A ribbon cutting ceremony was held Wednesday at the new Hunters Point South Waterfront Park in Long Island City.
The $66 million, 5.5 acre park is the first step in the city’s larger plan to develop the 30 acres of riverside property.
The project includes a new school which will open for the fall semester and thousands of units of housing as well as a waterfront shopping pavilion.
“This is one of the largest affordable housing complexes since the 1970s that’s been done. In total it will be about 5,000 units, the first phase is 900, all are affordable, and when it’s all said and done it will be about 60 percent affordable housing,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation President Kyle Kimball.
“We have this perfect mix of passive and active recreation where everyone can get something here,” said City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer
“The neighborhood is changing by the day as it’s growing. The important thing is it’s growing responsibly so as buildings are going up parks are going up,” said State Senator Michael Gianaris.
The park has also been fit with new storm sewers and water mains to help fend off any future weather related events.
“We have native plants, we have rugged materials, rugged wood, rugged granite so it’s a very resilient park,” said Thomas Balsley, the project’s landscape architect.
The park stretches about 10 blocks and includes a dog run, basketball court, children’s playground and a landing for the East River ferry.
“It gives us more open space, more free space, and I just think it’s really amazing that New York City has continued to expand in such a beautiful way,” said one visitor.
No timetable has been set for development of the second phase of the project.
