Field Operations has shared photos of their completed work on the first phase of North Park at the Freshkills Park redevelopment project for the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation.

Over the course of 30 years, what was once the world’s largest landfill will become an interconnected series of parks and open spaces spread across 750 acres on the west side of Staten Island, beginning with the newly inaugurated 21-acre segment. A pathway carved into a gently curving earthwork arc guides visitors from a new entry approach around the base of the northernmost landfill mounds, culminating in an overlook that offers views of the Main Creek wetlands and William T. Davis Wildlife Refuge. Costs for the project have been reported at $21 million.

Visitors entering from Wild Avenue will encounter an arrangement of flowering ground swales leading northeast to a sumac-lined plateau and picnic lawn. There, a bird tower set against the water’s edge dominates the Overlook Deck. Another Basin View Platform supplemented by a PV panel-covered Comfort Station is further located at a central axis that intersects with the path leading to Schmul Park. Overall, the North Park segment will encompass 240 acres in total. 

“This is an exciting moment in the continually evolving life of Freshkills, marking significant new public access, ecological renewal, and social amenity,” Field Operations Founding Partner and CEO James Corner said in a preview. “Once people get into the heart of the site, they will be astounded by the extraordinary scale and character of the larger park, with its palpable sense of nature, extensive vistas, and opportunities to explore.”

Future aspects of the project will include the construction of the South Park anchor, which is currently in the design phase and includes contributions from Sage and Coombe Architects. It will be the second-largest park in New York City once fully completed. In a press statement, NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue said: “This transformational project will serve as a model for land reuse projects around the world and a shining example of how restoring habitats can benefit wildlife in urban areas.”

The design of North Park was also featured in the first installment of the Architecture Now: New York, New Publics exhibition at MoMA. Jacobs was contracted as the project's structural engineering consultant. 

More information about the redevelopment of Freshkills Park can be found here via the Freshkills Park Alliance.