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| Battery Park Enhancements |
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With the new South Ferry Subway Terminal open since March 2009, final rebuilding work is slated for Battery Park and the plaza outside Whitehall Ferry Terminal.
The work will bring several new enhancements to the park, including installation of the aquatic-themed carousel “SeaGlass” -- a 46-foot-wide spiraled turntable designed to simulate the ocean floor, complete with sea animals for children to ride. The innovative carousel is funded by the Battery Conservancy with help from the city Parks and Recreation Department and a Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (LMDC) grant, and is planned to open in spring 2010.
The conservancy also is working the state Department of Transportation and Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to complete the $16 million downtown bikeway link through the park. The bike path was on hold during the MTA’s South Ferry tunnel construction, but the conservancy now plans to expedite construction of the cyclists’ link between the Hudson and East River bikeways. The path will cut through the northern end of Battery Park, bringing new landscaping, paving, and relocation of monuments. A $2.5 million federal transportation grant made in early 2009 completed the final project funding. Bikeway construction is expected to begin in early 2010 and continue for about one year.
Meanwhile, just east of Battery Park, the MTA is collaborating with the city Department of Transportation to rebuild Peter Minuit Plaza. The plaza, located above the new South Ferry subway terminal outside Whitehall Ferry Terminal, will be home to a new landscaped pedestrian area surrounded by a bus loop. The plaza also will be home to Dutch architect Ben van Berkel’s windmill-inspired art installation “New Amsterdam Plein & Pavilion,” which was given to the city in 2009 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Dutch's settling of Manhattan. The plaza reconstruction is expected to be complete by the end of 2009.
All of the posted information, including schedules and completion dates are based on the information provided by the project managers. Locate this project on the Interactive Streetwork Map.
Read more about the Battery Conservancy and its projects here.
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Daily Activities
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*The following information was last updated September 15, 2009
- The MTA awarded the Peter Minuit Plaza (above South Ferry Terminal) reconstruction contract to Tully Construction in April 2009. Crews mobilized in spring 2009
- Curb installation for the future bus loop is underway
- Construction plan for the Battery Park carousel to be announced
- Bikeway construction is slated to begin in early 2010
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Why is the new Battery Park Carousel aquatic-themed?
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From 1896 to 1941, Battery Park was home to the New York Aquarium -- one of the nation’s earliest public aquariums, welcoming 2.5 million visitors annually. The “SeaGlass” nautilus-inspired carousel is designed to entertain, inspire, and educate visitors of all ages through its innovative spiral floor. The Battery Conservancy is working with the New York Aquarium at Coney Island to develop a ferry link from Battery Park to a dock near the Brooklyn waterfront aquarium. Information on exhibitions and events at the Aquarium will be available at the Carousel site along with educational materials for the Carousel’s sea creatures.
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What other improvements were done in Battery Park in recent years?
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Battery Park underwent major reconstruction after 2001, when the paved area known as the Bosque was transformed into a decorative garden designed by renowned landscape artist Piet Oudolf. An $8.5 million project funded by the LMDC, the Battery Bosque has been transformed into a lush, green space with 57,000 square feet of gardens. The Bosque Gardens are a four-acre “park within a park” and consist of 100,000 plants and flowers. Graced with the city’s best views of New York Harbor and the Statue of Liberty, the project included the repair of cracked asphalt and broken cobblestone; replacement of old and broken benches and picnic tables with new custom-designed furniture; and the creation of new, stabilized crush stone paths, ground surfaces, new evening lighting, and a fountain.
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Click here for answers to commonly asked construction questions. |
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