Firms Picked for Feasibility and Planning Phase of QueensWay
New York - 08/20/2013
Two New York firms have been chosen to lead a design and feasibility plan to turn 3.5 miles of an abandoned railroad in Queens into the new QueensWay park, The Trust for Public Land and the Friends of the QueensWay announced today.
The firms are WXY architecture + urban design and dlandstudio. They were selected by a panel which looked at 29 proposals from as far away as China.
When it is finished, the QueensWay will create a 3.5 mile linear park along an old Long Island Railroad track path, stretching through central and southern Queens. It will connect multiple communities and provide green space for 250,000 people in the borough. The park will also celebrate the borough's diversity, with art, sculpture and food from around the world.
"The QueensWay is going to be New York's next great park," said Marc Matsil, The Trust for Public Land's New York State director. "Our mission is to protect land for people, and this is a perfect fit with that goal. Two months ago, our ParkScore ranking of park systems in the nation's 50 biggest cities found New York to be the second-ranked city park system in the nation. But New York should be number 1, and this park will help toward that goal."
"Our team is honored to be selected to assist The Trust for Public Land and Friends of the QueensWay in planning the Queensway. This study is an important next step in making the vision of reclaiming the QueensWay as a green connector and cultural corridor a reality," said Claire Weisz, Principal, WXY architecture + urban design.
Jack Friedman, executive director, Queens Chamber of Commerce, said, "The Queens Chamber of Commerce is thrilled about today's announcement on the launch of the feasibility and planning study for the QueensWay and commend the Friends of the QueensWay and The Trust for Public Land for reaching this important milestone. We are proud supporters of this effort and believe, when completed, the QueensWay will provide a much-needed boost to the Queens economy and its diverse local businesses."
The winning team includes a number of other New York firms, including Weidlinger Associates Inc.; HR&A Advisors; Sam Schwartz Engineering; eDesign Dynamics; Hester Street Collaborative; Gayron de Bruin; Sabir, Richardson, Weisberg; Gleeds; Renfro Design Group; and Trollback.
The goal is a strategic plan and conceptual design for the QueensWay. Local residents will have a variety of opportunities to offer their views and ideas through workshops, meetings, and social media.
"We are excited by the beginning of the envisioning of the QueensWay. We have been looking forward to this moment for many years, and are delighted by the selection of WXY and dlandstudio. They have a deep understanding of the cultural, social and economic possibilities locked within this wonderful future park," said Andrea Crawford, vice chair Queens Community Board 9, Chair of Transportation, and Friends of the QueensWay Steering Committee member.
The study will be paid for from a $467,000 grant from the state's Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, in cooperation with Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Regional Economic Development Council. Another $140,000 will come from City DEP toward environmental and green infrastructure assessments and private donors including Citi, the Tiger Baron Foundation, and the Booth Ferris Foundation.
"Connected ecologies—be they natural, social or cultural—are critical in the urban environment. Where Central Park is the heart and lungs of Manhattan, QueensWay with sensitive design can become a critical artery of green open space for a diverse, vibrant community, offering opportunities for recreation, education, community gathering and ecological productivity to our great city," said dlandstudio's Susannah Drake, FASLA, AIA, Principal.
"Association for a Better New York (ABNY) is delighted by today's announcement regarding the start of the feasibility and planning study for the QueensWay. New York City's greatness is defined by its unique experiences and opportunities and there is no doubt that the QueensWay will be just that for many generations to come. We commend Governor Cuomo and the Regional Economic Development Council for its prudent investment in this planning effort," said Jennifer Hensley, executive director, Association for a Better New York.
Founded in 1972, The Trust for Public Land is the leading nonprofit working to conserve land for people. Operating from more than 30 offices nationwide, The Trust for Public Land has protected more than three million acres from the inner city to the wilderness and helped generate more than $34 billion in public funds for conservation. Nearly ten million people live within a ten-minute walk of a Trust for Public Land park, garden, or natural area, and millions more visit these sites every year.
