Governors Island Finally Has a Plan--and College There May be an Option

New York’s Governor David Paterson and New York City's Mayor Michael Bloomberg released a plan yesterday for the future of Governors Island, the former military base that sits a half mile off the edge of lower Manhattan. It served first as an army base, and later, as a base for the Coast Guard. Negotiations over the future of the island went on for more than a year.
A 2.2 mile promenade will be developed along the waterfront, and 87 acres will be preserved as open space. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2012. Other possible additions include a high school, some commercial areas, and a satellite campus of New York University. Other tenants are also being sought.
Mayor Bloomberg will appoint nine of the Board's 13 new members, and the redevelopment is seen as a huge coup for his administration--and his legacy.
Under the transfer agreement a casino is not an option.
In 2003, most of the island was given to New York State; New York City will be primarily responsible for developing the island. A battle for control of the island has been waged for some time.
The 22-acre Governors Island National Monument is managed by the National Park Service.
The island can be accessed by a free ferry service and is open to the public during the summer and early fall. It opens in June for the season.
Last year, more than 275,000 visitors took the ferry to Governors Island, to attend concerts and festivals, visit the monument, which includes two historic forts--or simply hang out and admire the views.
The redevelopment is expected to cost $200 million.

Get Your Outdoor Fix Now: Many Parks Slated to Close

Financial difficulties in New York State have affected everything from transportation fees and services to store closures--and now many of the parks are at risk.
The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation proposed a list of park closings across the state yesterday, as part of the effort to address the massive financial problems plaguing New York.
Although many were in Long Island, Westchester and upstate New York, two fall under New York City’s domain: Riverbank State Park in upper Manhattan and Bayswater Point State Park in Queens.
The proposal affected some parks more than others; many may be closed down entirely, while others are on the list to have services and programs cut or greatly reduced. (Reducing hours and eliminating programs are the most common cost-saving strategies, after completing closing down a facility.)
For Riverbank State, for example, the proposal includes reducing operating hours, closing the outdoor swimming pool, and eliminating classes for seniors as well as some other community and cultural events.
Riverbank State Park was modeled after urban rooftop designs in Japan. It includes facilities for roller skating (summer) and ice skating (winter), an athletic complex, and a restaurant. It’s also unusual in that unlike many state parks, it’s reachable via public transportation.
The plan includes closing 41 parks and 14 historic sites, as well as reducing service at 23 parks and 1 historic site.
Fee increases for the parks are expected to be added at a later date.
The park closings would start April 1.

Runway Reconstruction Begins At JFK Airport

A major makeover is taking place on one of the longest and busiest commercial airport runways in the U.S.: the Bay Runway (runway 13R-31L) at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens. The runway will be reconstructed, receiving a new drainage system, electrical infrastructure, and will be widened by 50 feet to a total 200 feet. Gov. David Paterson kicked off the $376 million project on July 28. It's expected to cut flight delays and reduce congestion, something the airport is notorious for. JFK ranks as one of the top airports in flight delays nationwide.
This project is part of the JFK Delay Reduction Program. More than 143,000 takeoffs and landings took place on this runway in 2008. The expansion will not only reduce delays, it will improve airport operations and support about 2,500 jobs. The improvements will mean replacing old asphalt with an 18-inch concrete overlay. Concrete has a lifespan of nearly five times more than asphalt. It will also save money long term and will reduce the need for more maintenance.
It is expected that the reconstruction will reduce flight delays by an estimated 10,500 hours per year. During the runway makeover, air traffic will be shifted to three other runways at JFK, causing a temporary headache that will supposedly be worth it in the end. The Bay Runway will be closed for about four months next year. The project is expected to be complete November 2011.