By J.P. Avlon
Thursday, March 6, 2003
New York’s New Island
Last month, New York City grew by 172 acres and nobody noticed. After years of lobbying and more than two centuries of federal
occupation - the White House formally turned over Governors Island to Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Pataki. The final price was $1,
which compares favorably to the bag of nails, two axe heads, and string of beads the Dutch paid the Native Americans for the island
in 1637.
New York City hasn’t grown this significantly since consolidation of New Years Day 1898. While Governors Island might not seem
like much land, gazing down from the walkway of the Brooklyn Bridge, 172 acres is more than 10 times the size of Ground Zero.
It is a strangely peaceful place, nestled in the center of our harbor, abandoned when the Coast Guard decommissioned four years ago.
Now the question we have to answer is, what are we going to do with it?
There is no shortage of ideas from enterprising New Yorkers, and there are refreshingly few strings attached by the federal government’s
conditions of sale. Roughly one-third of the island, including the historic Fort Jay and Castle Williams, will be preserved as open space an
overseen by the National Park Service. The deal also requires 50 acres to be set aside for educational, civic, or cultural purposes.
In addition, all commercial activities must be in keeping with the “historic character of the Island,” which means that Mayor Giuliani’s
briefly flirted-with idea of building a world-class casino is DOA.
However, it was never the casino per se that interested the former mayor. Rather, it was forcing the city to recognize that the island
could pay for itself instead of becoming another burden on local taxpayers. Mr. Giuliani wanted to remind New Yorkers that there was
nothing wrong with commercial activity to balance cultural aspirations for Governors Island.
Luckily, it appears that New York’s secretary of state, Randy Daniels, who was appointed chairman of the 12-person Governors Island
Preservation and Education Corporation, gets the picture. Mr. Daniels understand the key role that commercial activity can play in
making Governors Island a prime destination “for reflection and relaxation.” In an interview with me yesterday, Mr. Daniels expressed
his commitment to an essentially mixed-use vision for the island’s future. While he is clearly enthusiastic about the possibilities
for educational institutions on the Island - and is currently awaiting CUNY’s detailed proposal - Mr. Daniels seems to be most
intrigued by the idea of an honors college or elite graduate center focusing on groundbreaking work in math and science.
“I want people to earn their way onto this Island just like Carnegie Hall,” he said. It should be a place that the best and the
brightest can each aspire to reach through excellence and achievement.”
‘Secretary Daniels shares his thoughts about possible uses of Governor’s Island’
Mr. Daniels said he like the often-discussed idea of building a hotel and conference center on the island, but he’s inclined to
nudge the creative process a step further. “Imagine a five-star hotel developed in concert with the historic wood-frame houses on the
Island, kind of like Colonial Williamsburg,” he said. “It would be a place where New Yorkers can go for a weekend retreat with their
loved ones to recharge their batteries and learn about local history. It would also be a tremendously attractive location for important
conferences, a place that Wall Street firms can rent out to host memorable meetings.” Mr. Daniels is realistic about the price
development it will take for the Island to sustain itself, but he’s unabashedly idealistic about creative solutions that will emerge
as individuals try to make the most of this unique opportunity.
Within the boundaries set by the federal government, the future of Governors Island appears to be a black slate with tremendously
exciting opportunities to improve the quality of life for New Yorkers. In combination with Battery Park, perhaps Governors Island
could become the equivalent of Central Park for residents of lower Manhattan and the much-neglected southern waterfront of Brooklyn.
Faced with the unusual opportunity to reshape the face of our city, New Yorkers seem to have no shortage of innovative ideas for
how to best use Governors Island. Among the most intriguing is a proposal to place a non-profit theater in Castle Williams, which
would help draw visitors to the island’s restaurants, while providing a valuable cultural and educational outlet. Other people hope to
see at least some opportunity to live on the Island in market-rate apartments - though it will be difficult to put a price on the
sight of the sun setting behind the Statue of Liberty every night.
Perhaps not surprisingly in a city obsessed with freedom and choice, the idea that appears least popular with the general public is
the wholesale dedication of the entire island to a single purpose.
Mr. Bloomberg deserves credit for realizing a dream that began when Senator Moynihan took President Clinton on a helicopter ride
high above New York Harbor and gently suggested that the president relinquish the island to city control. But the CUNY teachers college
often discussed by Mr. Bloomberg seems to be a perfect example of what should not be placed on Governors Island - not because the goal
isn’t admirable, but because a teachers college can be built anywhere. Its requirements are not even remotely site specific.
The mayor’s selection of Tweed Courthouse to serve as the headquarters for the Department of Education sent a clear message about the
priority Mr. Bloomberg intended to place on public education - at the cost of a museum in the civic center. But dedicating Governors
Island to a similar symbolic purpose would be taking the gesture a step too far. The land is too valuable, the scenery too epic, to
squander. Unless we start annexing large parcels of New Jersey, New York City is unlikely to grow this significantly ever again. We
all have a responsibility to this opportunity. Let’s have the courage to think big about Governors Island.
