Governors Island, in the heart of New York Harbor, is only 800 yards from Lower Manhattan, and even closer to Brooklyn.
We are planning a new world-class park and new public spaces, including a waterfront Great Promenade and restored historic landscapes.
This blog is a forum for your ideas about the future park. Check back here for updates and ways to get involved or subscribe to Governors Island Blog by email.
With Valentine’s Day coming up this weekend, we have been thinking about romance out here on Governors Island. Earlier in the week, the New York Times compiled a list of some of the New York City’s most romantic spots, and of course, many are located along the water, with beautiful harbor views and vistas of the Statue of Liberty.
We happen to think Governors Island is one outstanding spot for romance. Its location in the middle of New York Harbor, as well as its 360 degree panorama of Upper New York Bay, the Statue of Liberty, New Jersey, Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn, along with the beautiful historic buildings and open spaces, provide many spots where visitors can have a date, enjoy a picnic, or even get engaged.
At Picnic Point, you can swing in a hammock with your sweetheart, or just take in the incredible views
Romance is not new to Governors Island. Check out this April 1904 article in The New York Times entitled “Cupid in Command on Governors Island.” The article examines how men from the Eighth Regiment were swept off their feet by servants who worked in officers’ homes here.
The officers may now be gone, but the romance surely remains!
In our park exhibit, Sharon and Troy told us what they want to do here.
Even our bike lanes are designed for two people to bike and chat side by side.
We’ve even seen a wedding announcement for a couple that met on Governors Island during our Jazz Age Lawn Party. Visitors have even been known to ride over on the ferry with some friends and get married on the Parade Ground or on a lawn in the middle of our public access season.
Below are just some snapshots of romance on the Island this past summer.
Two visitors sharing a surrey ride around the promenade.
Couples dance to the sound of Michael Arenella's Dreamland Orchestra on Colonels Row.
So just a few more months until you can come out to Governors Island and have your own romantic moments. Get ready to pack a picnic, pick a spot and enjoy all there is to do here. And, if all goes well, you can always come back to get married at the Island’s Water Taxi Beach.
NPR reported last week that a Burger King in Miami was going to sell beer with its burgers and fries, beginning in mid-February. Many believe that this is the first Burger King in the country to serve beer, but in fact, the Governors Island Burger King sold beer here during the Coast Guard era on the Island. (It was also likely the only Burger King that was attached to a bowling alley!)
Interior of the Governors Island Burger King (photo by Andrew Moore)
The Burger King is located on the southern portion of Governors Island, adjacent to the ball fields. It is often remembered fondly by those who lived and worked here as a center of Island recreation and fun. The Burger King even made an appearance in issue 615 of Spiderman.
Keemia enjoys a snack at the Island's Burger King (from issue #615 of the Amazing Spiderman written by Fred Van Lente and illusrated by Javier Pulido)
Unlike many places around New York City, you could get a 32 ounce beer on Governors Island for just over $2.
Original price list from the Governors Island Burger King
And although we may no longer have the Burger King, we do have a variety of food and drink for visitors to enjoy when we are open to the public, including Water Taxi Beach, where you can enjoy a beer and a burger with a view of the Manhattan skyline.
Leslie Koch, President of GIPEC and contributor to this blog, is a guest blogger today on the MoMA/PS1 blog for Rising Currents, which is an architects-in-residence program that has brought together five interdisciplinary teams to creatively reimagine the coastlines around New York Harbor in light of climate change and rising sea levels. In her post, Leslie reflects on Governors Island’s unique perspective on the team’s project sites and the harbor as a whole. Read more about this fascinating project here.
Figment is one of Governors Island’s most incredible weekends of the entire public access season. 2010 will mark the fourth year that artists have come to Governors Island to create and display participatory artwork for visitors to experience and enjoy. Since first coming to the Island in 2007, more than 20,000 visitors have taken part in this creative and dynamic event.
One of our visitors enjoys Figment's free mini golf course in 2009 (photo by Marco Repola)
As a part of Figment’s 2010 event, they are calling for proposals for three different and exciting opportunities:
The City of Dreams Pavilion: Figment has teamed up with the Emerging New York Architects Committee at the AIA New York and the Structural Engineers Association of New York (SEAoNY) to sponsor a competition to design and construct an architectural pavilion for the 2010 summer season on Governors Island. The Pavilion will be a gathering place for people to meet, learn about the arts programs on the island, be able to enjoy a planned or impromptu performance or lecture, and experience the interaction of art and the historic context of Governors Island. Architects interested in learning more and submitting a proposal can do so here. The deadline for submission is just two weeks away.
Artist designed mini golf course: Figment is also looking for artists to create a new 18 hole, This year’s theme is World’s Fair, and artists are invited to submit proposals for an individual hole. The free Figment mini golf course has been an enormous success on Governors Island. Visitors of all ages have enjoyed playing the course over the past two years and it continues to be a great attraction and activity for visitors to enjoy.
Art on the Parade Ground as a part of Figment 2009.
City of Dreams Sculpture Garden: Artists are invited to submit proposals for works to be featured in the garden. The Sculpture Garden was a great addition to the Island last year and visitors enjoyed interacting with the 16 works of art that were featured.
We look forward to welcoming performing artists, visual artists, sculptors, architects and visitors when Figment returns to the Island this June 11-13.
