NEW YORK CITY EXPANSION IN THE CARDS

 A short ferry ride away from Manhattan's Battery Park sits Governors Island, smack in between Brooklyn, Ellis Island, Staten Island and Manhattan.



There have been endless proposals to turn it into everything from a Nickelodeon (think Sponge Bob Square Pants) Theme Park, to a luxury Island with condos, hotels and casinos. However, they have all been thrown out and now new plans are being made to make the amazing location into a place for all New Yorkers to come and enjoy the views and historical aspects of the island.


The Statue of Liberty is next door.



And a new Sataue of Liberty Sculpture has been installed in the ground of the island.




Plans for a walking and bicycle path around the island has been put forward by the Dutch urban design and landscape architecture firm West 8.



West 8 suggested designing a 40-acre park for Governors Island, which will include a fleet of 3,000 wooden bicycles free for use by island visitors.

New buildings and modernisations will probably not be erected on the island, thankfully!

Another Green Suggestion!

The island is perfect for stressed out New Yorkers to go to and chill out on, in the summertime with nice cool sea breezes and large green areas 

The Native Americans of the Manhattan region referred to the Island as Pagganck (“Nut Island”)
after the Island’s plentiful hickory, oak and chestnut trees. Its location made the Island a
perfect fishing camp for local tribes and many residents of the area used the Island seasonally. In
June of 1637, Wouter Van Twiller, representative of Holland, purchased Governors Island from the Native
Americans of Manahatas for two ax heads, a string of beads, and a handful of nails.

Above Dutch  Wouter van Twiller purchased 'Noten Eylant', later called Governors Island^[1] from a tribe of Canarsee Indians for two axe heads, a string of beads and some iron nails.

In recognition of Governors Island’s momentous 1624 legacy that is reflective of New York’s identity of tolerance―the lifeblood of American liberty―the Foundation for Historic New Amsterdam has proposed
placing a 151 foot (46 m) high version of Barnett Newman's sculpture Broken Obelisk - dedicated by him to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - as a Tolerance Monument.



The Tolerance Monument would be the centerpiece of Historic New Amsterdam; a proposed 50 acre Tolerance Park on the island's southern tip. It would visualize Goverrnors Island as the oldest natural historic National Symbol. The Starshaped Fort Jay is also worth a visit, see a 3D laser animation here



A proposal has been tendered to adaptively reuse Castle Williams (former prison) on the island for a New Globe Theater, designed by architect Norman Foster. Since the fortification was constructed for the War of 1812, to defend America against the British, the not-for-profit organization is working
in partnership with Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London to create a cultural center.



Governors Island was also the place for one of history's important conversations between Reagan and Gorby back in the last days of the Cold War.



Manhattan skyline seen from the Governors Island Ferry, shot by Edward of "Wired New York"
More visitors information about Governors Island:
http://www.gipec.org/
http://www.govisland.com/ 

UPDATE FROM THE TRIANGLE PROJECT'S EXHIBITION ON THE ISLAND:




Midsummer Solstice 2008
Every Triangle Project artist going from Copenhagen to New York brought along white cubes through the customs and security controls. It was part of the group effort and collaboration to build a Pyramid on Governors Island.

This in a similar way they built the Pyramids and  Stonehenge. It was made possible by the artists good intent and Peter Lassen's good will. The building in the back is Building 14 where the Emergence Exhibition was housed. The Emergence Project got an artist grant from Black Rock Arts Foundation, was in collaboration with Figment and was part of the Figment events on Governors Island in 2008.

Click on images to enlarge and read text.

UPDATE 2012

A Vision of a Windmill sculpture on Governors Island came one day while walking over Brooklyn Bridge

A Windmill as a new NY skyline item?

And of course the wings of the Windmill would have LED light baked into them, so the sky can be lit up with colors relevant of the time of the year. Like a little Hello to Empire State Building on Manhattan.