Rising between 25 and 70 feet above sea level, four man-made hills on the southern tip of New York City’s Governors Island opened to the public in July, one full year ahead of schedule. Dubbed The Hills, the new attraction boasts walking paths, recreational opportunities, and full 360-degree vistas of New York Harbor. And while the Hills offer strong aesthetic value and public space for outdoor activities, they also provide a resiliency measure to protect the island against rising sea levels.
The first phase of construction for the island, which can only be accessed by ferry, was completed in 2014 and consisted of 30 new acres of park and public spaces; an upgrade to Soissons Dock, the only vehicular landing on the island; transfer bridges and approach platforms at the dock; reconstruction of the seawall and the island’s drainage system; restoration of potable water and electrical distribution systems; and stabilization of historic buildings.
As part of a joint venture, STV is providing resident engineering inspection and design review services for the implementation of the Governors Island Park and Public Space Master Plan. In addition to changing 10 acres of flat land into rolling hills that would have Julie Andrews singing like it was 1965, the island’s Master Plan also calls for over 75,000 new plantings, which includes 42,963 shrubs and 2,960 trees.
In creating the hills, STV saved in construction costs by using terraced, mechanically stabilized earth and lightweight fill rather than going the more traditional route using deep soil mixing methods. In addition to the monetary savings, this method also reduced the overall weight on the underground utilities and sea well.
Included in the four hills are Grassy Hill, which is the first to be seen when approaching from the park; Slide Hill, which includes four slides built into the hill itself, including a 57-foot long slide that is the longest in New York City; Outlook Hill, which features “The Scramble,” a shortcut cutting straight up the hill constructed from blocks of granite from the seawall the Army placed in the harbor when they expanded the island in 1905; and Discovery Hill, which features a site-specific work of art from British artist Rachel Whiteread.
With The Hills completed, the next step of the Master Plan for Governors Island calls for improvements to Picnic Point and the 2.2 mile promenade.
West 8 provided design services for the island’s transformation.
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
Gensler, HOK, HDR among the nation's leading reconstruction design firms, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report
A ranking of the Top 100 Reconstruction Design Firms based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Gensler among eight teams named finalists in 'classroom of the future' design competition
Eight teams were recognized today as finalists of the 2009 Open Architecture Challenge: Classroom. Finalists submitted designs ranging from an outdoor classroom for children in inner-city Chicago, learning spaces for the children of salt pan workers in India, safe spaces for youth in Bogota, Colombia and a bamboo classroom in the Himalayan mountains.
| Aug 11, 2010
ASHRAE introduces building energy label prototype
Most of us know the fuel efficiency of our cars, but what about our buildings? ASHRAE is working to change that, moving one step closer today to introducing its building energy labeling program with release of a prototype label at its 2009 Annual Conference in Louisville, Ky.
| Aug 11, 2010
10 tips for mitigating influenza in buildings
Adopting simple, common-sense measures and proper maintenance protocols can help mitigate the spread of influenza in buildings. In addition, there are system upgrades that can be performed to further mitigate risks. Trane Commercial Systems offers 10 tips to consider during the cold and flu season.
| Aug 11, 2010
Jacobs, HOK top BD+C's ranking of the 75 largest state/local government design firms
A ranking of the Top 75 State/Local Government Design Firms based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Gilbane, Whiting-Turner among nation's largest university contractors, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report
A ranking of the Top 50 University Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit /giants
| Aug 11, 2010
AASHE releases annual review of sustainability in higher education
The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) has announced the release of AASHE Digest 2008, which documents the continued rapid growth of campus sustainability in the U.S. and Canada. The 356-page report, available as a free download on the AASHE website, includes over 1,350 stories that appeared in the weekly AASHE Bulletin last year.
| Aug 11, 2010
Burt Hill, HOK top BD+C's ranking of the nation's 100 largest university design firms
A ranking of the Top 100 University Design Firms based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants