The groundbreaking of Lower Concourse Park. Image Credit: NYCEDC.
On November 30, 2023, Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue and New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President and CEO Andrew Kimball joined elected officials to celebrate the groundbreaking of a new park in the South Bronx. The new park, located on Exterior Street between 144th and 146th Streets, will bring waterfront access and new open space for local Bronx residents.
The park, for now named Lower Concourse Park, will feature a playground area, a plaza, a seating area, barbecue and picnic area, public restrooms and water fountains, a splash pad, and a flexible lawn. The park will also have native trees and plants, bicycle racks and feature signage discussing Bronx history. The 2.3-acre park has been designed with a living shoreline to help absorb excess stormwater and prevent erosion.
The park is expected to be completed by late 2025 and open in 2026. The Parks Department is expected to change the park’s official name at a later date. The project is expected to cost $35 million, was funded by the Mayor’s Office, and is a part of the $194 million Lower Concourse Infrastructure plan. The Infrastructure Plan is led by NYCEDC and helps build out and improve waterfront access and improve street safety in the area.
Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson stated, “Lower Concourse Park is a momentous investment in revitalizing underutilized land and creating public investment in the South Bronx. The creation of essential green space and recreational amenities are the first of a set of projects under the Lower Concourse Infrastructure Plan which aims to make the streets safer, create new waterfront access to the Harlem River, and provide a living shoreline to enhance the resiliency of both the environment and the community. The creation of a new park builds on the existing assets of the South Bronx by strengthening the infrastructure needed to promote connections to the waterfront and open spaces, support housing and create jobs. I want to thank NYC EDC, NYC Parks and everyone else who was involved in bringing this important project to fruition.”
Parks Commissioner Donoghue stated, “We’re thrilled to join with NYCEDC to break ground on Lower Concourse Park, which will bring essential green space and recreational amenities to the South Bronx. A playground, picnic area, and multi-use lawn will serve as a destination for local residents and enhance access to the waterfront, while the living shoreline design will increase resiliency against erosion. The park’s creation furthers this Administration’s goal of increasing park equity in the outer boroughs and ensuring all New Yorkers have access to high-quality, attractive outdoor spaces.”
NYCEDC President and CEO Kimball stated, “Today’s groundbreaking of the Lower Concourse Park reinforces NYCEDC’s commitment to improving the city’s green space and bringing much-needed open space to the Bronx. We thank NYC Parks for their continuous partnership and all of our development partners for the hard work in transforming this site into a park that the community will be able to enjoy for years to come.”
By: Veronica Rose (Veronica is the Editor of CityLand and a New York Law School graduate, Class of 2018.)