Public Presentation of Tarrytown Waterfront Plan

Proposed concept plans for a Scenic Hudson riverfront park to be presented on August 3.

( TARRYTOWN, New York) - The final community meeting regarding proposed concept plans for a Scenic Hudson riverfront park in Tarrytown, and for renovations to the adjacent Pierson Park, will take place on Thursday, August 3, 2006 at 7:30 p.m. at the Tarrytown Senior Citizens Center at 240 West Main Street, in Pierson Park. An informational flyer about the meeting is available for download (PDF, 624KB).

The riverfront park is planned to run along the Tarrytown Hudson riverfront for approximately 7 tenths of a mile and to extend inland to distances of up to 150 feet. About half of the park will run in front of the recently approved Ferry Landings 240 unit residential development, and the other half will run along the existing adjacent Pierson Park. Immediately on the riverfront will be a riverwalk promenade designed along Westchester County guidelines which will include components such as terraced lawn areas, a plaza surrounded by native gardens, kinetic sculpture, lookout points, expanded fishing facilities, restored natural areas and a floating kayak launch. A site plan of the new park is available for download (PDF, 1.2MB).

The riverfront park is the result of a partnership between the Village of Tarrytown, Westchester County, Scenic Hudson, Ferry Landings LLC (the Ferry Landings developer), the State of New York and the Federal Government in the form of grants provided by Congresswoman Nita Lowey. The park design has been developed by Scenic Hudson and the Village working with a prominent landscape design firm Quennell Rothschild & Partners from Manhattan, with input from the Ferry Landings developer and Westchester County and most significantly with public input obtained at two previous community meetings, and from a Village-wide survey. Scenic Hudson secured a $25,000 grant from the Westchester Community Foundation to help pay for the design work.

The riverfront park represents Scenic Hudson's (www.scenichudson.org) fourth partnership with Westchester municipalities on Hudson Riverfront redevelopment projects. The environmental and conservation group out of Poughkeepsie previously partnered on waterfront redevelopment projects in Yonkers, Irvington and Peekskill. Senior Vice President Steve Rosenberg said, "Scenic Hudson wanted the asphalt plant removed from the waterfront so access to the Hudson could be reclaimed for the public. With that goal achieved, it is crucial that the people who will be using the new park have the chance to help shape its design. We are so pleased to be able to work with the Village, Westchester County and Ferry Landings LLC to make that happen."

The renovations to the existing Pierson Park are planned to include a new lookout area, a new playground with a water-jets/sprinkler facility, a performance pavilion, a renovated all purpose pavilion, restored natural areas, and eventually an aquatic center to be built and endowed by Ferry Landings LLC as part of an agreement with the Village. The tennis courts and basketball courts currently located in Pierson Park on the riverfront will be relocated next to Losee Park, a short distance away. When the project is complete, people will be able to park in the Tarrytown commuter parking lot, cross a footbridge over the Andre Brook onto the riverwalk, then proceed all the way through Tarrytown to the recently established portion of riverwalk in Sleepy Hollow in front of the Ichabod's Landing development, and in time further along the Sleepy Hollow riverfront adjacent to the redevelopment of the former General Motors site. Tarrytown Mayor Drew Fixell said, "After so many years of wishing and planning, it's very exciting to finally see Tarrytown's Hudson Riverfront redevelopment actually happening. The redeveloped riverfront will be a jewel on the Hudson River enjoyed by many generations to come."

(Release originally prepared by Village of Tarrytown)