L to R: Dr. Christian V. Braneon and Tim Cawley
Mayor Eric Adams and The Trust for Governors Island announced today the appointments of Dr. Christian V. Braneon and Tim Cawley to their Board of Directors. With leadership in climate change research and the energy sector Dr. Braneon and Mr. Cawley each bring decades of experience and expertise to the Board of Directors and will help oversee the Trust’s activities in the planning, operations and development of Governors Island’s forthcoming Center for Climate Solutions.
The Trust for Governors Island is governed by a 17-member Board of Directors appointed by the Mayor of New York City, with representatives nominated by the Mayor, the Governor of New York, state and city elected officials, and Manhattan Community Board 1. The primary responsibility of the Trust’s board is strategic oversight, reviewing and approving its operating and capital budgets, and authorizing significant contracts.
“Governors Island is set to play a massive role in our city’s planning for a future in the face of climate change, and the success of that mission requires strong leadership,” said Mayor Eric Adams. “Christian Braneon and Tim Cawley bring unique experience and perspectives to the board of the Trust for Governors Island. I am excited to work with them and the entire board to strengthen the Trust as both a welcoming destination for visitors and the première climate change research center the world has to offer.”
“We are pleased to welcome Christian Braneon and Tim Cawley to our esteemed Board of Directors,” said Clare Newman, CEO and President of the Trust for Governors Island. “I have the utmost confidence that they will provide valuable insight and offer a breadth of knowledge to help further guide and inform the Trust’s civic and environmental stewardship of the Island. We look forward to working with Mayor Adams and our two newest board members to continue to offer New Yorkers a place of solitude and respite that is Governors Island.”
About Today’s Appointments:
Christian V. Braneon, PhD
Dr. Christian V. Braneon is Head of Climate Justice at Carbon Direct. He leads the integration of environmental and climate justice into Carbon Direct’s culture, operations, and services across the carbon management industry. With Carbon Direct, clients can set and equitably deliver on their climate commitments, streamline compliance, and manage risk through transparency and scientific credibility.
Dr. Braneon also co-leads the Environmental Justice and Climate Just Cities Network at Columbia University’s Earth Institute and serves as Co-Chair of the New York City Panel on Climate Change. He received an AXA Award for Climate Science in 2021 for his contributions to the understanding of climate change and related adaptation strategies.
Dr. Braneon previously served as Co-Director of the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s inaugural Environmental Justice Academy for community leaders. With NASA, as part of its partnership with Microsoft, he developed novel applications of satellite data that aim to enhance resilience to urban heat stress. Dr. Braneon earned a B.S. in applied physics from Morehouse College as well as B.S., M.S., and PhD degrees in civil engineering from Georgia Tech.
Tim Cawley
Tim Cawley oversees the activities of Con Edison, Inc, one of the largest U.S. energy companies, supplying energy to 10 million people in the New York City region and serving as an anchor for the local economy. Con Edison’s resilient and flexible grid allows the company to deliver world-class reliability. The company is making historic investments in clean energy technologies that will help New York meet our climate goals and deliver 100 percent clean energy by 2040.
Mr. Cawley serves as a director of the Edison Electric Institute and the American Gas Association boards. He is a member of the executive committee for the Partnership for New York City.
Before becoming president of Con Edison, Mr. Cawley served as president and CEO of O&R. Earlier, he held a series of increasingly important senior roles. He originally joined Con Edison in 1987. Mr. Cawley earned an M.B.A. from New York University and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Union College.
Film at Lincoln Center, and Governors Island Arts announce a program of free outdoor film screenings for summer 2023, opening a three-film series on June 9.
From June through August, Governors Island Arts and Film at Lincoln Center presents “Rule-Breakers and Troublemakers,” a lineup of free outdoor movie screenings for the 2023 season. This year’s outdoor film series will take place on the Island’s historic Parade Ground, an eight-acre lawn with expansive open views of Lower Manhattan. The series will be produced by Rooftop Films.
This year’s Governor’s Island screenings will feature a selection of films that celebrate relatable, resilient protagonists who refuse to accept the constraints that society has imposed on them. Films in this year’s lineup are F. Gary Gray’s Set It Off; Steven Soderbergh’s Out of Sight, and Gurinder Chadha’s Bend It Like Beckham.
Organized by Madeline Whittle.
FILMS&DESCRIPTIONS
“Rule-Breakers and Troublemakers”
Set It Off
F. Gary Gray, 1996, USA, 124m
Former bank teller Frankie (Viveca A. Fox) is struggling to make ends meet, working a low-paying job as a janitor alongside close friends Cleo (Queen Latifah), Stony (Jada Pinkett Smith), and T.T. (Kimberly Elise) in mid-’90s Los Angeles. When the four women, angered and demoralized by the status quo of relentless injustice that curtails and undermines their aspirations, set about systematically robbing banks around the city, complications soon arise in the disparate forms of their tyrannical boss (Thomas Jefferson Byrd), an unsympathetic LAPD detective (John C. McGinley), and a budding romance between Stony and a charming bank manager (Blair Underwood). Director F. Gary Gray infuses the heist genre with bracing emotional clarity, sensitively yet unsentimentally dramatizing the challenges faced by working-class women of color who are forced to navigate an unacceptably inhospitable socioeconomic reality.
Friday, June 9 at 8:30pm
Out of Sight
Steven Soderbergh, 1998, USA, 123m
Razor-sharp wit and expertly deployed star wattage — not to mention crackling sexual chemistry between the two leads — were in abundant supply when Steven Soderbergh burst into the mainstream, directing Scott Frank’s ultra-cool adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s 1996 novel. George Clooney is Jack Foley, a career bank robber on the run after breaking out of a Florida penitentiary; Jennifer Lopez is U.S. Marshal Karen Sisco, the no-nonsense law enforcement officer who’s determined to put Foley back behind bars. Alongside a stacked supporting cast that also includes Ving Rhames, Don Cheadle, Albert Brooks, and Viola Davis in one of her earliest film roles, Clooney and Lopez bring humor and heat to a singularly sexy game of cat-and-mouse as Foley makes his way to Detroit in pursuit of a rumored stash of diamonds, with Sisco in hot pursuit. Edited with wry precision by the legendary Anne V. Coates, Soderbergh’s seventh feature is a master class in smart, ensemble-driven genre filmmaking, and remains a relentlessly entertaining crowd-pleaser 25 years after its release.
Friday, July 7 at 8:30pm
Bend It Like Beckham
Gurinder Chadha, 2002, U.K./Germany/USA, 112m
English, Punjabi, Hindi, and German with English subtitles
British Indian director Gurinder Chadha’s third feature tells the story of teenager Jess Bhamra (Parminder Nagra in a winning breakout performance), an avid soccer fan, dreams of living up to the example of her idol, star player David Beckham, against the wishes of her culturally conservative Punjabi elders. When new friend Jules (Keira Knightley) persuades her to join the local women’s team without her parents’ knowledge, Jess quickly wins the acceptance and respect of her teammates and their coach (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), but must struggle to reconcile her passion for the game with her family’s expectations. In the 21 years since its U.K. release, Chadha’s film — which remains the highest-grossing soccer film of all time, and boasts scene-stealing supporting performances by Anupam Kher, Archie Punjabi, and Juliet Stevenson — has continued to be hailed as a latter-day classic of its intersecting genres, simultaneously excelling as crowd-pleasing sports movie, winning romantic comedy, and heartfelt cross-cultural coming-of-age fable.
Friday, August 11 at 8:30pm
GOVERNORSISLANDARTS
Governors Island Arts, the public arts and cultural program presented by the Trust for Governors Island, creates transformative encounters with art for all New Yorkers, inviting artists and researchers to engage with the issues of our time in the context of the Island’s layered histories, environments, and architecture. Governors Island Arts achieves this mission through temporary and long-term public art commissions, an annual Organization in Residence program in the Island’s historic houses, and free public programs and events in partnership with a wide range of cross-disciplinary NYC cultural organizations. For more information, visit www.govisland.org/giarts.
FILMATLINCOLNCENTER
Film at Lincoln Center is dedicated to supporting the art and elevating the craft of cinema and enriching film culture.
Film at Lincoln Center fulfills its mission through the programming of festivals, series, retrospectives, and new releases; the publication of Film Comment; and the presentation of podcasts, talks, special events, and artist initiatives. Since its founding in 1969, this nonprofit organization has brought the celebration of American and international film to the world-renowned Lincoln Center arts complex, making the discussion and appreciation of cinema accessible to a broad audience and ensuring that it remains an essential art form for years to come.
Film at Lincoln Center receives generous, year-round support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. For more information, visit www.filmlinc.org and follow @filmlinc on Twitter and Instagram.
For the third straight year the Trust for Governors Island is proud to welcome a family of five sheep for their summer landscaping jobs. Hailing from Friends of Tivoli Lake Preserve and Farm in Albany these sheep will spend the next five months munching away on mugwort, phragmites and other invasive species, freeing up the Island’s horticultural team to do more important work.
