Final Section Of UWS Teddy Roosevelt Park Reopens After Renovation

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — The American Museum of Natural History reopened the final renovated sections of Theodore Roosevelt Park on Thursday.

Portions of the park, that stretches from West 77th to 81st streets on Columbus Avenue, have been closed since 2019 due to the construction of the museum's Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation.

The newly renovated section includes additional trees and plantings, new gathering areas, new lighting, irrigation systems, and stormwater management.

“Hot on the heels of the opening of the Gilder Center earlier this year, this revitalized park now offers a more welcoming space for museum visitors and neighborhood residents alike to rest on the new benches, picnic on the now-opened Margaret Mead Green, and take a walk on the new paths throughout the park," NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue said in a news release.

Here are the major renovations that took place within the Theodore Roosevelt Park:

• A renewed and enlarged 13,500-square-foot Margaret Mead Green lawn, made newly available for passive recreation at designated times throughout the year.
• Additional and expanded park gathering spaces, including paved terraces and seating near the Margaret Mead Green and Nobel Monument. With the installation of 15 new benches, the total number of benches in the project area has increased from 23 to 38.
• Twenty-three new canopy and understory trees. Together with new shrubs, ground covers, and planted islands, new plantings in the park will create a rich tapestry with seasonal interest.
• An enlarged and welcoming entrance at Columbus Avenue that provides a gradual transition from Columbus Avenue into Theodore Roosevelt Park
• New curvilinear paths, including a new path with seating adjacent to the Museum near 78th Street, improving pedestrian circulation and making more of the park publicly accessible

Previously, renovations to the northwest corner of the park were completed, and the section re-opened in November 2022.

Here are more photos of the new green space.

All photos courtesy of Alvaro Keding/© AMNH.