Two Trees exploring a new Williamsburg waterfront park and development next to Domino Park
Image via Google Street View
Developer Two Trees has begun convening meetings with Williamsburg residents in the early stages of planning a future waterfront park and development in the neighborhood. As Brownstoner reported, the site under consideration is comprised of three lots owned by Con Edison on River Street between Grand Street and North 3rd Street, right between Grand Ferry Park and Two Trees’ popular Domino Park. The new park would thus connect the existing parks “and take a giant step towards creating a contiguous waterfront park that extends from the Navy Yard to Newtown Creek,” Two Trees notes.
The meeting was invitation only and attended by roughly two dozen locals, among them a longtime resident who gave Brownstoner the inside scoop. Attendees emphasized they’d want a quiet, peaceful park in which to relax, with access to water, boats, and kayaks. “Domino Park is great, but it’s very active, maybe we need a park that is more private…because we have plenty of people in the area already,” the tipster said.
Two Trees CEO Jed Walentas said they expect to close on the site this fall and there is likely to be a housing component, though that would require rezoning and undergoing the ULURP public approval process. As Brownstoner noted, a successful rezoning would be required to include affordable housing, per the Mandatory Inclusionary Housing program.
Landscape architect Lisa Switkin of James Corner Field Operations was also at the meeting. In addition to discussing specifics about the site, topics such as possible design elements, use scenarios, and programming (which might involve a partnership with the YMCA) were discussed.
Two additional community meetings are scheduled for July 10 and 16.
[Via Brownstoner]
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