All stories about "Governors Island"

It's been nearly a month since the city and Olafur Eliasson unveiled The New York City Waterfalls, Eliasson's four-part experiment with scaffolding and tiny droplets of East River water. 1,000-plus votes later, our poll posing the key question of whether the installation is breathtaking or menacing has the Curbed populous firmly of the mind that, yessirindeed, we're looking at 'a bunch of glorified fountains'. But, then, we're looking from angles like these. What happens when you set The Falls to classical music? Change anything? Rocketboom does the very thing today and ponders, "Is this art, or is this just scaffolding with water pouring off the top?" Have a look, see if you can't finally get it with the help of few violas and host Joanne Colan stumbling around the Water Taxi.
· NYC Waterfalls [Rocketboom]

The goal for Governors Island is to turn it into a year-round draw, one that can actually make some money—of which the island is in desperate need. So, in addition to all that Dutch parkland, the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corp. has issued two requests for proposals, one to fill an entertainment and dining venue, and the other for occupants of art studios and exhibition space. Among the large number of groups the GIPEC has spoken with: the Big Apple Circus and Spiegelworld, which operates the concerts, burlesque and theater performances at the summertime Spiegeltent at the South Street Seaport. The deals would be for five years starting in 2009, and Crain's reports that the Big Apple Circus seems somewhat interested. The entertainment/dining venue (capacity: 500-800) would be where a parking lot now sits, near the ferry landing. The art space would be housed in Building 110, also near the ferry landing. The purple people eaters would be lurking in the bushes.
· Governors Island eyes big entertainers [Crain's]
· Curbed's Governors Island coverage [Curbed]

Yes, sure, everyone's seen videos and photo of all the waterfalls by now. This one is a little different, though. Behold as Olafur Eliasson's waterfall on Governor's Island goes a little crazy during one of the recent tempests that has come through. Can you say, "looks like a freakin' hurricane"?
· Governors Island Waterfall Goes Wild During a Storm [Vimeo]
· Waterfalls Coverage [Curbed]

Click the image above to view the full photogallery.

NYU's "Plan 2031" presentations, in which the university lays out its expansion plans to community boards and agitated Villagers, have been gold mines of information. In the past, NYU has showed us some pretty interesting renderings of various design schemes for the core Washington Square Park campus, and now they've done it again. This time around, Plan 2031 is a preservationist's nightmare, as NYU and SMWM include new high-rises within Washington Square Village and I.M. Pei's Silver Towers, and a "zipper loft" design to replace the Coles Gymnasium (a potential campus before-and-after is above). Again, none of this is new—we've seen the potential Silver Towers addition already, for example—but to see it all collected in one place makes a bizarre flip book for the future of Greenwich Village (if NYU can get it all done).

Given the dreaminess of the renderings and a tentative completion date way off in 2013, we should have known that the Dutch conversion of Governors Island into a park of wonders was perhaps too good to be true. On the surface, everything is fine. The old Coast Guard base has a big splashy waterfall, and the lineup of summer events on the island is the most ambitious yet. And the Motel 8, aka Building 293, is about to be demolished, part of the first phase of the master plan that includes the razing of 13 buildings total, a basic re-landscaping and an environmental review. But here's the big problem: The Real Deal reports that Leslie Koch, who is overseeing the reinvention of Gov's Island, acknowledged that the project only has $20 million in capital funds budgeted this year (which covers Phase 1), and more than $200 million needs to be secured in total to make the "Park at the Center of the World" dream come alive. In this era of budget shortfalls and crumbling megaprojects, that's, uh, going to be tough. And West 8, the landscape architecture firm chosen to design the 90 acres, now says the entire park will take 15 years to complete. What does all this mean for the future of Governors Island? Here's a hint: Big Purple is watching.
· Governors Island demolition to begin [TRD]
· Governors Island coverage [Curbed]

Click the image above to view the full photogallery.