Three of the sheep — Evening, Chad, and Philip Aries – are returning to Governors Island for their third season and will spend another summer eating invasive plants in Hammock Grove. Two new sheep — Bowie, recognizable by his dark brown wool coat, and Jupiter, recognizable by the white spot on his nose — visiting the Island for the first time this year.
“Ewe better believe we are excited to welcome baaaaack our flock of wooly friends to Governors Island,” said Clare Newman, President &CEO of the Trust for Governors Island. “This innovative landscaping program is not only a great benefit to our Island’s plants but to our visitors as well, who always enjoy seeing the sheep in action. We are thrilled that two new faces are joining us this year but will note that Bowie and Jupiter are under pressure to live up to the work performance of their family, who have become landscaping heroes and enjoy considerable fame.”
“This will be the third year the sheep will be coming down to help us mow mugwort and phragmites,” said Leo Frampton, Gardener and at the Trust for Governors Island. “As always, these animals will give me and my team more time to do what we love (gardening) by spending each day doing what they love (eating). They will help us maximize the ecological benefits of Hammock Grove, as it continues to grow into a fully formed urban forest that all New Yorkers can escape to.”
“Baa! Baa! Baaaaa! Baaaaaaaaaaaaa!,” said Bowie and Jupiter in a joint statement when asked how excited they was to spend this summer on Governors Island, one of the premier New York City destinations for tourists and locals alike.
Mugwort, phragmites (the sheep’s favorite) and other invasive plant species have a competitive nature and crowd other plantings on Governors Island, essentially creating a monoculture. The sheep eating these herbaceous plants helps to break down and weaken them, preventing them from flowering and the seeds spreading.
Recruiting a herd of sheep is extremely beneficial to the Trust for Governors Island’s efforts to care for the park, as it reduces the time spent on invasive species removal to less than 30 percent of horticulture staff time. The sheep provide eco-friendly landscape care that ensures the area’s biodiversity can thrive for years to come and allows the Trust’s horticulture team to use their time and talents to focus on cultivating an immersive, climate resilient, ecologically beneficial open space where all New Yorkers are able to learn from and reconnect with nature.
Sheep are also uniquely suited to the work on Governors Island, more so than goats or other animals, since their culinary tastes do not include tree bark. The sheep will eat around the young trees in Hammock Grove and focus on phragmites and other delicacies, while goats would devour virtually any plant life they could get their hooves on — invasive or not.
Several sheep herding demonstrations will be held on Governors Island in partnership with Friends of Tivoli Lake Preserve and Farm, featuring live sheep herding and hands-on wool activities, with dates to be announced on www.govisland.org/things-to-do.
“We are excited to be back on Governors Island this year, introducing new animals to this amazing place and expanding their grazing services,” said Kim Tateo, Executive Director and Farm Manager of Friends of Tivoli Lake Preserve and Farm. “It’s been so great to see the how the sheep have helped to improve the plant diversity in Hammock Grove, and to connect that work with the rest of our flock upstate. We can’t wait for Island visitors to learn more about these animals this summer, and hope everyone will join our herding demonstrations — where visitors will be able to experience live sheep herding and learn all about the importance of their wool and its different uses.”
“The days are getting warmer, the flowers are blooming, and the sheep are coming back to Hammock Grove! I applaud the team at Friends of Tivoli Lake Preserve for taking good care of Evening, Chad, and Philip Aries this past winter, and the Governors Island team for preparing Hammock Grove for their return, and welcoming Bowie and Jupiter into the fold. I’m glad New York has had the wool pulled from its eyes regarding just how helpful the flock can be to decrease invasive species, and I look forward to visiting our sheep this summer with my family,” said New York StateSenator Andrew Gounardes
“I was thrilled when I herd that Manhattan’s favorite summer residents and natural gardeners were returning,” said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine. “The Governors Island sheep are an innovative and beloved approach to sustainable, zero-waste landscaping. New Yorkers: Ewe better stop by Hammock Grove to see these four-legged horticulturalists in action.”
The Trust for Governors Island today announced a robust calendar of exciting and wide-ranging programs on the Island for this summer that promise to offer exciting experiences for New Yorkers of all ages and visitors from around the world. This year’s programming highlights the breadth of activities, events, and cultural experiences that can be enjoyed during the warmer months on Governors Island, including live music, food trucks, and public art installations.
“Governors Island has established itself as a cultural, educational, and recreational standout,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer. “Thanks to the ingenuity and diversity of this summer’s programming — coupled with the increased ferry rides and access — we are especially excited to welcome New Yorkers across the five boroughs to this amazing resource in New York Harbor.”
“Governors Island continues to grow as an accessible, year-round destination — offering unparalleled open space, thought-provoking arts and cultural experiences, some of our city’s best culinary offerings, a diverse community of tenants and amenities, and more for our nearly one million visitors,” said Clare Newman, President and CEO of the Trust for Governors Island. “With this summer’s expanded public access, increased accessible transportation, and exciting calendar of events, we hope more New Yorkers than ever before hop on the ferry and join us for some excellent summer fun.”
Highlighted summer programs, activities, and visitor amenities announced today include:
VISITORAMENITIESANDATTRACTIONS
The Trust for Governors Island will offer expanded operations of the Island’s wheelchair-accessible tram service, free and available to all guests. These all-electric accessibility vehicles will depart from Soissons Landing and Yankee Pier daily from Memorial Day through the end of October, stopping at key locations throughout the Island.
The Urban Farm — home to GrowNYC’s teaching garden, Earth Matter NY’s Compost Learning Center and Soil Start Farm, and the Bee Conservancy’s bee sanctuary — is open weekends from 12 – 4pm with free tours the first Saturday of every month. Circular Economy Manufacturing’s MicroFactory, which turns post-consumer plastics into upcycled objects using only solar power, is also open weekends with free demonstrations for visitors. play:groundNYC’s Adventure Playground, a unique kids-only space imagination and exploration, is open every weekend from 12 – 4pm. Governors Island National Monument, including Fort Jay and Castle Williams, is open for self-guided tours and information on weekends from 12 – 4pm starting Memorial Day weekend.
Lower Manhattan Cultural Council’s Arts Center at Governors Island is open Friday-Saturday from 12 – 6pm through October 1, with artist residencies, public programs, and three works centered on the theme “time,” including an exhibition by installation artist Daniel Shieh, a film and video exhibition curated by Allies in Arts, and a new installation by Rhonda Weppler and Trevor Mahovsky. The Arts Center is free and open to all, with no prior reservations required. Collective Retreats is open daily for overnight stays, and QCNY is open daily with two heated outdoor pools alongside saunas, steam rooms, relaxation treatments, massages, and a new bar and bistro. The Institute for Public Architecture and Shandaken: Projects — year round Island tenants located in Nolan Park Building 9 — will offer free events and exhibitions throughout the summer months.
OPENSPACEANDRECREATION
Visitors can enjoy Governors Island’s 120+ acres of open space daily. The Island’s award-winning, climate resilient park offers rolling lawns and plenty of room for New Yorkers to spread out for picnicking and recreation, including over seven miles of car-free bike paths. Hammock Grove’s 40+ public hammocks and pathways nestled into the foliage of this young urban forest provide a relaxing retreat. The Hills feature unparalleled views of the harbor and landmarks, like the Statue of Liberty and the surrounding Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn skylines.
Popular year-round activities — like bike rentals with Blazing Saddles, including Free Bike Mornings every weekday between 10am-12pm and CitiBike; self-guided digital walking tours with Urban Archive, Gesso, and the Black Gotham Experience; and more — will continue to be offered to Island visitors. Additionally, climbers of all ages and skill levels can enjoy breathtaking views from new heights at our Community Climbing boulder on the Western Promenade. More information and updates on recreation activities can be found on the Governors Island website.
EVENTS
Governors Island remains one of New York City’s most unique locations for events of all kinds. See below for a selection of upcoming events, with more to be announced throughout the season. See a preview of event details below:
NYCRUNS Summer Lovin’ 5K&10K – May 13
Moving Chains: Towards Abolition, a free day-long program building upon Moving Chains on Governors Island presented by Creative Time and Governors Island Arts – May 20
World Bee Day celebration presented by The Bee Conservancy – May 20
Institute for Public Architecture symposium: BQE2053, Towards a Decarbonized Sustainable Multi-Modal Transportation Network – May 20
New York Harbor Oyster Classic 5K, supporting the Urban Assembly New York Harbor School on Governors Island – June 4
Jazz Age Lawn Party – June 10 – 11, August 12 – 13
Lower Manhattan Cultural Council’s citywide River to River Festival – June 16 – 18
Rite of Summer Music Festival – June 16, July 22, August 25
Porch Stomp folk music festival – June 17
FAD Market monthly pop-ups – June 17 – 18, July 15 – 16, August 19 – 20, September 16 – 17, October 21 – 22
NYCRUNS Father’s Day 5K&10K – June 19
NYCRUNS Firecracker 5K&10K – July 4
Outdoor Films presented by Governors Island Arts in partnership with Film at Lincoln Center – June 9, July 7, August 11
Cricket Classic – July 9
NYC Poetry Festival – July 29 – 30
FOODVENDORS
Governors Island is a true culinary destination with a diverse mix of cuisines available to visitors daily. New vendors this year include Wheeler’s, Governors Island’s first 100% solar powered food vendor, located at and operated by Pulse Grids in Colonels Row.
