On Thursday, June 13, Brookfield Properties announced the opening of Bankside Park in the South Bronx neighborhood of Mott Haven along the Harlem River, part of Brookfield’s planned 4.3-acre, $950 million Bankside development.
Spanning over an acre, the brand new public park and esplanade provides Mott Haven community members direct access to the waterfront for the first time in more than a century and is one of the first critical links to creating a contiguous waterfront access plan for the borough.
“We are tremendously proud to open Bankside Park, a beautiful new public green space created for the entire Mott Haven community,” said Charlie Howe, vice president of Brookfield. “The Bankside project brings an abundance of much-needed mixed-income housing, community retail, and now, a tranquil public park to this incredible neighborhood, and we are so grateful to our elected leaders, government officials, and local community for their support and partnership to make it happen. Every New Yorker deserves access to clean, safe, and beautiful public green spaces, and we look forward to welcoming Bronxites and beyond to the new Bankside Park.”
Designed by award-winning landscape design firm MPFP, the park draws inspiration from the flow and movement of the Harlem River to create a natural waterfront landscape with planting beds that undulate from the building face and create nodes for passive and semi-active use buffered by native plants and flowers. The park offers an array of shade trees, open lawns, and wood-decked outlooks featuring chaise lounge chairs, café seating, and custom shade trellises, creating a host of exciting new public open spaces for residents of the South Bronx. The winding esplanade creates unique pockets for park-goers to gather in a garden environment for a river view.
“The Bankside Project stands as a testament to our unwavering commitment to revitalizing the Bronx through sustainable and inclusive development,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson. “This remarkable transformation of a former Brownfield site into a vibrant, mixed-income community with waterfront spaces accessible to all members of our Bronx community, demonstrates what we can achieve when we work together — we are not just building homes; we are creating opportunities, enhancing livability, and shaping a brighter future for all Bronx residents.”
Department of City Planning Director Dan Garodnick added, “At City Planning, we know that open space is essential to a healthy, happy life for New Yorkers. For too long, this site was a brownfield that prevented residents from accessing their waterfront. But the remarkable and resilient Bankside Park is a great course-correction that will give Bronxites the high-quality, relaxing open space they deserve.”
In addition to livening Mott Haven, the park will play a role connecting Bronx neighborhoods to healthy transportation options and green space, noted Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. The Bankside Park is part of NYC DOT’s plan to develop a 7-mile Harlem River Greenway linking Van Cortlandt Park to Randalls Island.
“We congratulate Brookfield Properties on the completion of Bankside Park, providing Bronx residents with world class public space and vital access to the Harlem River waterfront,” Rodriguez said.
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