Olafur Eliasson's Brooklyn Heights waterfall was very turned on most of yesterday, prompting a number of pics to land in our inbox, and now, the one at Governors Island has gone on too, yielding the photo above that one might call Danish Waterfall with Swedish Furniture in distance. As of this point, the only one we haven't seen in operation is the one under the Brooklyn Bridge.
· A Brooklyn Waterfall is Turned On [Curbed]
· First Photo of an NYC Waterfall Turned On [Curbed]

Back in 2004, the Public Art Fund sponsored a photography exhibit called "Governors Island," shot by Lisa Kereszi and Andrew Moore. In it, a new generation of New Yorkers were introduced to the creepy old abandoned buildings on the former military/Coast Guard base—chief among them the bowling alley, the Burger King and the Super 8 motel. Now that there are some big changes in store for Govs Island, it's safe to assume that many of these spooky set pieces will not survive the transition. Indeed, at tomorrow's Landmarks Preservation Commission hearing, the LPC will consider an application to demolish Building 293 in the Governors Island Historic District, so that new landscaping can be installed. Building 293 is the Super 8 motel, seen above in a photo by Lisa Kereszi. Will it be missed? Probably not, given the years of inactivity and unfortunate choice of carpeting. However, while looking for more info on the Super 8, we stumbled upon the online resumé of Bee Dalton, who was the assistant manager of the motel from 1987-88 and helped implement a "reservations check system, reducing errors in reservations." You never forget your first implementation of a reservations check system, so somewhere out there, Bee Dalton is shedding a tear.
· NYU Targeting Governors Island for Expansion [Curbed]
· Governors Island React-o-Matic: Stunning, Inspired, Swampy! [Curbed]
· Governors Island Going Dutch [Curbed]

Did you think former Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Dan Doctoroff had gone off to a life in the private sector? Not exactly. Yesterday, Mr. Doctoroff was cleared by the city's Conflicts of Interest Board to remain involved in a number of projects on which he'd worked as Deputy Mayor. What's fascinating about a Times story on the subject, however, is the number of things in which Mr. Doctoroff is still involved: Hudson River Park, Governors Island, Moynihan Station and the Queens West projects. Plus, that little endeavor know as PlaNYC 2030. Of all this, the Times writes that "Mr. Doctoroff may have left City Hall, but he remains a participant in — and has a big influence over — what is going to be built." The list of Doctoroff projects and involvements in so long that "even some who serve on boards with him have expressed confusion about his roles" and in January a How to Deal with the Doctor Memo went out.
· Ex-Official Cleared to Continue to Work on Big City Projects [NYT]
· City Board Permits Doctoroff a Role in City Projects [Sun]

NYU is hell-bent on this six-million-square-foot expansion thingy. The school has gone through great pains to reach out to the community to soften the blow, and the administrators are even looking at far-off wonderlands like Governors Island and Brooklyn as potential hosts of new facilities. But now that NYU's Open House presentation of its 23-year-plan has turned up online (warning: PDF), it's still a jarring sight that speeches and newspaper articles can't prepare you for. The presentation is worth downloading and pouring over, and includes various development concepts (a car-free Washington Place?!) on how to knit the school back into the city, as well as a huge map of potential Downtown Brooklyn properties. We've pulled out some of the more interesting graphics to share. Above, the landmarked Brown Building, site of the Triangle Factory fire in 1911. Perhaps a Parisian sidewalk café is in order?

NYU has promised to try and not ruin Greenwich Village any more than it already has as the school pursues a six-million-square-foot expansion over the next 25 years, so the brainiacs are looking far and wide for new land to pillage. How far and wide? The Real Deal reports that NYU wants to build a campus on Governors Island. This is not really a shocker, because talk of an academic institution coming to the abandoned isle has been circulating for years. But what about that crazy park full of butterflies and whimsy that we've been promised, the one seen above? Well, maybe Gov's Island can be shared—just like Greenwich Village! The university was approached on the matter by the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation, and serious discussion began last May. A formal request for proposals will not be sent out until this summer at the earliest.
· NYU wants to build campus on Governors Island [TRD]
· NYU's Town Gown Gets Fitted [Curbed]
· Governors Island Going Dutch [Curbed]