Returning vendors including Joe Coffee Company, Little Eva’s, Taco Vista, Fauzia’s Heavenly Delights, Island Oyster, Threes Brewing and the Meat Hook, Pizza Yard, Sea Biscuit, Carreau Club, Tokyo Drumstick, La Newyorkina, the Real Mother Shuckers, and more. Previous Island vendor Makina Café is set to serve their Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine out of a brand-new location in Colonels Row, and the Foodie Spot — a partnership with the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)’s Office of Resident Economic Empowerment and Sustainability — will return to Liggett Terrace, spotlighting small businesses owned by graduates of NYCHA’s Food Business Pathways program. Find a complete list of vendors and all operating hours will be updated regularly at www.govisland.og/foods.
Open Daily
Gitano Island – Lunch weekdays from 12 – 4pm, dinner Monday-Wednesday from 4 – 10pm and Thursday-Sunday from 4 – 11pm, brunch weekends from 11am-3pm, Soissons Landing
Island Oyster – Daily, 12 – 6pm, Soissons Landing
Joe Coffee Company in the Battery Maritime Building ferry terminal – Daily, 7am-4pm
Joe Coffee Company at Liggett Terrace – Weekends May 6 – 28, 10am-5pm; Daily May 29-September 4, 10am-7pm
Little Eva’s – Daily, 11am-5pm, Liggett Terrace
Taco Vista – Daily, 12 – 6pm, Soissons Landing
Three Peaks Lodge at Collective Retreats – Daily for breakfast, lunch, Happy Hour, dinner, and bar service, Western Promenade
Open Weekends and Select Weekdays
Carreau Club – Friday-Sunday, 11am-6pm, King Ave
Tokyo Drumstick – Friday-Sunday, 11am-4pm, Liggett Terrace
Wheeler’s – Friday-Sunday starting late May, 12 – 6pm, Colonels Row
GOVERNORSISLANDARTS
Through public art commissions, the annual Organizations in Residence program, and public events and programs, Governors Island Arts — the arts and cultural program presented by the Trust — creates transformative encounters with art for all New Yorkers, inviting artists and researchers to engage with the Island’s layered histories, environments, and architecture. Visit www.govisland.org/giarts to view the program’s previously announced summer season of free cultural offerings.
VISITORINFORMATION
Governors Island will debut new public hours this summer, expanding access to the Island for all New Yorkers into the evening. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, the Island will remain open until 10pm Sunday-Thursday and 11pm Friday-Saturday (with the South Island Park closing at 6pm). From Labor Day through Memorial Day, the Island is open daily from 7am to 6pm.
Trust for Governors Island-operated ferries run daily between the Battery Maritime Building at 10 South Street in Lower Manhattan and Soissons Landing on the Island. Trust-operated ferries also serve two Brooklyn locations during the summer months — Pier Six in Brooklyn Bridge Park and Atlantic Basin in Red Hook. These routes run directly to Yankee Pier on Governors Island from each location every Saturday, Sunday, and holiday Monday from May 27 through October 29. For schedules and ticketing information, visit the Governors Island website.
Visitors are encouraged to reserve ferry tickets in advance of their trip on the Governors Island website. Round-trip ferry tickets cost $4 for adults. Ferries operated by the Trust for Governors Island are always free for children 12 and under, older adults 65 and up, residents of NYCHA, IDNYC holders, current and former military service members, and Governors Island members. Ferries before noon on Saturdays and Sundays are free for all. There is no surcharge for bicycles or strollers on Trust-operated ferries at any time.
The Trust also offers free ferry fares for nonprofit community-based organizations, youth camps, and senior centers throughout New York City. To inquire about group visits, organizations may email groupvisits@govisland.org.
NYC Ferry service to Governors Island on the South Brooklyn route operates weekdays and non-summer weekends. On summer weekends during the highest ridership season, NYC Ferry will continue to operate its dedicated seasonal shuttle from Pier 11/Wall Street in Lower Manhattan. NYC Ferry riders may take any route to Pier 11 and transfer to the shuttle for free, or NYC Ferry riders may transfer for free at either Atlantic Ave/Pier 6 or Red Hook/Atlantic Basin to Trust-operated Brooklyn ferries. For ticketing information and full schedules for NYC Ferry, visit the NYC Ferry website, www.ferry.nyc.
“Summer is nearly here and on top of some great weather, New Yorkers also have an incredible slate of free events and programming during Governors Island Summer Season to look forward to. I’m excited to see my neighbors out and about and enjoying all that Governors Island has to offer,” said Congressman Daniel S. Goldman (NY-10).
“With its offerings from its bee sanctuary to its urban forest and its public art to its incredible food options, what Governors Island offers New Yorkers is unparalleled. I congratulate all who worked hard to prepare the Island for its expanded public access this summer, and I look forward to taking the ferry from Brooklyn and making the most of all its incredible resources with my own family in the coming months,” said New York StateSenator Andrew Gounardes
“This summer, our Red Hook families will have access to free ferry service in order to enjoy a wide array of family activities on Governors Island,” said New York City Council Member Alexa Avilés. “With the closure of our neighborhood library, children will need more opportunities, like the ones offered through this program, in order to continue to explore the world around them throughout the summer months. I am delighted that the work of our neighbors and CBO partners will be highlighted through partnerships with the NYCHA Food Business Pathway Program as well as GrowNYC. I look forward to seeing my neighbors at Governors Island this summer.”
“Governors Island is the perfect warm-weather escape for New Yorkers and tourists – there’s more than 120 acres of open space, recreational activities, arts and culture, family programming, and local history,” said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine. “I encourage everyone to take advantage of this unique escape and bask in all that Governors Island has to offer.”
“All of us at the Friends of Governors are thrilled to welcome visitors from across the five boroughs and around the world to this magical destination in the heart of New York Harbor,” said Patti Davis, Interim Executive Director at the Friends of Governors Island. “Truly there is something here for everyone – 120 acres of lush open space, dozens of historic buildings, a vast array of free public programs, innovative arts and culture, miles of car-free bike paths, and a variety of dining options — all with breathtaking waterfront views of New York Harbor and the Statue of Liberty. Bring your friends and family and plan to stay all day!”
“I’m pleased to welcome visitors back to Governors Island National Monument starting Memorial Day Weekend,” said Shirley McKinney, Manhattan sites superintendent, National Park Service. “This year, we will continue to offer self-guided public tours of the historic forts, with our park rangers on site to answer questions and provide information on the Island’s unique history to our visitors.”
Governors Island has undergone a tremendous transformation over the last decade, including the creation of a resilient 43-acre park, a growing arts and cultural program, year-round public access, and remarkable growth in audience. The Island is home to a diverse number of year-round tenants, including the Urban Assembly New York Harbor School, the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, the Billion Oyster Project, Shandaken Projects, Beam Center, the Institute for Public Architecture, and QCNY Spa, as well as the soon-to-open Buttermilk Labs — a new multi-tenant hub for coastal climate solutions scheduled to open in 2024.
In April, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, the Trust for Governors Island, and State University of New York (SUNY) Stony Brook University unveiled the “New York Climate Exchange,” a transformative vision for a first-in-the-nation climate research, education, and jobs hub on Governors Island that will create thousands of permanent jobs and $1 billion in economic impact for the city. A cross-sector consortium led by Stony Brook, the Exchange will create a state-of-the-art, $700-million, a 400,000-square-foot campus dedicated to researching and developing innovative climate solutions that will be scaled across New York City and the world and will equip New Yorkers to hold the green jobs of the future.
The culmination of a two-year, competitive request for proposal process, the selection of the New York Climate Exchange represents a major milestone in the city’s groundbreaking Center for Climate Solutions initiative — a key piece of Mayor Adams’ “Rebuild, Renew, Reinvent A Blueprint for New York City’s Economic Recovery” — which will create 7,000 permanent jobs and a billion dollars in economic impact, while expanding and enhancing public access to Governors Island. The Exchange alone will create over 2,200100-percent union jobs, including for construction and building services, with a commitment to hiring all construction and building service workers at prevailing wage and a goal of 35 percent minority- and women-owned business enterprise (M/WBE) participation in construction.
