Bushwick Inlet Park

Bushwick Inlet Park Plans Move Forward After State Denies Power Plant Proposal

Friday, March 21, 2008
No. 22
http://www.nyc.gov/parks

Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe today praised the decision of the New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment to deny a proposal from TransGas Energy Systems to construct a power plant on the Greenpoint-Williamsburg waterfront. This clears the way for the property’s acquisition as part of the planned 28-acre Bushwick Inlet Park.

“We are thrilled that the Greenpoint-Williamsburg rezoning will result in public waterfront access and the creation of new parks for current and future residents. We applaud the State’s decision to reject the power plant proposal, which will allow us to advance plans for a new park at Bushwick Inlet,” said Commissioner Benepe. “The 28-acre Bushwick Inlet Park, which is currently being designed, will include boat launches, picnic grounds, soccer fields, wetland preserves, and a 2-mile bicycle and pedestrian path along the East River waterfront.”

In 2005, the City’s rezoning of the Greenpoint-Williamsburg waterfront mapped the 28-acres of the future Bushwick Inlet Park as parkland. In 2006, the City filed to acquire the land owned by Bayside Fuel. However, an application from TransGas to construct a power plant on this site was pending from 2002. Now that the State has rejected the power plan proposal, the City can move forward with acquiring the site.

Over $200 million has been budgeted by the City for the construction of parks and open spaces along the Greenpoint-Williamsburg waterfront. Two parcels of land have already been acquired for Bushwick Inlet Park with four more properties remaining. Over 300 acres of land have been acquired as parkland in New York City since Mayor Bloomberg took office.

The City appreciates the efforts of all of the community advocacy groups who mobilized in opposition to the power plant including petitions, letter/email writing campaigns and even trips up to Albany to protest the power plant and support the City's open space vision for the Greenpoint-Williamsburg waterfront.