2009 was a great year for Governors Island in the media. Though the nominations were obvious to the judges, it’s already clear that the final selection for the Crimson Hammock Award in the category of Best Short Video About Governors Island by the Regular Elite Media will be a challenge. Which was your favorite? The nominees are:
The Governors Island National Monument, which comprises the amazing structures of Fort Jay, Castle Williams and the land between them, has created a Flickr pool so visitors can share their own memories of Governors Island and their visits here. You can check out their great photos of the forts, NPS’ outstanding seasonal rangers, and of course one of the Island’s most incredible assets — its views.
Want to stay in the loop about all the happenings at the Governors Island National Monument? Be sure to follow them on Twitter!
Fort Jay is one part of the Governors Island National Monument and is one of three fortifications on Governors Island originally built to defend New York Harbor.
Castle Williams is one of Governors Island's unique structures and is also part of the National Monument. Next year marks the 200th anniversary of its completion.
Step aside Oscar, and behold, the coveted Crimson Hammock Awards celebrating excellence in online videos about Governors Island. Over the next few weeks we will be announcing the 2009 nominees for best online videos in three categories: Best Video by the Regular Elite Media, Best Video By/About One of Our Amazing Programming Partners, and Best Visitor Video. Unlike our last contest, “Name that New Public Open Space,” the Crimson Hammock Awards will be highly subjective and thoroughly unscientific, but we welcome any and all nominations. Just post a link to your favorite video in the comments section below. We will announce the winners on Wednesday, March 3.
It is not unusual to be walking around Governors Island when it is open to the public and run into men and women who grew up on the Island who have stories to share about the time they spent here. Their days as military “brats” extending from the times when the Island home to the US Army and later the Coast Guard.
During the Coast Guard era, more than 3,500 people lived on Governors Island, and another 1,500 came to work here each day.
For the children who grew up here, Governors Island provided many opportunities for learning and play. During the Coast Guard era, the youngest children could attend the Childhood Development Center, located in today’s historic district, or daycare in Castle Williams. Fees at the time for childcare were at times a remarkable $12-$19 per month.
Elementary school children went to school at the new PS 26, located just south of Division Road. (Last year, the school was demolished to create additional open green space on the non-historic southern end of the Island). Due to the central location of the school, lunch was not provided and instead, children went home each day for lunch. Teachers at the school had particular experience helping military children who had to adjust to frequent relocations to new schools. Once children reached the seventh grade, many attended a public middle school in Manhattan while many older kids attended Curtis High School on Staten Island. This unusual commute to school required a ride on the Governors Island ferry followed by another on the Staten Island ferry.
After school, numerous sports fields and programs were available including t-ball, volleyball and classes such as tap dancing and music. Movies, YMCA dance parties, skeet shooting and bowling were some of the structured entertainment that was provided. The Island itself acted as a playground for kids of all ages to explore. Parents often recall feeling comfortable that their children were in a safe environment.
Many children who grew up on Governors Island went to school at PS 26, the public school here
The fields on the southern end of the Island were used by children for games and play. Several groups still use the fields today.
We have heard from many military brats who recall that it was these feelings of freedom sometimes led to hijinks among them. One of the Coast Guard children’s favorite pranks involved secretly loading items in the shaft of the Howitzer gun used to mark the daily 5:00 PM “retreat.” Projectiles such as golf balls were then shot off to Manhattan when the unwitting MPs fired their guns. Childhood on Governors Island was full of this kind of mischief, adventure and fun.
Many children who grew up on Governors Island have reconnected with eachother through a group on facebook that allows them to share photos and many stories of their time growing up here.
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) has commissioned five teams to propose harbor infrastructure solutions to help make New York City more resilient to the effects of rising sea levels and climate change. This project is part workshop, part upcoming exhibit, and it’s called “Rising Currents.” From our vantage point in the middle of New York Harbor, we’ve been following their progress with great interest.
One of the teams led by SCAPE Studio and Kate Orff, is exploring “Oyster-tecture” – using oyster reefs to grow an ecosytem while attenuating waves from storm and flooding events. In fact, the New York Harbor School is already piloting an oyster restoration project here on Governors Island. The underwater oyster incubator has the endearing name of FLUPSY (flowing upweller system). It houses thousands of baby oysters in protective structures until they are big enough to go out into the harbor on their own. For a fascinating peek inside the FLUPSY, check out the short video below featuring Pete Malinowski of the New York Harbor School. MoMA’s blog, Inside/Out ,will also fill you in on the progress of each team. Better yet, you can go see the teams yourself at an Open House this Saturday, January 9, 2010 from 2PM – 6PM at the P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center. You may never think about the harbor the same way again.
Braakland was a performance piece that told the story of nine people wandering through a forgotten place. Inspired by the novels of John Coetzee, the production used penetrating imagery to bring the violence and desolation of his books to life. Director Lotte van den Berg staged the action hundreds of feet from the audience, creating an expansive physical distance. This staging led Theatremania’s Andy Propst to declare, “Watched from a distance, this brutal exploration of man’s inhumanity to man featured a host of committed and strikingly detailed performances, which made the action chillingly immediate.”
Braakland was performed on the southern portion of Governors Island as a part of the New Island Festival. Here, actors perform hundreds of feet from the audience, creating a unique theatrical experience (photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/istolethetv/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).
Ellen
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Leslie
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