Proposal for the Future of New York's Governors Island

The island's 40-acre park is a recreational destination, but waterfront advocates would like to see more use of Governor Island's shoreline and maritime infrastructure.

1 minute read

May 15, 2019, 6:00 AM PDT

By Camille Fink


Governors Island

R.A.R. de Bruijn Holding BV / Shutterstock

The Waterfront Alliance has released a new plan for Governors Island in New York, with a focus on the island’s 2.2 miles of coastline, reports Daniel Geiger:

Among the alliance's ideas are to create more places for visitors to explore the water, including by allowing access to a natural sand beach along Buttermilk Channel, which flows between the island and Brooklyn. A marina could be built to encourage recreational boaters to visit. Reorganizing the island's six working piers and boat landings could create more space for bigger vessels with scientific or historic value to dock.

Additional recommendations include increased ferry service between the island and various boroughs and separation of freight and garbage transport from ferry service. "The alliance wasn’t able to immediately say what its recommendations could cost to implement. Redeveloping piers to accommodate garbage and freight transfers and large visiting ships can run into the many millions of dollars," writes Geiger.

Monday, May 6, 2019 in Crain's New York Business

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

For Lease painted on window of vacant commercial space.

2024: The Year in Zoning

Cities and states are leaning on zoning reform to help stem the housing crisis and create more affordable, livable neighborhoods.

January 8, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Sprawl

Research: Sprawl Linked to Poverty

Low-income families living in high-sprawl neighborhoods are limited in their access to education, jobs, and other amenities, often trapping them in a cycle of poverty.

January 6, 2025 - Science Blog

Cyclist on bike in green painted bike lane at intersection with three-story buildings in background.

NACTO Releases Updated Urban Bikeway Guide

The third edition of the nationally recognized road design guide includes detailed design advice for roads that prioritize safety and accessibility for all users.

January 8, 2025 - National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO)

Workers assembling a modular housing unit.

Modular Workforce Housing Offers a Lifeline for Western Towns

Rapidly rising housing costs are pushing out the residents at the heart of local economies in resort towns across the country.

January 15 - Marketplace

Close-up of "Residential Quiet Zone" sign.

Noise as a Public Health Hazard

New ways of measuring the effects of sound on human health are helping communities fight back against noise pollution.

January 15 - Reasons to Be Cheerful

Nighttime view of wildfire in Los Angeles hills.

'Place Shock' and the Ecology of Fear

How to conceive of rebuilding places amid sudden change in a region known for its “ecology of fear?” As the city embarks on the arduous task of rebuilding, the question arises: how do we reconcile the imperatives of safety and sustainability with the deeply ingrained human desire for continuity, for a sense of rootedness in the familiar?

January 15 - Resurgence: A Journey via Substack

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.