Bay Breeze Park

What was here before?

The area once belonged to Jamaica Bay, which featured numerous piers, clubs, and private homes along its coast. The Jamaica Bay Yacht Club (JBYC) was a prominent establishment founded in 1891. In 1893, JBYC bought the old Wyckoff manor and brought the structure by boat to a pier off 90th Street from Brooklyn. The JBYC became the largest structure in the bay and was famous for its boat races, enjoying great prosperity.

By 1924, the area was filled in, and the waterfront structures, including the yacht club, were now on solid ground. Unable to adapt to being landlocked, the JBYC closed, and in the late 1920s, the Jambay Casino and Restaurant took its place. However, following the 1929 stock market crash, many entertainment venues closed, and lots were subdivided and sold for private homes. Some homes originally built on piers still stand on Beach 92nd Street.

How did this site become a park?

The long- vacant property was originally owned by Hudson Companies, LLC, which planned to build twenty single-family homes.

In 2009 Hudson Companies sold the property to The Trust for Public Land (TPL), a national non-profit organization with a mission to create parkland and protect land for public use. The group had determined the vacant property was a desirable public access point to Jamaica Bay and purchased the land with funding from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s Hudson-Raritan Estuary Resources Program. TPL then gave the land to the City for park development.

Jamaica Bay is an 18,000-acre wetland estuary surrounded by the Rockaway Peninsula to the South, Brooklyn to the West, and Queens to the East.  Comprising an area almost equal to that of Manhattan, the bay consists of numerous islands, a labyrinth of waterways, meadowlands, and two freshwater ponds.  The wetlands provide a unique environment for both wildlife preservation and urban recreation.  Nearly 12,600 acres were federalized under Gateway National Recreation Park in 1972.

The waterfront park provides opportunities for fishing, picnicking and passive recreation, play and waterfront access. There is grandstand seating, an overlook terrace, shaded seating areas and sinuous pathways with unobstructed views of the bay.  A large, sculpted lawn for informal play, planted entrances, children’s play area and amenities like binoculars, drinking fountains, and a foot wash station. The plantings will provide food and cover for wildlife and four-season interest for visitors, while restoring the ecological integrity of the site and improving water quality in this area of Jamaica Bay.

What is this park named for?

Bay Breeze is a descriptive name for the park that reflects the prevailing winds of this vast tidal estuary. With its proximity to the bay, the area exudes a gentle, breezy ambiance, making it ideal for those seeking a calm retreat by the water.