, President Reagan hosted a U.S.-U.S.S.R. summit with Mikhail Gorbachev on Governors Island, and in 1993 the U.N. sponsored talks on the Island to help restore democratic rule in Haiti.

“We will be selecting a team through this process, not a final design.” -- Leslie Koch, GIPEC President

Submitted proposal documents are available on this page under "Submissions".

Proposals will provide the following:

New parkland: 25 to 40 acres in the southwestern section of…  more

“We will be selecting a team through this process, not a final design.” -- Leslie Koch, GIPEC President

Submitted proposal documents are available on this page under "Submissions".

Proposals will provide the following:

New parkland: 25 to 40 acres in the southwestern section of the Island, creating stunning recreation and contemplation areas that take advantage of the summer breezes and magnificent views – including a face-on view of the Statue of Liberty and the harbor traffic surrounding the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.

Waterfront promenade: Encircling the Island, a new 2.2-mile public waterfront promenade offers multiple dramatic views of the New York skyline and New York Harbor, including the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and the Brooklyn Bridge.

Historic District public open space: All of the open space of the Historic District must preserve the district’s character and historically significant features. The Historic District landscapes include the 10-acre Parade Ground (also called the Glacis), Nolan Park and Colonels’ Row.

The complete RFP is available here.

Field Operations/ WilkinsonEyre Architects

Field Operations is an innovative landscape architecture, urban design and ecology practice based in New York City. Their expertise and strategic thinking is reflected in a diverse range of high-profile projects currently underway from the master planning an…  more

Field Operations/ WilkinsonEyre Architects

Field Operations is an innovative landscape architecture, urban design and ecology practice based in New York City. Their expertise and strategic thinking is reflected in a diverse range of high-profile projects currently underway from the master planning and design of Fresh Kills “Lifescape” to the design of the first section of the High Line in New York City. Some of Field Operations’ other significant projects are the Lake Ontario Park in Toronto, the Hengchun Botanical Garden in Taiwan, and the Botanical Garden at the University of Puerto Rico in San Juan. http://www.fieldoperations.net

WilkinsonEyre Architects is one of the UK’s leading architectural practices. Their portfolio of award-winning projects includes the parabolic pivoting Gatestead Millennium Bridge in Newcastle, UK and the Magna Project in Rotherham, UK. http://www.wilkinsoneyre.com

Hargreaves Associates/Michael Maltzan Architecture, Inc.
Hargreaves Associates is a recognized leader in the design of urban parks and waterfronts. They have earned numerous national and international awards for their work including awards for projects such as Crissy Field in San Francisco, Louisville Waterfront Park, and Chattanooga’s 21st Century Waterfront Park. http://www.hargreaves.com

Michael Maltzan Architecture, Inc. (MMA) is an architectural firm located in Los Angeles California whose work for institutions, including the temporary exhibition facility, MOMA QNS, in Long Island City, and the UCLA Hammer and Billy Wilder Theater in Los Angeles, has been featured in numerous publications and recognized with design awards. http://www.mmaltzan.com

Ramus Ella Architects (REX)/ Michele Desvigne Paysagistes (MDP)

Ramus Ella Architects (REX) is a New York City-based architectural firm with a reputation for completing buildings that are programmatically and technically innovative as well as resource conscious. As Partner-in-Charge at the Office of Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), REX’s principal was one of the partners responsible for producing the Seattle Central Library in Seattle, WA. http://www.rex-ny.com

Michel Desvigne is a landscape architect based in Paris, France and his firm, Michel Desvigne Paysagistes (MDP), is internationally recognized for its public space designs and collaborations with leading international architects. Among MDP’s most well-known urban public spaces are the Rue de Meaux garden in Paris, the Greenwich Peninsula Millennium Park in London, and the Noguchi Sculpture Garden at Keio University in Tokyo.

West 8 urban design & landscape architecture b.v. / Rogers Marvel Architects / Diller Scofidio + Renfro

Rotterdam-based, West 8 is a leading landscape and urban design practice in Europe comprised of landscape architects, architect, and engineers who design landscape interventions, urban plans, squares, parks and gardens. West 8 has an expertise in working with artists and local designers and a history of collaboration with world-class architects.

