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From Trash to Treasure | Freshkills Park

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Real Estate Agent

Freshkill Park

Freshkill Park

       Freshkill Park

At 2,200 acres, Freshkills Park will be almost three times the size of Central Park and the largest park developed in New York City in over 100 years. The transformation of what was formerly the world’s largest garbage dump landfill into a productive and beautiful cultural destination will make the park a symbol of renewal and an expression of how our society can restore balance to its landscape.

In addition to providing a wide range of recreational opportunities, including many uncommon in the city, the park’s design, ecological restoration and cultural and educational programming will emphasize environmental sustainability and a renewed public concern for our human impact on the earth.

While the full build–out will continue in phases for the next 30 years, development over the next several years will focus on providing public access to the interior of the site and showcasing its unusual combination of natural and engineered beauty, including creeks, wetlands, expansive meadows and spectacular vistas of the New York City region.

 With the help of advanced landfill gas collection infrastructure throughout the landfill, the Department of Sanitation is already actively harvesting methane from the decomposing waste buried at Fresh Kills. This methane, enough to heat approximately 22,000 homes, is sold to National Grid and the city generates approximately $12 million in annual revenue from the sale of that gas.

Gas recovery and sale will continue until the amount of gas produced by the landfill is small enough as to no longer be economically viable, at which point it will be burned off at flare stations onsite.

While maintaining the objective of minimizing energy consumption within new buildings and infrastructure systems onsite, DPR is also committed to building upon Sanitation's precedent in using emerging energy technologies to supply as much of the park's energy as possible.

This commitment could include photovoltaic cells and wind turbines, using solar thermal cells in water heating systems, geothermal heating and cooling, and abiding green building principles.The City is also exploring opportunities to complement park development with demonstration space for newer renewable energy technologies.

 source/credits: nyc.gov, City of New York Parks and Recreation

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Comments (6)

Peggy Hughes/pha logistix, inc.
pha logistix inc - San Francisco, CA
SF NYC LA

Mitchell... isn't it amazing how something so dirty, smelly and unsightly can be transformed to an area of beauty?  So glad technology has advanced to harness the dangerous methane for good use!

Sep 28, 2012 02:49 AM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Mitchell,

Wow, how wonderful...love these stories, wonder about the name of the Park...that sounds violent to me, LOL A

Sep 28, 2012 03:06 AM
Mitchell J Hall
Manhattan, NY
Lic Associate RE Broker - Manhattan & Brooklyn

Hi Peggy, It really is amazing. Yesterday I posted on facebook about NY wheel. The world's tallest ferris wheel coming to Staten Island. My sister-in-law who is originally from Queens but lives in Nashville commented: "Why so they get a better look at the Staten Island Landfill"? So I was inspired this morning to write about the transformation of the landfill into a park.

Hi Alexandra, ‘Kill' is derived from old Dutch and means stream, brook or channel. The usage of the word ‘kill' is seen frequently in place names throughout New York City and State where early Dutch settlement occurred.  It is thought that the name Fresh Kills is derived from the historical natural features of the site which, prior to landfilling, was dominated by a vast tidal wetland fed by fresh water springs and streams. It was not uncommon to use ‘fresh' when naming places with such springs.  Fresh Kills, specifically, appeared as a place name by 1750.

Sep 28, 2012 04:08 AM
Gene Mundt, IL/WI Mortgage Originator - FHA/VA/Conv/Jumbo/Portfolio/Refi
NMLS #216987, IL Lic. 031.0006220, WI Licensed. APMC NMLS #175656 - New Lenox, IL
708.921.6331 - 40+ yrs experience

Mitchell:  Sounds like one pretty impressive operation and unbelievable foreward thinking by all involved.  Especially like that they are continuing to try to find creative and sound environmental ways to self-sustain AND produce more energy for the area.  Sending NY a huge thumbs-up on this one!

Gene

Sep 28, 2012 04:43 AM
Jill Sackler
Charles Rutenberg Realty Inc. 516-575-7500 - Long Beach, NY
LI South Shore Real Estate - Broker Associate

They've done the same thing elsewhere with tremendous results. Holtsville Ecology Center and Merrick Park Preserve come to mind.

Sep 28, 2012 05:23 AM
Janis Borgueta
Newburgh, NY
Retired RE Salesperson

Mitchell .. I love your blog! Always a plethora of information of information about NYC... Thanks for the info

Sep 28, 2012 02:30 PM