Long Island City greens up at the waterfront; Gantry Park extended
The new 6-acre expansion of Gantry Park, Long Island City –photo
The 6-acre waterfront Gantry Park extension opened this morning with a public ribbon cutting, hosted by the Parks Dept and local government. Not to mention Rockrose and Queenswest Corp who were also in the mix, and contributed greatly to the execution of the new park space. Just in time for a Long Island City Fourth of July without fireworks. And who cares? The park is amazing. For those sticking around, it should be a very peaceful weekend, and what better way to spend it than swinging on a hammock at the East River… ?
The new 6-acre expansion of Gantry Park, Long Island City –photo
From the Queenswest Corp:
“The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Queens West Development Corp., and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey today opened a new 6-acre portion of Gantry Plaza State Park, featuring a waterfront promenade along the East River, an open lawn, new athletic field and reconstructed cove and wetlands. The park is an integral component of the planned 40-acre project to revitalize the Long Island City waterfront undertaken by ESDC subsidiary Queens West Development Corp. that includes residential units, retail space, two public schools and park land.
“The opening of this new 6-acre portion of Gantry Plaza State Park is another significant step towards the transformation of Long Island City,” said Governor David A. Paterson. “Through the revitalization of the Queens West waterfront we are generating new businesses, job opportunities, housing and improving the quality of life for the people of Queens. We hope that everyone will come and spend some time at Gantry Plaza State Park this summer.”"
The 6-acre section of Gantry Park, Long Island City –photo
no one really cares about Fireworks anyway, it’s just a reason to have a party! So lucky us, we have a beautiful park and a fun place to go!
I agree #1. Time to stop blindly hating on development. There are some benefits to a community, when converting abandoned, toxic wasteland into residences and public park space. And on the river to boot. Can’t wait to hang out on the hammocks.
How about a story about the parks new management that changed the parks closing to 9pm? I plan to circulate a petition to have the hours extended to 11pm or midnight. Any exposure here would help.
The problem with extending the park hours is the disturbance to the tenants that live in the building. A lot of us are right on top of the park and last night with the new lights on it felt like we had spotlights in our apartments, even with the blinds closed. We already get a lot of noise from the back side of the buildings, especially now with SHI having the outdoor space.
I disagree #3. You misunderstood #1.
#1 said I can hate on development all I want.
>:-p
Sorry #5, but there are parks all over NYC next to much more expensive real estate than LIC, that are open well past midnight. And it’s not like people in the park until 10-11pm are really going to generate that much noise.
The waterfront park is for all residents, not just the convenience of those who live immediately next to it.
Take that Highline – this outdoor space rules.
#7 I understand your point but you’d be surprised what kind of trouble happens on the waterfront and behind the buildings. People come from other neighborhoods which is great but sometimes the element gets seedy. I’m for whatever is best for LIC regardless and I certainly don’t feel the park is just for the convenience of us that live in the buildings close by.
The RICH tenants wont have to travel to queens plaza to find hookers….KEWL
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People come from other neighborhoods which is great but sometimes the element gets seedy
I must be blind…because I just checked it out and I didn’t see the hammocks. Was it me, or are they hiding somewhere?
I think the July 4th weekend is going to be great in LIC. We can enjoy the parks, the restaurants, do a little outside dining, ( its not supposed to rain) maybe a little PS1 and all without the crazies of years past. I think its a good time to show our neighborhood businesses that we support them. See you out there.
Hammocks! A cool place to make out on a Summer’s Eve! I am so there.
BTW, Townie, love your recent incorporation of emoticons and playful tone. Keep up the good work. ;)
“People come from other neighborhoods which is great but sometimes the element gets seedy”
“code speak” for poor/nonwhite people much?
Sorry #4 – The parks should close at 9pm. There’s no reason to be out there beyond 9pm. Go to another park if you are looking for a late night hangout spot. Will your petition address the cost of hiring rangers to police the park during these extended hours?
:-)
(Kind of over-used?)
:-(
Not so frequent, but who want to admit such sad-feeling? Townie like happy face. Townie want to be happy.
Townie glad when some people stop talking, but they no do that.
They no stop telling how to be, how to think, how Development so good. How Townie should not hate on development.
But they so new to here.
Please, maybe Townie stupid one. He only live here since 80’s.
Excuse him. He only have 2 university degrees and neither in “business.”
