NYC Governors Island Named One Of Greatest Places In America

GOVERNORS ISLAND, NY — New York City's island of green space off of Lower Manhattan, Governors Island, was named among greatest places in the country.

Governors Island made the American Planning Association's list of the top 13 Great Places in America, the association announced Wednesday.

"It's important for people to have space to gather and to enjoy nature and enjoy the outdoors," Kurt Christiansen, the president of the association, told Patch.

Governors Island once served as a military base and facilities for the Coast Guard, until about 1995. By the early 2000s, New York State took control and re-opened it to the public.

Since then, it has been remade into extensive open and green space, with a ferry that travels to the island, an annual art fair, a recently opened arts center, and more, with possible development to come through a rezoning.

"It was kind of a combination of taking something that was not usable and turning it into something that is usable," Christiansen said.

"It's an investment — an investment in the future of that community," he said. He added the 43-acre green space on the island is a "prime example" of revitalizing a place.

The President of the Trust for Governors Island Clare Newman said the Trust is "thrilled" to be chosen.

"Over the past decade, Governors Island has seen a remarkable transformation from an abandoned former military base, closed to the public, into a vibrant hub of open space, recreation and creativity in New York City," Newman said in a statement.

"Thanks to proactive community planning, along with visionary leadership at the local, city, state and federal level, today Governors Island is a beloved resource for New Yorkers and visitors alike, and a model for great public spaces across the country," Newman said.

The association named 13 great places across the country this month ahead of National Community Planning Month in October.

Other New York places included Downtown Patchogue Village in Long Island in the neighborhood category and Mohawk Valley Gateway Overlook Bridge in Amsterdam in the public spaces category.

Here's the full list:

Neighborhoods

• Downtown Patchogue Village — Long Island, New York
• Short North Arts District — Columbus, Ohio
• Downtown Lee’s Summit — Lee’s Summit, Missouri
• Historic Downtown Delaware — Delaware, Ohio

Public Spaces

• Governor’s Island — Manhattan, New York
• Pioneer Park — Mesa, Arizona
• Mohawk Valley Gateway Overlook Bridge — Amsterdam, New York
• Gathering Place — Tulsa, Oklahoma
• Neponset River Greenway — Boston and Milton, Massachusetts
• Discovery Green — Houston, Texas

Streets

• Water Street — Henderson, Nevada
• Artery Hopkins — Hopkins, Minnesota
• Cleveland Street — Redmond, Washington