Photo Flash: NYC PARKS CUTS THE RIBBON ON THE SECOND PHASE OF RENOVATIONS TO BUSHWICK INLET PARK

NYC Parks Commissioner Veronica M. White today joined Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, State Assembly Member Joseph R. Lentol and Council Member Stephen Levin to cut the ribbon on a brand new headquarters building with community space and an accessible green roof in Bushwick Inlet Park. The $31 million construction project, funded by Mayor Bloomberg, also includes a new playground, and the creation of public access to the waterfront at the water's edge. The additions to Bushwick Inlet Park build on the 2005 Greenpoint-Williamsburg rezoning which creates a framework to provide continuous public access to the area's shorefront.

"All over Brooklyn - from Shore Road Park in the south to Bushwick Inlet in the north -waterfront parks are attracting pedestrians, picnickers, and sports enthusiasts to spend time outdoors," said Commissioner White. "The new waterfront Bushwick Inlet Park complements the existing soccer field by accommodating community art exhibitions, community meetings and public programming, a kitchen for catering public events, playground, public comfort stations and Parks district headquarters."

The facility includes an accessible green roof, which connects the multipurpose field area with a hilltop recreational space and playground. It is designed to achieve high environmental performance standards with a highly efficient heating-cooling system that uses geothermal wells, heat pumps and radiant floors, a green roof with a shade structure composed of photovoltaic cells that will provide solar energy power to the building, and a rainwater collection system to provide irrigation water to the green roof. This project is on track to receive LEED Gold or higher certification for its innovative sustainable design. The building was designed by Kiss + Cathcart Architects with Starr Whitehouse Landscape Architects.

Bushwick Inlet Park lies from North 9th Street to North 10th Street, between Kent Avenue and the East River. The site, a former rental car storage lot, is situated at the southern end of the planned park, and is adjacent to East River State Park. The first phase of Bushwick Inlet Park included the construction of a synthetic turf multipurpose field for soccer, football, lacrosse, field hockey, rugby, and ultimate frisbee. The soccer field opened in January 2010.

The Park received a 2008 Design Award from the Public Design Commission of the City of New York and the 2013 Honor Award from the NY Chapter of American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).

The 28-acre planned Bushwick Inlet Park is comprised of approximately 5.5 blocks along the bustling East River Waterfront. The first two sites that make up the park have already been acquired and the acquisition of a third parcel (Bayside Fuel) is underway and expected to be complete in 2015. With extensive community input and public review throughout the planning and development process, Bushwick Inlet Park is part of the City's historic investment in the creation, improvement and expansion of parks in Greenpoint and Williamsburg, as a result of the 2005 rezoning.

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