Harlem Meer Restoration

Item

Title

Description

1995 Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence - Silver Medal

The Harlem Meer project restored 17 acres in the northeast corner of New York City’s Central Park, reconnecting it to surrounding inner-city communities. The Central Park Conservancy and City of New York Department of Parks and Recreation worked together to clean up a polluted 11-acre lake, restore the surrounding landscape, renovate a historic boathouse and playground, and build a new discovery center to revitalize the park and nearby neighborhoods.

The project restored a seriously degraded natural habitat and returned a beautiful and important amenity to the area. The Charles A. Dana Discovery Center hosts free community programs and exhibits to educate visitors about the ecosystem and wildlife, and visitors can enjoy a wide range of activities, including fishing, skating, and swimming. The Harlem Meer has helped reintegrate the north and south ends of the park, and the Conservancy worked closely with local neighborhoods throughout the planning process.

Coverage

New York, NY

Date

1993

Subject

parks

public spaces

environmental planning

recreation areas

environmental education

visitors' centers

urban beautification

community development

Contributor

New York City Department of Parks & Recreation

Contributor: en Public Agency

Buttrick White & Burtis

Contributor: en Architect

Central Park Conservancy

Contributor: en Developer

Upper Park Community Advisory Group

Contributor: en Community Group

1270 Fifth Avenue Cooperative

Contributor: en Community Group

Boys Harbor, Inc.

Contributor: en Community Group

Rights

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