By James Cavanaugh
Though the Battery Park City Authority’s last few sites have been designated for construction, there is much work to be done and much for Downtown residents, New Yorkers and visitors to look forward too.
As always, our residential buildings will feature public components that fulfill the authority’s commitment to both public art and service and are sure to make lasting contributions to the community.
I am happy to report on some very exciting developments at Battery Park City that will take place over the next couple of years.
Construction will begin early next year on two new residential towers by Milstein Properties. Milstein was one of the original developers at Battery Park City and they have evolved with the authority and embraced sustainable development. Theirs is a daring and innovative plan for a pair of gold LEED residential towers on North End Ave. between Vesey, Murray and Warren Sts.
However, the real attraction at the Milstein towers will be the 55,000-square-foot community center that will be located at the base of the building. This center, which will be open to all New Yorkers and is slated for completion in 2010, will feature an indoor, Olympic size swimming pool, an auditorium to hold public events, and classrooms. Uses for the community center will be limitless, open to all, and will no doubt play an invaluable role for families, children, civic and education organizations in Lower Manhattan for many years to come.
Next year will also see the completion of the Riverhouse at Site16/17 on River Terrace. In addition to meeting the authority’s green guidelines, Riverhouse will serve as a home to a branch of the New York City public library, Poets’ House and the World Hunger Action Center to be operated by Mercy Corps. Riverhouse will be more than a residential building — it will be home to educational opportunity and social activism.
Surrounded by Riverhouse on three sides will be Teardrop Park South, an extension of the highly regarded Teardrop Park located just to the north. Because Teardrop Park South will be cast in shadow by the tall buildings surrounding it, the Battery Park City Authority has chosen to install fully operational heliostats on the rooftop of the nearby Verdesian building. These heliostats will capture sunlight and redirect it into the park. This will be the first time in the world that heliostats are being used to light a public open space.
Next year we will see the opening of Albanese Development’s latest project at Battery Park City, the appropriately named “Visionaire.” The Visionaire will boast the very rare LEED platinum certification making it the most environmentally sound building at Battery Park City. Housed at the Visionaire will be the offices of our splendid Battery Park City Parks Conservancy. We think it is only fitting that the group responsible for maintaining our green parks be based in the greenest building in our community.
In keeping with the policy initiative of Gov. Spitzer, Battery Park City continues to meet with the School Construction Authority to discuss the possibility of building the first “green” public school on Site 2b, on Battery Pl. between First and Second Pls.
We may have designated all our property for construction, but the future of Battery Park City is just as exciting as when we began 45 years ago. Libraries, art, and public open spaces is what we are constructing at Battery Park City. Our future, along with that of Lower Manhattan is very bright indeed.
James Cavanaugh is president of the Hugh L. Carey Battery Park City Authority
