Peekskill Landing
The 5-acre Peekskill Landing site was home to a variety of heavy industriesthat left an array of environmental problems. In keeping with their mission of reclaiming waterfront land for public access, the environmental conservation group Scenic Hudson purchased the site and along with the City of Peekskill, selected QRP as the waterfront designers.
The initial design effort was heavily focused on public participation and included several public meetings. An active building program to enliven the site and provide water activities was pursued. The team initiated discussions with State DEC and the Army Corps of Engineers to determine the environmental constraints on the park design and with Metro North to review problems of access, as the park site sits outboard of the main Amtrak/Metro North Hudson River railroad line. After approval of a consensus plan, a state funded remediation effort was undertaken.
Due to the robust public participation process, the final park design represents the diverse interests of Peekskill’s residents, which include boating enthusiasts, artists, birdwatchers and hikers on the adjacent Annsville Trail. The plan has been refined to include an active waterfront at the south, featuring a boardwalk esplanade, kayak facilities and launching dock, and the site for the future maritime center. Pathways form loops through the site giving park users choices of walking destinations.
The main pathway through the site leads to a hill at the north, and to a new pedestrian overpass connection to the larger Hudson River Valley Greenway system. The overpass also functions as a bird watching platform, with a bird blind and viewfinders overlooking the restored wooded habitat for bald eagles, which can be spotted from the property.
On the waterfront side, the path passes a grass terraced amphitheatre and a over a small pedestrian bridge. A shaded path becomes a sculpture walk with temporary sculpture installations from local artists. The materials, including corten steel and stabilized gravel pathways, evoke the industrial history of the site, while the native plantings of meadows and grasses evoke the ecological history prior to industrialization. The project will employ sustainable design principles and green materials to lead this previously contaminated industrial site toward a greener future.
Location
Peekskill, NY
Client
City of Peekskill
Role
Landscape Architect