They have designed projects all over the world including the Swiss Expo 2002 Masterplan, and most recently have won the Innovative Design Competition for the Toronto’s Central Waterfront. http://www.west8.nl

Diller Scofidio + Renfro is an interdisciplinary studio that fuses architecture with the visual and performing arts. Current work includes the new Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston and the expansion of Lincoln Center in New York City. Works by Diller Scofidio + Renfro are in the permanent collection of MoMA, SFMoMA, the Fond National d’Art Contemporain, and the Musee del la Mode in Paris. http://www.dillerscofidio.com

Rogers Marvel Architects, based in New York City, combines inventive materials, spaces, and forms to create memorable and efficient places for people to use. They have extensive experience in academic, institutional, and cultural projects, and they were responsible for the transformation of the “Elevated Acre” at 55 Water Street and the expansion of the Studio Museum in Harlem. http://www.rogersmarvel.com

WRT LLC/ Weiss/Manfredi / Urban Strategies. Inc.

WRT, LLC is a national interdisciplinary planning and design practice renowned for its innovative planning and environmental ethos. The firm’s noted large-scale waterfront projects include the Baltimore Inner Harbor, Trenton’s new Urban Park, and the Schuylkill River Park in Philadelphia. http://www.wrtdesign.com

Weiss/Manfredi’s multidisciplinary design practice, based in New York City, is known for its innovative integration of architecture, art, infrastructure, and landscape design. Their competition-winning Seattle Art Museum Olympic Sculpture Park is nearing completion and will open in January 2007. http://www.weissmanfredi.com

Urban Strategies, Inc. is a Toronto-based planning and urban design firm that believes in an integral relationship between planning and design. They are currently using their open space programming and planning expertise to shape the future of the Toronto Waterfront. http://www.urbanstrategies.com

Governors Island is a former military post, with roles in the Revolutionary War, and virtually every other major U.S. military engagement including the War of 1812, Civil War, both World Wars, and the Gulf War. A unique park-like setting minutes away from the financial capital of the world. A Nation…  more

Governors Island is a former military post, with roles in the Revolutionary War, and virtually every other major U.S. military engagement including the War of 1812, Civil War, both World Wars, and the Gulf War. A unique park-like setting minutes away from the financial capital of the world. A National Historic Landmark District featuring 18th century fortifications, pre-Civil War arsenal buildings, Victorian and Romanesque Revival housing, as well as early 20th century neo-classical architecture.

Management

One hundred and fifty (150) acres of the Island are operated by the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation (GIPEC). Twenty-two acres, the Governors Island National Monument, are owned and operated by the National Park Service (NPS). The two agencies are working together to facilitate public access, create open space, and foster the Island’s redevelopment.

Acreage

Total Acreage: 172 Acres; 92 acres are designated the Historic Landmark District; 22 acres of the Historic Landmark District is designated the Governors Island National Monument, which includes Fort Jay and Castle Williams

Buildings: 225 Structures, of which 64 are historic.

Recreation

Sixteen acres of recreational facilities; One-mile esplanade for jogging and walking

Field Operations: Piet Oudolf, WilkinsonEyre Architects, Heiner Luz, Great Eastern Ecology, Wet Design, McLaren Engineering, Tillotson Design Associated, Cultural Resource Consulting Group, ProjectProjects

HargreavesAssociates: Michael Maltzan Architecture, Meuser Rutledge, Buro Happold, Langan Engin…  more

Field Operations: Piet Oudolf, WilkinsonEyre Architects, Heiner Luz, Great Eastern Ecology, Wet Design, McLaren Engineering, Tillotson Design Associated, Cultural Resource Consulting Group, ProjectProjects

HargreavesAssociates: Michael Maltzan Architecture, Meuser Rutledge, Buro Happold, Langan Engineering

Ramus Ella Architects (REX), Michel Desvigne Paysagistes (MDP)

West 8 urban design & landscape architecture: Rogers Marvel Architects, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, SMWM, LLP, Quennell Rothschild & Partners, LLP

Wallace Roberts and Todd, LLC (WRT), Weiss/Manfredi, Urban Strategies, Inc., Ocean + Coastal Consultants, Inc., Weidlinger Associates, Inc., Battle MaCarthy, Langan Engineering + Environmental Services, P.C, GAIA Institute, Jaros Baum and Bolles, Pentagram, Judith Heintz Landscape, Tillett Lighting, Shen Milsom and Wilke, Inc.