Governors Island Arts today announced a schedule of programming and exhibitions for the Island’s peak summer season, including a range of events for locals and visitors of all ages to enjoy. This season’s lineup includes art exhibits, educational workshops, the return of outdoor films on the Parade Ground, public art installations, and the annual Organizations in Residence program — where 24+ NYC-based nonprofits will highlight arts, culture, environmentalism, and education through exhibitions, talks, screenings, residencies, and workshops in the historic former military houses in Nolan Park and Colonels Row.
“Governors Island has grown into one of our city’s première arts and culture destinations, and our 2023 Summer Season offerings showcase just how vital the arts community is to the ongoing success of our island,” said Clare Newman, President &CEO of the Trust for Governors Island. “Some of the most compelling arts installations in the world make their home on Governors Island, and we encourage visitors to join us on the Island, enjoy the excellent weather and take in the amazing free arts and culture offerings we are proud to present this season.”
“This year we are thrilled to welcome myriad talented artists and creators to the Island for a season full of cultural programming unlike any other,” said Meredith Johnson, VP of Art and Culture at the Trust for Governors Island. “As we continue to expand public access to the Island, Governors Island Arts is proud to offer interactive and engaging educational programming that is free for all visitors to enjoy and to continue to grow the cultural community that has long thrived on Governors Island.”
PUBLICARTCOMMISSIONS
The American Manifest Chapter Two: Moving Chains, by Charles Gaines will reopen in summer 2023. Governors Island Arts and Creative Time will host a free convening event in response to this work on Saturday, May 20, 2023. Moving Chains: Toward Abolition will bring together an interdisciplinary group of artists, scholars, and educators working on strategies for abolition within art, law, education, and political action. The event continues a critical dialogue examining the American origin story, initiated by Charles Gaines last summer with the launch of his multi-year, multi-site public art project anchored by Moving Chains, which will be activated during the event and reopens for regular public hours this summer on Governors Island.
Sam Van Aken’s monumental The Open Orchard, on view in the Island’s award-winning, climate-resilient park, welcomes visitors year-round to experience the changing seasons in this orchard comprised of 102 fruit trees that acts as a living archive for antique and heirloom varieties that were grown in and around New York City in the past 400 years but have mostly disappeared due to climate change and the industrialization of agriculture. Additional long-term public art installations—including Rachel Whiteread’s Cabin, Mark Handforth’s Yankee Hanger, Duke Riley’s Not for Nutten, and Mark Dion’s The Field Station of the Melancholy Marine Biologist—remain on view daily.
ORGANIZATIONSINRESIDENCE
Two dozen arts, culture, educational, and environmental nonprofits utilize space inside the historic houses of Nolan Park and Colonels Row to present a robust calendar of free public programs, host artist residencies, and engage visitors in special activities for all ages throughout the summer months. Organizations in Residence are open every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 11am to 5pm from May 5 through October 29.
This year’s lineup features a wide array of programming spanning disciplines — including dance classes and other performance-based works, outdoor sculptures, environmental educational activities, youth programming, and film installations, and explores themes including definitions of home, the interconnectedness of soil ecosystem health, memory and family histories, the idea of the maternal within the African diaspora, the intersection of environmental justice and art, and much more. Programs from this year’s Organizations in Residence will include the following, with more to be announced:
American Indian Community House (AICH) Manhattan
Nolan Park Building 15
AICH has a long tradition of supporting indigenous performers through its “Indian Summer” performing arts, visual arts, and written word programs. This summer, these artists will plan and enact arts programs for the public while using space on Governors Island to create new works.
ArtCrawl Harlem Manhattan
Colonels Row Building 406B
ArtCrawl Harlem will usher in their fourth season on Governors Island with the annual Boundaries and Connections artist residency program, featuring Daquane Cherry, Courtney Minor, and Martyryce Roach, and their first-ever Literary Artist in Residence Missy Burton.
ArtsConnection Manhattan*
Colonels Row Building 408B
ArtsConnection will kick off their Governors Island residency with a calendar of arts an cultural offerings including: free summer programing through Map Free City summer intensive, ArtsConnection’s Teens Program Finale Event on Saturday, May 20, a Teens Curate Teens Art Exhibition, and artist residencies inviting 15 professional artists from ArtsConnection’s teaching artist roster.
BronxArtSpace The Bronx
Colonels Row Building 407A
BronxArtsSpace will host 12 Bronx-based artists in residence on Governors Island this summer with several free open studios and other events. Featured artists include Eugene Bluford, Andrea Resendiz Gomez, Alexis Montoya, Dauris Martinez, Alexander Rubildo, Deborah Yasinsky, and more.
Billion Oyster Project Manhattan
Nolan Park Building 16
Billion Oyster Project’s house will hold an oyster display, inviting visitors to learn more about ecosystems and these engineers, their importance to New York Harbor, and how everyone can get involved.
Escaping Time: Art from U.S. Prisons Manhattan
Nolan Park Building 8B
Escaping Time showcases artwork created by individuals who have experienced or are currently experiencing incarceration in the United States. In addition to weekly exhibitions, Escaping Time will also hold several events and workshops — including a workshop on creating art in prison and a discussion exploring the evolution of plantations into prisons across the United States.
Flux Factory Queens
Colonels Row Building 404A
Flux Factory will host Flux Saturdays on the last Saturday each month from May through October. Organized by different artists each month, the program will take many forms including pop-up exhibitions, performances, workshops, screenings, artist presentations and more.
KODABrooklyn
Colonels Row Building 404B
KODA will present a solo exhibition and three-month residency with Queens-born multimedia artist Sa’dia Rehman. Rehman’s solo show, titled Desire Linies, will feature a video, works on paper, and an evolving installation.
Fountain House Gallery Manhattan*
Colonels Row Building 410A
Fountain House Gallery will hold monthly artist residencies with participating artists Michal Behar, Guiomar Giraldo-Baron, Rene Santiago, Roger Jones, Ray Lopez, Mary Minty, Eva Tortora, Nancy Caton, Je’Jae Mizrahi (aka mx.enigma), vermilion, Guiomar Giraldo-Baron, Aracelis Rivera, Boo Lynn Walsh, Kerry Kennedy, and Valerie Kerr.
Harvestworks Manhattan
Nolan Park Building 10A
Harvestworks and social group/artist collective LiveCode_NYC will co-present Regen Circuit, an arts and tech exhibition that will also feature performances, workshops and presentations, and other installations.
The Lower Eastside Girls Club Manhattan*
Colonels Row Building 408A
The LowerEastSide Girls Club will bring Memory Lab to Governors Island. Showcasing a culmination of student work along with interactive rooms, this exhibit explores the inner workings of nostalgia and celebrates family histories through storytelling while seeking to evoke collective memory through story sharing, photography, sound, childhood games, archival textiles, and media.
The Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA) Brooklyn
Nolan Park Building 7A
MoCADA will present The M’Dear Project, a multimedia exhibition featuring rising women-identified artists that honors the power of the ever-present feminine principle centered prominently throughout the African diaspora, and the Bandung Residency, a residency program presented by the Asian American Arts Alliance (A4) in collaboration with MoCADA designed to uplift the work of organizers, artists, and educators whose practice is intended to foster solidarity between Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) and Black communities.
New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) Manhattan
Nolan Park Building 18
The New Art Dealers Alliance will present the fifth edition of NADA House, a collaborative public exhibition featuring galleries, non-profits, and artist-run spaces presenting artists in the historic spaces in Nolan Park.
New York Latin American Art Triennial (NYLAAT) Manhattan
Colonels Row Building 405B
NYLAAT will present The Earth is Blue, an exhibition of recent drawings by Nelson Avarez that explores the interconnectedness of our planet’s ecosystems and the fragile balance that exists within them, along with an artist residency program featuring Carlos Llobet, Maria Elena Pombo, Miguel Braceli Sierra, Mildor Chevalier and Yohanna Roa.
NYC Audubon Manhattan
Nolan Park Building 17
NYC Audubon will hold weekly birding workshops and events along with an Artist in Residence (AiR) program that offers three local artists an opportunity to investigate birds and wildlife conservation in the context of urban natural space and public engagement. The 2023 AiR cohort, made up of Dennis RedMoon Darkeem, Dario Mohr, and Carolyn Monstra, will exhibit works developed during the residency period throughout August to the end of October.
Oye Group Brooklyn*
Nolan Park Building 18
Dive into the Mercedes story, inspired by Modesto “Flako” Jimenez’s grandmother and the legacy of Latine individuals she helped migrate to the country and gain their footing in Brooklyn. Integrating interactive augmented reality, video, audio, photography, and family heirlooms, learn about Mercedes’ journey to the United States and her battle with dementia. Visitors may also participate in the Mercedes Healing Room Workshop Series — free, 2‑hour art workshops for community members with dementia and their caregivers. Led by various artists, this program will provide a relaxed atmosphere to engage in self-care and creative self-expression.