He want to learn from new experts how to make neighborhood better for everybody. Townie no have $375K mortgage so he no know anything about reality. He in “denial.”
Some people heard of denial. Maybe? Only maybe it not be about you. It be about someone else, like Townie.
Okay, never mind. Good luck.
Maybe you glad when Townie stop talking. No more hating on development, like that new mantra. Need new mantra.
Thank you.
:-)
I’ve been here from the 1980s and I opposed what I considered too much density but I did not oppose development. The problem on this blog is that you give an inch and some will take a mile. What I mean is that many comments are from long time residents who simply want some of the older low rise neighborhood preserved. But we get cast as development haters. We accept development but the idea of preservation of affordable homes and small business gets shouted down by the faction that just wants to steamroll the entire neighborhood and fill it with the newest sushi-fusion condo. There is no commitment to the idea of a community. For them it’s all about build fast, pack ‘em in, grab your profit, and run.
I am really excited about this new park, it is beautiful. Closing at 9pm is insane though. I think it should stay open at least until 11…totally reasonable for NYC, considering this is the city that never sleeps. I mean come on, staying out and enjoying your neighborhood is what it’s all about. I don’t think it will bring out the riff-raff like it has been suggested.
There really are a bunch of scared, uptight people on this blog. The lights bothering you? Seriously? Tell me you’re kidding?!?!?! Move to the suburbs if you want a nice dark quiet place to live!
#4 Thank you, I agree with you. If the park is patrolled carefully, it would be great if it never closed, but I don’t see this happening. #18 It seems you took my statement regarding the lights out of context, I’m not kidding. And you’re wrong about the riff-raff. Already there was an incident last night with a bunch of kids after midnight drinking and causing a disturbance.
The hammocks look great! I wonder how long before they get ripped/cut/ vandalized though…
I agree that this should be open till 11. And these lights are nothing, the people who live along McGarren Park have blinding stadium-like spotlights there, and there are many more buildings than here. This is NYC, agreed, we stay up late here! It should be open till 11. If it isn’t, you can just go in anyway, the rangers leave about a half hour after the park closes, I’m been doing that on the piers for years.
10pm would be fine, 9pm is a little extreme. Let’s face it, beyond 10pm or so and you’ll just get teenagers smoking pot and having sex hanging out there.
And if you do keep it open that late, that means you have to have extra personal to kick people out when it officially closes at whatever time. 9pm works for most people.
I’m for 1o or 11 at night. I didn’t see the hammocks there either? Didn’t walk towards East Coast one. Smells of soil and manure……earthy, not trashing it…I really like the extra ozone it’s creating with all that grass.
did anyone stop and think that if it were open late, and we hired more people to patrol the park at those hours, than it would help keep out late night trouble makers. Since you can get into the park after hours either way, wouldn’t it be nice to know that it is at least being patrolled? And why is it such a bad thing to “have to” hire more people, aren’t we in an economic crisis? Aren’t people in need of work? Oh wait, I forgot, people that live in the towers don’t concern themselves with those things, they only worry about a light shining through their precious windows. Give me a break!!
So please #24, you’re tired rant about ‘tower people’ is so old now.
And if we’re in an economic crisis, where would they get to money to hire people stupid?!? Moron.
#24 If you read you’ll see that’s what some of us are saying, keeping the park open later but it needs to be patrolled. You sound like sour grapes and seems like the only lights you should be worried about are your own but nobody’s home.
#23, #11 here – glad I wasn’t the only one that didn’t notice them. I wonder if they removed it because of safety hazards…?
#25, I’m not sure how I’m being stupid or moronic, when they obviously have the money to build such a great park, maybe some of that money should go into hiring more people to patrol the park. You know more jobs=ecomonmic growth! How am i being a moron, please tell me?
Stating that the park closes at 9pm is meaningless! There is no way to lock the park unless they build a wall with a gated entry. The Park Rangers leave at 10PM and from then on there is no patrol to stop vandals. We had some ugly incidents last season on the piers and I predict more this summer both in the existing and new expansion. As soon as the PS1 Warmup crowds start migrating to WTB we will see an increase in after hours activity. It is really time for the state to provide an overnight patrol if these parks are to be properly maintained.
This has come up before, with the WTB situation… why don’t we start a neighborhood watch group? It’s very common, and safety is really in our own hands (always) especially since 108th precinct is a bit overstretched (and comprised of neanderthals – not all, but mostly). I would volunteer.
