It's open! After more than two decades of planning and dreaming, a part of Brooklyn Bridge Park is open to the public. Mayor Bloomberg and Gov. Paterson—who had squabbled over control of the planned 85-acre waterfront parkland before reaching an agreement earlier this month—cut the ribbon on the first phase of the $350 million project this morning. "This is not just the building of a new park. This is the commencement of the development of a modern urban waterfront," said Paterson.
Brooklyn Bridge Park Is Open!
State Gives City Control Of Brooklyn Bridge Park
The state has reportedly withdrawn its control of Brooklyn Bridge Park and given the cash-strapped project to the city. After a year of internal squabbles that delayed the planned opening of a portion of the parkland, Gov. Paterson is expected to hand off the unfinished $350 million, 85-acre waterfront project—meaning it will become the city's responsibility to finish and fund.
Community Group Rejects Year-Round Tennis Bubble Plan
An Upper East Side community group voted unanimously against a plan that would have allowed a cold-weather tennis bubble to operate year-round inside a tiny park tucked beneath the Queensboro Bridge. After a reportedly contentious hearing in which tennis players who supported the plan argued with baseball and softball players who said it would privatize public land, Community Board 8's Parks Committee voted en masse against the proposal.
Community Waits for Parks Around Yankee Stadium
While many people are excited about the opening of the new Yankee Stadium, many residents who live near the stadium have been unhappy about the delays in replacing the park land used for the new venue. According to the NY Times, costs to reate eight smaller parks have escalated to almost twice the $95 million budget to $174 million--and construction of many have not yet started.
Governors Island Gets a Makeover
Earlier this year some renderings for a Governors Island redesign were released. Out of the five contending designs, all of which the NY Times architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussof called "unambitious", a winner was finally chosen. Earlier today at the Whitehall Ferry Terminal, Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Spitzer announced the Dutch firm West 8 has been selected to recreate the open space on the island. This was one of the firms that Ouroussof pointed out as having a "thoughtful" design back in June. So what's in store for the 90 acres of parkland?