Pratt School of Architecture Brooklyn
Nolan Park Building 14
Project Bring It Home/The Stars of Tomorrow Project, Inc. Manhattan*
Nolan Park Building 8B
Project Bring It Home/The Stars of Tomorrow Project, Inc. will hold youth development programs and activities that use the performing arts to help young people discover the world and how to navigate it.
Residency Unlimited (RU) Brooklyn
Colonels Row Building 404B
RU resident artists will present exhibitions and performances throughout the summer, beginning in May with work by Ahmet Civelek, Agrina Vllasaliu, Alma Gacanin, Glorija Lizde, Veronika Molnar, and Sha.
Staten Island Urban Center Staten Island*
Nolan Park Building 5B
Staten Island Urban Center will showcase Environmental Justice Art and Action, a public multimedia art experience that centers on Staten Island’s waterfront as a place in pursuit of social change and environmental justice. The exhibit presents art, music, and opportunities for visitors to examine the struggle, potential, creativity, and beauty of waterfront neighborhoods when community voices are at the center, fighting for environmental and social justice.
Swale Brooklyn
Nolan Park Building 11
Swale, Urban Solis Institute, and Creature Conserve are partnering to present Re-imagining Conservation: From the Ground Up, and exhibition that includes works from 23 artists and 10 writers from five different countries and focuses on the role healthy soil plays in supporting a healthy ecosystem. The artworks included in this exhibition present multiple lenses of viewing relationships with soils, and prompt viewers to ask: What if people imagine human-animal-soil interactions in ways that support healthier lives for all species?
Syracuse University Studio Art M.F.A. Syracuse, NY
Colonels Row Building 403
Syracuse will hold a graduate student artist residency, featuring Jared leClaire, Declan Yert, and Markus Denil.
Taiwanese American Arts Council Queens*
Nolan Park Building 7B
Taiwanese American Arts Council will present exhibitions, host artist residencies, and hold several outdoor performances and public programs during their residency on Governors Island. Featured artists will include Ming-Jer Kuo, Sarah Walko, Poyen Wang, Huan-yu Pan, Lulu Meng, Chenyi Wu, and Julia Hsia.
TransBorder Art Queens*
Colonels Row Building 405A
Transborder Art will host 23 artists and five curators, creating works inspired by New York City’s natural ecosystems. The residency’s mission is a twofold learning experience: engaging the public visiting the Island through enjoyment and participation in artist workshops along with allowing the artists to interact with the community and enrich their work.
West Harlem Art Fund Manhattan
Nolan Park Building 10B
The West Harlem Art Fund will present quilt artists, work by an array of international students from City College, historical narratives and public art that speaks to the heart and honors Black alchemy, legacy, and folklore.
In addition to those listed above, several organizations will produce outdoor works and other events throughout the summer. These include:
NYU Gallatin WetLab Manhattan
Cumbe: Center for African and Diaspora Dance Brooklyn*
Outside Colonels Row Building 405
Cumbe will offer free dance and drum classes on select Saturdays and other dates throughout the season. Classes include Congolese, Samba, Haitian, ASA Fitness, Hula, Moroccan Chaabi, Afro-Fusion, and more, reflecting their vision to bring ashé — the West African principle recognizing the power and authority of all living things to produce profound change — into our everyday lives.
caribBEING Brooklyn*
Colonels Row
caribBEING brings their unique and inspired solar-powered mobile art + cultural + market space reflecting the cultural heritage of Brooklyn’s Caribbean Diaspora to Colonels Row on Governors Island this summer. Exhibitions include Life with Basquiat, a collection of photos by Alexis Adler, the Works from Grenada Art Residency (presented in partnership with Calabar Gallery), and Curren$ea, an artist residency program exploring the full scope of Caribbean cultural, geopolitical, and economical identity from the time of pre-colonization to the Transatlantic Slave Trade to the present.
* Denotes a first-time member of the Organizations in Residence program
EVENTS&PROGRAMS
Free events and programs will continue to be announced throughout the season, including the return of outdoor films on the Parade Ground in partnership with Film at Lincoln Center and Rooftop Films on June 9, July 7, August 11, 2023, with films to be announced, the second annual House Fest — a three-day celebration of the Organizations in Residence in Nolan Park and Colonels Row — in late summer, and more.
This summer, Bloomberg Connects — a free app focused on arts and culture — will also include an extensive guide for the public art on view and other key aspects of the Governors Island experience. The guide will provide information for visitors onsite and will be accessible from anywhere in the world.
Governors Island Arts was a key commitment in New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ Blueprint for New York City’s Economic Recovery, with today’s announcement marks the second set of new initiatives.
Creative Time and Governors Island Arts announce a day of dynamic new discussions and special events in response to artist Charles Gaines’ monumental public artwork Moving Chains. Hosted on Governors Island on Saturday, May 20th, 2023, Moving Chains: Toward Abolition will bring together an interdisciplinary group of artists, scholars, and educators working on strategies for abolition within art, law, education, and political action. The event continues a critical dialogue examining the American origin story, initiated by Charles Gaines last summer with the launch of his multi-year, multi-site public art project anchored by Moving Chains, which will be activated during the event and reopens for regular public hours this summer on Governors Island.
Moving Chains is the second chapter of Charles Gaines’ The American Manifest, which launched in Times Square in July 2022 with performances of Manifestos 4: The Dred and Harriet Scott Decision and Roots. The 110-foot kinetic sculpture activated by colossal chains rotating overhead anchors a public art project that addresses the reality of systemic racism in the United States of America through embodied and visual experience, and provides critical historical context on our extraordinary political division today. The American Manifest is the first major public art commission by Charles Gaines, a lauded conceptual artist recognized for his nearly 50-year career examining the nature of perception, social systems, and abstraction.
The day-long convening will take place in Castle Williams, a site located within the Governors Island National Monument near Moving Chains. A historic fort that formerly served as a jail for Confederate soldiers during the Civil War, the location underscores the rehashing of American history currently galvanizing the political landscape today.
Moving Chains: Toward Abolition is organized by Diya Vij, Curator at Creative Time, with Che Gossett, scholar of abolition and contemporary Black art, co-organizing the session panels; and artist and educator Tiffany Lenoi Jones, co-organizing the drop-in workshops.
10am — 10:45am | Leaves from Governors Island ferry landing
Join founder of Black Gotham Experience, Kamau Ware, for an in-person guided tour of River Years.. The pathway chosen by Ware explores the colonial patterns that have informed a centuries-long relationship with what are known today as the East River, the Hudson River, and New York Harbor.
Abolition and the Law
Panelists: American Artist, Kameelah Janan Rasheed, and Albert Fox Cahn, moderated by Che Gossett
12pm | Castle Williams, Governors Island
The panel “Abolition and the Law” brings together artists American Artist and Keemalah Janan Rasheed in conversation with lawyer Albert Fox Cahn, Founder and Executive Director of Surveillance Oversight Technology Project (S.T.O.P.), moderated by Che Gossett. Together, the panelists will discuss the intersection of art, law, surveillance, and abolition. How do redaction, bracketing, and constraint exist within the context of surveillance and the legal system? How might art become a vehicle for exposing, negotiating, and moving past the structure of the law and towards new possibilities for abolition?
Drop-In Workshops
12 — 3pm | Colonels Row, Governors Island
Drop into multigenerational artmaking workshops and gatherings to collectively imagine freedom while learning about the possibility, necessity, and stakes of teaching abolition today. This program is organized by Tiffany Lenoi Jones with Akiea “Ki” Gross and Noor Jones-Bey, grantees of the Abolitionist Teaching Network.
Architectures of Freedom
Panelists: Torkwase Dyson, Saidiya Hartman, and Rinaldo Walcott
2:30pm | Castle Williams, Governors Island
Scholars Saidiya Hartman and Rinaldo Walcott will think alongside and in concert with artist Torkwase Dyson about how freedom might be actualized and spatialized, the places freedom inhabits and takes. What are the architectures and infrastructures of freedom? How might freedom be shared, rather than monetized, privatized and racialized as property? What is the role of art in making freedom(s) possible in the midst of slavery’s global social and aesthetic afterlives?
In Conversation: Charles Gaines and Christina Sharpe
4:00pm | Castle Williams, Governors Island
Join artist Charles Gaines and scholar Christina Sharpe in an intimate conversation on Gaines’ monumental work Moving Chains through the lens of Sharpe’s groundbreaking framework of “wake work,” introduced in her seminal book In the Wake: On Blackness and Being (Duke University Press, 2016) and continued throughout her work, most recently in Ordinary Notes (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2023), a meditation in words and images on the contours of Black life that emerge in the wake. The two will discuss aesthetic strategies to address race and power in order to reorient our ways of seeing and being and doing in the afterlives of slavery and the United States project.
