A short ferry ride away from Manhattan's Battery Park sits Governors Island, smack in between Brooklyn, Ellis Island, Staten Island and Manhattan.
There have been endless proposals to turn it into everything from a Nickelodeon (think Sponge Bob Square Pants) Theme Park, to a luxury Island with condos, hotels and casinos. However, they have all been thrown out and now new plans are being made to make the amazing location into a place for all New Yorkers to come and enjoy the views and historical aspects of the island.
The Statue of Liberty is next door.
Plans for a walking and bicycle path around the island has been put forward by the Dutch urban design and landscape architecture firm West 8.
West 8 suggested designing a 40-acre park for Governors Island, which will include a fleet of 3,000 wooden bicycles free for use by island visitors.
New buildings and modernisations will probably not be erected on the island, thankfully!
The island is perfect for stressed out New Yorkers to go to and chill out on, in the summertime with nice cool sea breezes and large green areas
Photo copyrights belongs to Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation
The Native Americans of the Manhattan region
referred to the Island as Pagganck (“Nut Island”)
after the Island’s plentiful hickory, oak and
chestnut trees. Its location made the Island a
perfect fishing camp for local tribes and many
residents of the area used the Island seasonally. In
June of 1637, Wouter Van Twiller, representative of
Holland, purchased Governors Island from the Native
Americans of Manahatas for two ax heads, a string of
beads, and a handful of nails.
above is a painting of Wouter Van Twiller who bought the nutty island from the indians.
In recognition of Governors Island’s momentous 1624 legacy that is
reflective of New York’s identity of tolerance―the lifeblood of
American liberty―the Foundation for Historic New Amsterdam has proposed
placing a 151 foot (46 m) high version of Barnett Newman's sculpture Broken Obelisk - dedicated by him to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - as a Tolerance Monument.
The Tolerance Monument would be the centerpiece of Historic New Amsterdam; a proposed 50 acre Tolerance Park on the island's southern tip. It would visualize Goverrnors Island as the oldest natural historic National Symbol. The Starshaped Fort Jay is also worth a visit, see a 3D laser animation here
A proposal has been tendered to adaptively reuse Castle Williams (former prison) on the island for a New Globe Theater, designed by architect Norman Foster. Since the fortification was constructed for the War of 1812, to defend
America against the British, the not-for-profit organization is working
in partnership with Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London to create a
cultural center.
Governors Island was also the place for one of history's important conversations between Reagan and Gorby back in the last days of the Cold War.
Manhattan skyline seen from the Governors Island Ferry, shot by Edward of "Wired New York"
More visitors information about Governors Island:
http://www.gipec.org/
http://www.govisland.com/