Artist Olafur Eliasson and Mayor Bloomberg held a press conference yesterday to unveil some pictures of Eliasson's summertime public art extravaganza—the East River waterfalls. For some reason, photos have been a little hard to come by, but Bloomberg (the news service, not the mayor) has a couple looks, including the above shot of the man-made wonder that will be near the Brooklyn Bridge. There will be four illuminated waterfalls in all, ranging from 90-120 feet in height, and one will be located off the coast of Governors Island. Yep, they somehow found a way to make Gov's Island even more creepy at night!

Two React-o-Matics in one day? It's madness, friends. But following yesterday's announcement of the design team that will remake Governors Island—West 8, Diller Scofidio & Renfro, Rogers Marvel Architects, Quennell Rothschild & Partners and SMWM—the critical assessments are rolling in. Let's survey the landscape, shall we?

1) Nicolai Ourousoff: "In an age when developers regularly usurp the government’s planning role, it reflects the kind of imaginative, civic-minded thinking that can restore our faith in city and state leaders. Although still in the early design stages, it could well become the most inspired public park built here in generations." [NYTimes]

2) Philip Nobel: "Haven't dug into the Governors Island plans yet, but regarding West 8, they've been around for a while. They built a very cool plaza (with giant Tizio lamps!) in Rotterdam and some nice red bridges in Amsterdam. And like so many other Dutch firms working in the shadow of Rem, their work would be ominous if it were not so glib." [CurbedWire]

3) Anonymous Curbed Reader: "So if I'm understanding the plan correctly, the bottom portion of the island will be made over into wetlands. I can get behind that. But are the landscape designers really expecting people to swim in the swamp (right)?" [CurbedWire Inbox]

4) First and Court: "I love the topographical elements and the restored wetlands, as well as the promenade with what will be stunning harbor views. Here I was concerned it was too good to be true." [First and Court]

5) Streetsblog: No notable commentary as yet, but check out the rendering of the wooden bikes for the Governors Island bike share! Awww yeah. [Streetsblog]
· Governors Island Going Dutch: Design Team Chosen [Curbed]
· Calatrava's Governors Island Gondola Refuses to Die [Curbed]

So now that, come 2013, Governors Island will be some sort of magical wilderness of fantasy and delights, how will everyone get there? Surely a ferry won't be enough to do the trick. Oh wait, here's a thought: Santiago Calatrava's aerial gondola! The idea, first floated by the Spanish starchitect (seen karate-chopping a giant phallus) and the city nearly two years ago, clings to life by getting mentioned every 6-8 months. This time around, the Times has a word with Dan Doctoroff about the Govs Island plans:

The city has been studying the possibility of building a gondola designed by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava that could transport people to and from the island. “Based on what we’ve seen so far, it is definitely very feasible,” Mr. Doctoroff said.

Are there actually non-fake plans for Governors Island? Possibly. The city and state have announced that a Dutch firm, West 8, has been picked to design the open space on the island. It will include a two-mile promenade along the water, a park on the southern half, and a new park in the north. Don't buy the ferry ticket yet, though, the completion date is...2013.

Every time architect Santiago Calatrava's bizarre vision for a Governors Island gondola slips our mind, someone comes along and reminds us that—while it's most likely not gonna happen—the Calatravola is not impossible. Last time around, the Sun dug up its grave in a story about Gov's Island development plans, and on this go-round, it's none other than Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff who mentions the potential transportation service. Rich Calder writes in the Post:

Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff said the city's Economic Development Corp. is still keeping the idea of a futuristic-looking span designed by renowned architect Santiago Calatrava on the table.

"So far, there are some challenges, but no show stoppers," Doctoroff said during a meeting of the city-state Governors Island Education and Preservation Corp., which he chairs.