FULLPARTICIPANTS
Kamau Ware, Black Gotham Experience | Tali Keren and Alex Strada, 28th Amendment Project | American Artist | Kameelah Janan Rasheed | Albert Fox Cahn, Esq., Surveillance Technology Oversight Project | Sarah Abdelaziz, Abolitionist Teaching Network | Russell Craig, Right of Return | Torkwase Dyson | Saidiya Hartman | Rinaldo Walcott | Charles Gaines | Christina Sharpe
New York CityMayor Eric Adams, Trust for Governors Island President and CEO Clare Newman, and State University of New York (SUNY) Stony Brook University President Maurie McInnis today unveiled the “New York Climate Exchange,” a transformative vision for a first-in-the-nation climate research, education, and jobs hub on Governors Island that will create thousands of permanent jobs and $1 billion in economic impact for the city. A cross-sector consortium led by Stony Brook, the Exchange will create a state-of-the-art, $700-million, 400,000-square-foot campus dedicated to researching and developing innovative climate solutions that will be scaled across New York City and the world and that will equip New Yorkers to hold the green jobs of the future.
“Today, here in the heart of New York Harbor, we are taking a giant leap toward a cleaner, greener, more prosperous future for every New Yorker with the ‘New York Climate Exchange,’” said Mayor Adams. “This first-of-its-kind project will make New York City a global leader in developing solutions for climate change while creating thousands of good-paying green jobs for New Yorkers and infusing $1 billion into our city’s economy. Where some people see challenges, New Yorkers see opportunities, and this team and this project are leading the charge.”
The culmination of a two-year, competitive request for proposal process, the selection of the New York Climate Exchange represents a major milestone in the city’s groundbreaking Center for Climate Solutions initiative — a key piece of Mayor Adams’ “Rebuild, Renew, Reinvent: A Blueprint for New York City’s Economic Recovery” — which will create 7,000 permanent jobs and a billion dollars in economic impact, while expanding and enhancing public access to Governors Island. The Exchange alone will create over 2,200100-percent union jobs, including for construction and building services, with a commitment to hire all construction and building service workers at prevailing wage and a goal of 35 percent minority- and women-owned business enterprise (M/WBE) participation in construction.
Once fully operational, the campus is expected to serve 600 postsecondary students, 4,500 K‑12 students, 6,000 workforce trainees, and 250 faculty and researchers every year while supporting up to 30 businesses annually through its incubator program. The campus will be funded in part with significant gifts of $100 million from the Simons Foundation and $50 million from Bloomberg Philanthropies.
“New York City still remains the global hub for innovation — and the investment in Governors Island is another example of the forward-thinking vision our city can deliver on,” said First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright. “From a state-of-the-art education hub to creating thousands of jobs across emerging sectors, the Adams administration is writing a new, exciting chapter in our city’s history. I applaud all of the partners, the cross-sector collaboration, and leadership across multiple mayors that made this announcement possible.”
“Today, New York City establishes itself as a pacesetter in the fight to combat the climate crisis. Through this transformational initiative, we will lead the way in climate research and education while creating a first-of-its kind jobs hub for New Yorkers to benefit from the new green economy,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer. “The Trust for Governors Island set an inspired process for bold, solutions-oriented responses to climate change, the greatest threat of our time, right in the middle of New York Harbor. I am excited to see the New York Climate Exchange led by Stony Brook execute upon this vision with a state-of-the-art, 400,000-square-foot campus open to the public, 7,000 permanent jobs on the island, 2,000 construction jobs in the coming years, and a curriculum that will make New York City the undisputed leader in addressing the crisis of our time.”
“The future of climate jobs and leadership is bright,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “The New York Climate Exchange will provide transformational benefits for green job training and increased access and open space in one of New York’s most beloved parks. Together with the recently released PlaNYC, we have the blueprint and investment to execute on the climate action New Yorkers need.”
“With today’s announcement, Governors Island’s role as a historic gateway to New York City enters a new chapter, as a place where ideas come to life and hopeful solutions to the climate crisis become reality,” said Trust for Governors Island President and CEO Clare Newman. “We are honored to select Stony Brook University and the New York Climate Exchange to anchor the Center for Climate Solutions here on Governors Island, creating a global hub for education, research, job training, and public engagement on climate solutions for cities. Thank you to Mayor Adams, Deputy Mayor Torres-Springer, Mayor Bloomberg, and Mayor de Blasio for your commitment to the future of the Island, and thank you to President McInnis and the entire Exchange team for answering our call.”
“We are honored, excited, and proud to partner with the City of New York to build this historic center that will cement New York City as the world leader on climate change, the most pressing issue of our time,” said Maurie McInnis, president, Stony Brook University. “Up until now, the development of climate solutions has been siloed, with world leaders separate from expert scientists separate from the on-the-ground green workforce. As an international leader on climate and as the leading public research institution in New York, Stony Brook University will bring stakeholders together from the academic, government, and business communities to make the Climate Exchange the center of research, innovation, education, and collaboration to address this global crisis.”
“We are honored to partner with Stony Brook and the Exchange,” said David Spergel, president, Simons Foundation. “Our partnership with Stony Brook goes back many years, and together, we’ve made great progress in both basic and health sciences. This enduring relationship is a source of great pride for all of us at the Simons Foundation. Stony Brook has catapulted to the forefront of higher education through its remarkable strengths as a research institution and its unequaled focus on equity and access. I cannot think of a more qualified institution to lead this historic fight against climate change — a fight that must be met with innovation, intellect, and tenacity.”
“This great news is 22 years in the making,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, 108th mayor of New York City, and founder, Bloomberg Philanthropies and Bloomberg LP. “As a candidate for mayor in 2001, I proposed transforming Governors Island into a park and university campus, and the next year, Governor Pataki and I worked with President Bush to return the island to the city and state for $1. Our administration opened a public school on the island and began building an extraordinary public park, but over time it became clear that the city needed greater control of its development. In 2010, we worked with Governor Paterson to cede the island to the city, which allowed us to lay the foundation for fulfilling our original vision of a year-round destination with a university presence that would bring new life and jobs. Now, thanks to Mayor Adams’ leadership, that vision is being fulfilled through a groundbreaking partnership with Stony Brook University that holds so much potential, the Climate Exchange. Bloomberg Philanthropies is glad to join Jim and Marilyn Simons and others in supporting it, as part of our global efforts to help cities lead the way in tackling climate change. This is a great day for the island, for New York City’s future, and for the fight against climate change.”
Led by Stony Brook University, the New York Climate Exchange will be a first-of-its-kind, cross-sector nonprofit organization dedicated to climate research, solution development, education, workforce training, and public programs on Governors Island. The consortium will function as a hub for education and training to grow green jobs for New Yorkers and includes 15 members representing leading universities from around the world, as well as business and nonprofit organizations dedicated to developing and deploying solutions to the global climate crisis. High-resolution renderings of the Exchange campus are available to download online.
The New York Climate Exchange proposal presents a unique combination of scale, vision, and impact; a wide range of proposed educational activities for New Yorkers of all ages; a focus on developing, implementing, and scaling climate solutions; a broad coalition of partners with proven track records of delivering groundbreaking research; and a demonstrated capability to deliver the proposed project. In addition to Stony Brook, a flagship of the SUNY system, the consortium includes the following core partners:
Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA)
Pace University (New York, NY)
Pratt Institute (New York, NY)
University of Washington (Seattle, WA)
Boston Consulting Group (BCG) (New York, NY)
Good Old Lower East Side (GOLES) (New York, NY)
IBM (Armonk, NY)
The Exchange will offer an ambitious range of accessible and free educational and job training opportunities to prepare New Yorkers and students at every level for careers focused on developing solutions to climate change.
A new climate solutions semester abroad program will launch for undergraduate students enrolled at institutions represented in the Exchange consortium, featuring coursework in climate science, policy, and environmental justice; a graduate-level fellowship program offering training and research space to students; internship and fellowship programs; and continuing education.
The Exchange has also committed to expanding a New York State Pathways in Technology (NYS P‑Tech) program with the Urban Assembly New York Harbor School, a public high school located on Governors Island, as well as SUNY Maritime College to offer skills-based job training in additional career pathways and through college-level coursework related to climate solutions. Expanded learning opportunities will be offered to children through field trip programs and a summer camp intensive program.
In collaboration with local partners, the Exchange will host a wide range of workforce development and training programs geared towards providing accessible opportunities for New Yorkers to gain skills in career fields related to New York City’s growing green jobs sector. Training opportunities will be delivered in partnership with local organizations, including Green City Force, New York City Employment and Training Coalition, Nontraditional Employment for Women, and SolarOne, and will work with the New York State Building Trades and Construction Council to develop construction trade training programs focused on climate resilient and sustainable building technologies.
