July 26, 2017
By Sunitha Sarveswaran
One of the classic New York City tourist destinations is Central Park, a landmark of innovation in landscape architecture and engineering. However, most tourists and maybe a few residents may not be aware of other equally inspiring parks located in New York City. During the GreenhomeNYC July Forum, Eloise Hirsh, President of the Freshkills Park Alliance, and Noreen Doyle, Executive Vice President of Hudson River Park Trust, spoke about two large revitalization projects in New York City that are transforming abandoned infrastructure into natural havens for communities. Hirsh and Doyle spoke about the history of these parks, detailing the journey, challenges, and upcoming projects.
A Transformative Park to Inspire the World
Fresh Kills Landfill. Image: DSNY Photo Archive
Eloise Hirsh and her seven-member team have worked with limited resources and tough environmental challenges to reshape the terrain and public image of
Freshkills in Staten Island. Formerly the world’s largest landfill during its time of operation, Fresh Kills was an eye sore and a spot of heartache in the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks. The sight that most people recall when hearing the name Fresh Kills is the image to the right. However, in 2001, the Municipal Arts Society of New York went to then Mayor Rudy Giuliani with a brighter image. With approval from the Mayor and a draft plan from James Corner Field Operations, a team was assembled in 2006 with Hirsh at the helm.
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