Trust For Governors Island

New York’s first hybrid-electric ferry sails to Governors Island

Credit: Timothy Schenck

August 13, 2025

New York’s first hybrid-electric ferry sails to Governors Island

The first hybrid-electric public ferry in New York is now taking passengers to and from Governors Island. On Tuesday, the Trust for Governors Island debuted the Harbor Charger, a $33 million vessel equipped with a hybrid propulsion system that will cut carbon dioxide emissions by roughly 600 tons annually, as 6sqft previously reported. The ferry, the first of its kind in the state, can travel up to 66 percent faster than current diesel-powered vessels, offering visitors a quicker and more sustainable trip to the island.
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See the $700M climate research hub coming to Governors Island

Illustrative renderings courtesy of The New York Climate Exchange and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

February 20, 2025

See the $700M climate research hub coming to Governors Island

By Devin Gannon

A state-of-the-art hub dedicated to climate change research is moving forward on Governors Island. Led by Stony Brook University, the New York Climate Exchange is a cross-sector, nonprofit group dedicated to research and developing solutions to the global climate crisis. The Exchange on Thursday released new renderings of the 400,000-square-foot campus designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) to include classrooms, laboratories, student and facility housing, new open space, and more. The Exchange also announced the selection of Skanska USA as the construction manager for the climate center, which is scheduled to break ground next year.
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Governors Island oyster bar closing, new outdoor restaurant to open next year

Photo @ Julienne Schaer

February 4, 2025

Governors Island oyster bar closing, new outdoor restaurant to open next year

By Devin Gannon

The first full-fledged restaurant to ever open on Governors Island will close this year. Island Oyster opened its doors in 2017 and became a summer destination for seafood, island-inspired cocktails, and stunning skyline views. This week the Trust for Governors Island issued a request for proposals seeking a new seasonal food and beverage operator for the 32,000-square-foot waterfront site starting in 2026. The James Beard award-nominated Island Oyster will operate one final season before ending its run on October 31, 2025.
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Food & Dining

Historic Governors Island building to become year-round restaurant and event space

Rendering by OSD (Office of Strategy + Design)

August 5, 2024

Historic Governors Island building to become year-round restaurant and event space

By Aaron Ginsburg

A former military building on Governors Island will be transformed into a SHoP Architects-designed restaurant and event space. The Trust for Governors Island last week unveiled plans for Taco Vista, which has operated on the island seasonally since 2018, to run three distinct venues in Building 140, which was constructed in the 19th century as a munitions warehouse. The 10,000-square-foot space project restores the historic building and adds a cafe and bar, an indoor-outdoor restaurant with event space, and a reimagined Taco Vista.
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NYC receives $7.5M from feds for new Governors Island hybrid ferry

Renderings courtesy of the Elliott Bay Design Group

December 4, 2023

NYC receives $7.5M from feds for new Governors Island hybrid ferry

By Aaron Ginsburg

Ferry systems in New York City are getting a boost from the federal government. The U.S. Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has awarded the city over $10 million to modernize its fleet, including $7.5 million for the new Governors Island hybrid ferry and $3 million for a storage facility for the Staten Island Ferry. The funding stems from President Joe Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which was enacted in 2021 and includes up to $108 billion for public transportation.
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Transit

$700M climate research campus designed by SOM headed to Governors Island

Aerial view of The Exchange, showing the iconic forms designed to evoke the dramatic landscapes and hills of Governors Island. © SOM | Miysis

April 24, 2023

$700M climate research campus designed by SOM headed to Governors Island

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City has revealed its vision for a first-in-the-nation climate research hub on Governors Island. Led by Stony Brook University, the New York Climate Exchange will be a nonprofit organization dedicated to climate research and solutions and serve as a center for climate education and green job training. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the 400,000-square-foot campus includes classrooms, laboratories, new open space, student and faculty housing, university hotel rooms, and more. Construction on the $700 million project is expected to begin in 2025, with the first phase slated for completion in 2028.
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NYC to launch new hybrid ferry to Governors Island

Renderings courtesy of the Elliott Bay Design Group

March 30, 2023

NYC to launch new hybrid ferry to Governors Island

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's first-ever public hybrid-electric ferry will set sail next summer. Revealed on Wednesday by Mayor Eric Adams and the Trust for Governors Island, the new vessel uses a hybrid propulsion system that drastically reduces air pollution, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by roughly 600 tons per year, according to a press release. The ferry will start carrying passengers between Lower Manhattan and Governors Island in the summer of 2024.
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