Research and educational opportunities at the Exchange will be organized around the themes of environmental justice and inclusion; the impacts of use of food, water, and energy on climate change; and sustainable and resilient cities. The campus will host a Research and Technology Accelerator, which will competitively award laboratory and demonstration space to academic, community-based, and entrepreneurial teams working on research initiatives and climate solutions that deliver immediate support to impacted communities, along with a Climate Tech Incubator that will prioritize M/WBEs and draw upon the expertise of business partners, including IBM and Boston Consulting Group.
Additional research activities hosted through the Exchange will offer grant opportunities for community-based organizations, as well as free exhibits, activities, and hands-on learning opportunities for Governors Island visitors to engage with and provide input towards projects in development.
The Exchange is slated to begin construction in 2025 and open in 2028. As part of the historic partnership announced today, the Exchange will have the option to construct a second phase, including completing the renovation of Liggett Hall and developing additional facilities on three acres of the eastern development zone. Thanks to historic levels of investment in Governors Island generated from the project, the Trust will deliver ferry service every 15 minutes as part of the project, with a new, hybrid ferry set to begin transporting passengers in summer 2024.
Affiliate partners represented in the consortium include the City University of New York, Duke University, SUNY Maritime College, Moody’s, New York University, the University of Oxford, and Rochester Institute of Technology. Advisory partners to the consortium include Brookhaven National Laboratory and urbs.
The Exchange team also includes an unprecedented group of over 30 nonprofit and community partners with expertise in environmental justice, arts, workforce development, education, and labor. Partners include the American Museum of Natural History, Waterfront Alliance, WEACT for Environmental Justice, The Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York, Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ, and The Point Community Development Corporation. The full list of partners is available online.
The Exchange’s 400,000-square-foot campus will include classrooms, laboratories, research labs, public exhibition space, student and faculty housing, university hotel rooms, and an auditorium space. The campus will include two newly constructed classroom and research buildings on three acres of the Island’s eastern development zone, as well as the restoration of over 170,000 square feet of space within historic buildings, including Liggett Hall and the Fort Jay Theater.
In addition, the Exchange will deliver 4.5 acres of new open space in its Phase 1 plan, adding to the Island’s existing 120 acres of open space across the Historic District and South Island park. Construction of the campus will expand and enhance access to the Island’s existing 43-acre park and its cultural and historic attractions.
The campus will serve as a living laboratory, showcasing innovative approaches to sustainable and resilient design, including:
An all-electric campus with 100 percent of energy needs generated onsite;
The first academic campus in New York City to meet Living Building Challenge standards, including renovated historic buildings and new construction within the campus;
New York City’s first commercial buildings utilizing mass timber;
One of the first campuses in New York City to receive True Zero Waste certification, with 95 percent of waste generated on campus diverted from landfill;
100 percent of non-potable water demand met with rainwater or treated wastewater;
A district geothermal and heat pump HVAC network serving the entire campus, producing an estimated 70-percent reduction in energy use compared to facilities of a similar size; and
No red-list chemicals utilized during construction.
Prior to opening, the Exchange will launch advisory councils to guide the work of the institution; launch a new seed grant program to support the design of new workforce, educational, and cultural programming; and engage with community stakeholders to continue the design process for the campus.
The campus is expected to cost approximately $700 million in total, with $150 million coming in previously allocated city capital funding, $100 million from the Simons Foundation, and $50 million from Bloomberg Philanthropies. The Exchange consortium will raise funds to support the remaining development and operational costs.
Proposals for the Center for Climate Solutions anchor institution were evaluated based on criteria developed by the Trust and the city, in collaboration with the Governors Island Community Advisory Council. The proposals were reviewed and scored by a selection committee made up of representatives from the Trust, the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice, the Mayor’s Office of Equity, and the New York City Department of City Planning. Additional input was provided to the selection committee by the city’s Climate Advisory Committee and through public input sessions attended by more than 200 participants held in October and November 2022.
The Center for Climate Solutions proposal was first presented publicly in 2020. An initial request for expressions of interest for the center’s anchor institution was released in June 2021. Following the release of Mayor Adams’ “Rebuild, Renew, Reinvent” economic recovery blueprint in March 2022, the city and the Trust for Governors Island identified four teams in April 2022 to respond to a targeted request for proposals. Mayor Adams and the Trust announced the three finalist proposals in October 2022.
For more information on the project, including future public meetings and progress updates, please visit govisland.org.
Stony Brook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences has been a leader in severe storm research, weather prediction, climate change research and mitigation efforts, and educational and research efforts to restore and protect water quality, including in the Long Island Sound, Shinnecock Bay, and other bodies of water on Long Island. The school SoMAS also houses broader sustainability-related and atmospheric research with the goal of improving predictability about weather-related risks and building resilience against severe storms, storm surge and coastal flooding, and erosion problems. More information about Stony Brook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences is available online.
“With an all-electric campus, a True Zero Waste certification, and a district heat pump network that will serve the entire campus, the New York Climate Exchange will simultaneously serve as a place of research and learning as well as a one-of-a-kind sustainability example for New York City and the world,” said Chief Climate Officer and New York City Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala. “Further, because it is based on Governors Island, the Exchange will be able to utilize New York Harbor and its amazing comeback as a resource for demonstrating how our environment can recover if we make smart and sustained investments.”
“With the advancement of the Center for Climate Solutions, the world should take note of New York’s commitment to going green,” said New York City Department of City Planning Director and City Planning Commission Chair Dan Garodnick. “Governors Island is combining a spectacular new park, improved public access, and, in partnership with Stony Brook University, a cutting-edge research and educational facility. The Center for Climate Solutions on Governors Island is a huge win and will help New York continue to be a global leader in combatting climate change.”
“I am thrilled to have been part of the selection committee for the anchor institution of the Center for Climate Solutions initiative,” said Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice Executive Director Kizzy Charles-Guzman. “The New York Climate Exchange will advance science, center environmental justice learning, create a new generation of innovators in sustainability and resilience, and expand New Yorkers’ already vibrant relationship with Governors Island. Our beloved island will be a climate hub for the world, and I can think of no better pairing of place and purpose.”
“The New York Climate Exchange will incubate the actionable, innovative research needed to address our global climate crisis,” said Mayor’s Office of Equity Commissioner Sideya Sherman. “With an incredible consortium of partners, the Exchange will create inclusive opportunities for New Yorkers to convene, learn, work, and grow their businesses while advancing crucial environmental and sustainability goals. We applaud the Trust and all partners who have come together to advance this ambitious plan, which will have a lasting impact on our city and global community.”
“The world’s greatest challenges require imagination, courage, and collaboration that breaks down silos, and today’s announcement of the New York Climate Exchange as the new anchor institution for the Center for Climate Solutions on Governors Island answers that call,” said Alicia Glen, chair, board of directors, Trust for Governors Island. “Governors Island is one of New York City’s great transformation stories, and I’m immensely proud of nearly two decades of investment across the leadership of multiple mayoral administrations that have led to this historic moment. Leaders around the world will always look to New York City as a center of innovation and leadership, and I could not think of a better partner than Stony Brook University and its coalition of global leaders and advocates to steward this project.”
“Climate change represents an existential challenge, and SUNY is at the forefront of the sustainability, research, and workforce development solutions that will change the world for the better,” said SUNY Chancellor John B. King. Jr. “Under the leadership of President Maurie N. McInnis, Stony Brook University is the natural choice to lead the New York Climate Exchange and is perfectly positioned to seize this moment for New York and the nation. Our thanks to Mayor Eric Adams, the Trust for Governors Island, the Simons Foundation, and former Mayor Michael Bloomberg for supporting this once-in-a-generation opportunity.”
“In the New York Climate Exchange, Stony Brook University will bring together academic, corporate, philanthropic, and community partners to pioneer an innovative, collaborative approach to devising actionable climate solutions,” said Kevin S. Law, chairman, Stony Brook University’s Stony Brook Council; and chair, board of directors, Empire State Development. “The Exchange will incorporate cutting-edge research, critical input from affected communities, and the practical experience of committed corporate partners to bring these solutions to market, demonstrating that addressing our energy and climate challenges can generate economic development opportunities.”
“The climate issues of today are urgent. And environmental justice and ecological sustainability necessitate action from leaders across the world,” said Chaouki Abdallah, executive vice president for research, Georgia Institute of Technology. “As a core partner of the Exchange, Georgia Tech will provide research expertise in the areas of energy, urban planning, biological ecosystems, public policy, and more, and we look forward to playing an instrumental role in bringing its mission to fruition.”
“At Pace University, our students, faculty, and staff walk the walk of sustainability every day, and we are thrilled to bring our expertise to the New York Climate Exchange,” said Marvin Krislov, president, Pace University. “As home to the nation’s number-one-ranked environmental law program — and our expertise in land use, climate justice, ESG, and regional clean water initiatives — we are eager to work collaboratively and bring an interdisciplinary approach to climate actions that forge a more resilient future for New York City and communities worldwide. Our expertise, vast student and alumni network, and location in Lower Manhattan provide the perfect springboard for creating opportunities in the green economy and engagement on Governors Island.”