The hammocks are closer to the ‘old’ section of gantry park. If facing the water from Center Blvd, to the left of the first Eastcoast building.
thank you #29, I guess that is the point I was trying to make (#24). If these parks are going to stay nice, than we should have them patrolled through the night and they should stay open later than 9. It’s still a little light outside at 9 in the summer!
Gantry park has a pretty amazing budget for such a small area- at least 2 full time staff people for a 4 acre park plus some part timers. I work with a city park in Manhattan that has 8 full time staff people for the 120 acre park that includes a staffed swimming pool, numerous sports fields, etc. We are lucky to have that level of care for our small park.
Kids drinking and making noise in the park are going to be an issue that has to dealt with by law enforcement whether the park closes at 9pm or 1am. Putting up a couple of french barricades up is not going to keep troublemakers out just because the park is technically “closed.” Noise ordinances are noise ordinances no matter when the park closes- after 10pm, if someone’s being loud, you can call the cops. If they’ve got an open container, that’s against the law any time. Address the negative behavior, but don’t try to limit the access of law-abiding folks just because there are a few bad apples in the bunch.
My wife and I have walked through Gantry many times between 9 and 11 after dining out. It’s perfectly reasonable for responsible adults to be in the park at that time.
I would be in favor of a wall with a gated entry.
People looking for the hammocks- I was out there yesterday when they were out, around 2:00, and they are very comfortable. They were taken down by 4…not sure why. This morning I was out there and the man in charge of the development of the park saw me and asked me what my thoughts were. After I praised the park, I asked where the hammocks were. He said, now that the parks open it’s in the park rangers hands, so just ask where they are and they should put them out. But he did add that as the day went on, some people were getting out of hand on the hammocks (too much swinging, etc.) and they were afraid of someone getting hurt.
Also, on a not so surprising note, someone already professed their love on one of the new benches by scratching “E ‘heart’ J”. I know it’s a long shot, but I think it would be great to get a bunch of people together and go sand off as much of the scracthitti as possbile.
Some responses to these comments came from agencies involved with the park via liQcity inbox:
1) the park is open until 10pm, and there are no plans to change that. I checked with State Parks this morning to see if there was anything to this rumor that hours are changing to 9pm, and they said no.
2) Hammocks were not out this morning due to the weather. When it is too stormy or windy State Parks can’t put them out. They will be out as soon as the weather clears, if they aren’t already.
3) The manure smell is due to fertilizer used on some of the last minute plantings to get ready for the opening. That smell should be gone in a couple of days.
I’ve gotta say, I always go out on the piers past the barricades when it is closed. Nice thing to show visitors who are in town after the bar if we walk down to Vernon.
Thanks LIQCity for getting the real story.
More informative reporting, less anonymous posting.
Registration please LiQcity!
Thank you for finding this out, LIQ
on wednesday night around 9pm, there was a large group of hoodrats mulling around. i dont like to see that in our new park. where do they even come from. thats probably where the scratchitti on the wood bench came from already
This is the time of year the hoodrats are mulling. It’s a seasonal thing.
They won’t hurt you if you show no fear.
what’s a hoodrat?
A bunch of teens… probably wearing hoodies. They tend to hang out in packs (smart) and usually are just skateboarding etc. LIC doesn’t have very many teenagers (just babies and old people) so they are likely from other places in Queens, and thus also with a diverse array of skin tone so you know… that’s what a hoodrat is. IMO of course.
Other than scratching up the woodwork at the parks, yelling and making out right in front of anyone, they are harmless.
Hey kids, get offa my lawn!
Umm, it’s a PUBLIC park.
Park Police have been grabbing people walking through the park all night tonight. We walked past a mobile metal barrier into the park at 10:20pm and were given a summons after having our IDs checked and being kept waiting for 20 minutes and told not to move. We didn’t see the small sign posting that the park is closed after 10, though we did push past the barrier as we always see people do on the Gantry Piers. We have to appear in Criminal Court in September– no option to simply pay a fine. As we were walking out, they grabbed a couple walking behind us with a baby walking right behind one of the towers, and took them off to give them a summons too. As a new neighbor, I love the Park. But come on.
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The park is stunning. People can hate on development all they want, but the open waterfront park will be an invaluable community asset.