Roosevelt Island Opens Southpoint Park Renovation: See It

ROOSEVELT ISLAND, NY — An $11 million project expanding access to the waterfront park on Roosevelt Island opened over the weekend, officials announced, giving people the chance to walk closer to the island's shoreline than ever before.

The project was first announced in early 2020, described as a necessary step to rehabilitate the decaying seawall at Southpoint Park, on the island's southern end.

After nearly two years of construction, the new area opened on Saturday, as Roosevelt Islander first reported. It includes expanded waterfront promenades where there had previously been only fenced-off areas thick with vegetation.

Some aspects were revised in the face of community opposition: benches facing away from the East River have been repositioned to turn toward the water, and a walkway on the island's Queens side was widened after resident complaints, Roosevelt Islander reported.

Southpoint Park first opened in August 2011, months before Hurricane Sandy devastated the city's coastlines. The renovations were designed to protect Roosevelt Island's coasts from future storms by adding 34,000 square feet of new, native plants, encouraging wildlife and insects while protecting about 1,600 feet of shoreline.

The opening was officially announced Monday by Gov. Kathy Hochul — under budget and ahead of schedule. (The state controls the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation, which governs the island.)

"Superstorm Sandy showed us how real and devastating climate change can be," RIOC President Shelton Haynes said in a statement Monday.

"The mitigation efforts we took to protect and reinforce Southpoint Park's shoreline were necessary and forward-thinking. The bonus is, we have created a holistic waterfront oasis at the same time - something we are very proud of and looking forward to our residents and visitors enjoying."