“We are so excited to be part of the New York Climate Exchange, an initiative that resonates deeply with Pratt Institute and our longstanding partnering with local communities to address the critical issues facing us today and tomorrow,” said Frances Bronet, president, Pratt Institute. “Pratt is one of the premier schools of creative inquiry, art, architecture, planning, and design in the world. As a world-renowned academic and cultural institution committed to civic engagement and advancing environmental justice, we problem-solve through an inclusive design process that brings deep technical expertise together with the experiential expertise of community partners, which over time has built an extensive network of trusted community and industry partners. Pratt brings both this unique network plus research in critical areas, from developing green buildings, policy, products, and infrastructure to resilient streetscapes, environmental sensors, and sustainable materials. For years, we have been leading research on Governors Island and are looking forward to expanding our scope as part of the Exchange’s network of community and industry collaborators.”
“We are very proud to bring our university’s deep and diverse strengths in climate and clean energy research and innovation to the New York Climate Exchange,” said Ana Mari Cauce, president, University of Washington. “As the only core partner on the west coast, we are excited to leverage our regional and global relationships to accelerate efforts to address and adapt to the impacts of climate change. This work is vital and urgent for the health and survival of our people and our world.”
“GOLES is proud to be a part of this thoughtfully put-together initiative to address issues around climate justice and resiliency,” said Damaris Reyes, executive director, GOLES. “The Exchange is the result of intentionally built partnerships between community, academics, advocates, and other stakeholders, and we look forward to all that we can achieve together.”
“From our vantage as an advisor to a diverse set of clients in New York City and across the globe, we believe that the Exchange has a unique and vital role to play in accelerating and scaling sustainable climate solutions,” said Giovanni Fassio, principal, technology practice, BCG. “We are proud to support the New York Climate Exchange in building a ‘first-of-its-kind’ living laboratory and in incubating the most impactful climate solutions to save the planet and to join ranks with a group of partners united by a shared mission to advance climate solutions that make the world a better and safer place.”
“IBM is honored and looking forward to being part of this trailblazing initiative by collaborating on tech-driven social impact and innovation efforts with Stony Brook University and the City of New York,” said Justina Nixon-Saintil, chief impact officer, IBM. “The New York Climate Exchange project will allow us to contribute technology, skills, and research capabilities needed to help find climate solutions that put justice and equity at the center.”
“It is a tremendous honor to design a new kind of campus: One that not only sets the stage for our post-carbon world but also centers a compelling new public realm for all New Yorkers,” said Colin Koop, designer partner, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. “Our design embodies this stewardship by weaving sinuous mass timber pavilions through the rolling landscape of the park and reusing the historic building fabric of Governors Island. Together, these spaces will cultivate advances in climate research and pilot new technologies that can be deployed across the city and eventually the world. We look forward to working with the Trust for Governors Island, Stony Brook University, and our team of design and engineering collaborators to bring this important project to life.”
“CUNY is pleased to support and participate in the New York Climate Exchange, a cross-institutional, cross-disciplinary collaborative model that has the strength and flexibility to address the existential climate crisis,” said City University of New York (CUNY) Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. “This work on Governors Island in New York City will allow our researchers and students to address cutting-edge climate questions, build a more sustainable and equitable city, and provide a model for higher education institutions and climate-focused scholars everywhere to work together in pursuit of research solutions to environmental justice and related concerns.”
“Brookhaven Lab researchers have played key roles in designing and conducting landmark climate studies from the Arctic to the Amazon for the U.S. Department of Energy,” said Jack Anderson, interim director, Brookhaven National Laboratory. “We’re excited at the prospect of collaborating with other researchers through the New York Climate Exchange as part of this new, important initiative focused on developing the next generation of climate experts and creating equitable climate solutions.”
“The Urban Assembly New York Harbor School community is thrilled to welcome the New York Climate Exchange and ready to collaborate with the consortium of educational institutions in establishing New York City’s Climate Center on Governors Island,” said Jeffrey Chetirko, principal, Urban Assembly New York Harbor School. “This exciting announcement not only benefits all New York City public school students, but also promotes diversity in the maritime industry, marine fields, climate research, and sustainable development. By providing opportunities for all New York City students to engage within these fields, New York City is breaking down barriers and paving the way for a more inclusive and sustainable future.”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Trust for Governors Island President and CEO Clare Newman today introduced New York City’s first public, hybrid-electric ferry. The first vessel of its kind to provide public transportation within New York Harbor, the new ferry will be equipped with a hybrid propulsion system that will reduce air pollution by allowing it to toggle between zero-emission battery-only power and battery-assisted hybrid with diesel backup. The battery-assist mode will allow the new ferry to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 600 tons annually. Future plans for rapid vessel charging installation will enable the ferry to operate with zero-emission battery-only propulsion, at which point emissions will drop to nearly zero.
Ahead of the ferry’s launch, Mayor Adams and the Trust launched a citywide competition to name the new vessel. All New Yorkers are invited to participate by suggesting names on the Governors Island website from today until May 25, 2023, with the final name expected to be announced in summer of 2023. The new ferry will begin transporting passengers to Governors Island in summer of 2024.
“Visiting Governors Island is a great way to support cutting-edge climate solutions, and soon, visitors will be able to go one step further just by traveling there,” said Mayor Adams. “As New Yorkers transition to greener forms of transportation, the city and our partners are leading the way with cleaner, more efficient ways to go just about anywhere. The next generation deserves a green city and a vibrant Governors Island, and this first-of-its-kind ferry will help us deliver both.”
“Governors Island continues its commitment to a more accessible and environmentally friendly future, exemplified in today’s announcement of the first hybrid-electric ferry in its fleet for public transportation,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer. “I encourage all New Yorkers to use this new, cleaner ferry to visit the island in New York Harbor beginning next summer.”
“This hybrid ferry marks a historic step forward in expanding access to Governors Island while promoting state-of-the-art and sustainable technology to power our ferry fleet,” said Trust for Governors Island President and CEO Newman. “Each year, hundreds of thousands of visitors board our vessels and journey to Governors Island to experience our rich recreational, cultural, and educational resources. We are thrilled to make the journey easier for our visitors while helping to lead the charge in electrifying the vessels of New York Harbor.”
The new ferry will have capacity to serve up to 1,200 passengers at a time. It has a cruising speed of 10 knots and features modern passenger amenities, including a lower-level ADA-accessible lounge and restrooms on each level.
It will replace the diesel-powered Lt. Samuel S. Coursen, the Trust’s current vehicle and passenger ferry, which was commissioned by the U.S. Army in 1956 and has been in continuous use since.
Elliott Bay Design Group designed the hybrid-electric ferry and will provide technical support services to the Trust as the ferry progresses through construction. The ferry is under construction at Conrad Shipyard’s facility in Morgan City, Louisiana.
“All aboard for healthier air and a reduction in the emissions that are causing climate change,” said Chief Climate Officer and New York City Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala. “In order to slow the changes in our climate that we are already seeing, such as record-breaking and deadly storms, we must have all hands on deck, and we applaud today’s announcement from Mayor Adams and the Trust for Governors Island.”
“I can’t wait to ride my city’s first public, hybrid-electric ferry, which will offer a scenic ride to Governors Island’s future Center for Climate Solutions, as we enjoy cleaner air and our city’s greatest physical asset: its water,” said Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice Executive Director Kizzy Charles-Guzman. “This is a shining example of New York City leading by example.”
“Ferries are a vital part of transportation infrastructure, lasting 40 to 60 years or more. At Elliott Bay Design Group we work closely with our clients and their teams to ensure the vessel is fit for purpose and engineered to match a long life,” said John W. Waterhouse, principal in charge, Elliott Bay Design Group. “The best clients are those that truly collaborate, so the resulting vessel shows the best of designer and client. Working with the Trust for Governors Island has been a real pleasure. We believe the vessel will be a reliable component in delivering the Governors Island experience to visitors.”
“We are excited to build and deliver this ferry to the people of New York City,” said Johnny Conrad, chairman and CEO, Conrad Shipyard. “Since Governors Island is accessible only by ferry, we are proud that the Trust for Governors Island has selected us to play such a vital role in its growth and progress. This ferry will be the first-ever hybrid vehicle and passenger ferry in New York Harbor. Conrad is proud to be at the forefront of alternate energy solutions in the marine industry.”
“In the over 20 years since I worked to secure the sale of Governors Island to New York state from the federal government for only $1, the island has continued to transform into a dynamic escape where New Yorkers can learn, work, and play,” said U.S. Representative Jerrold Nadler. “Today’s introduction of hybrid-electric ferry service marks another step in this transformation and underscores the island’s part in combatting the climate crisis. I look forward to the ferry’s inaugural launch in 2024 and seeing New Yorkers take advantage of all Governors Island has to offer.”
“As we move our trains and buses into the 21st century, it is imperative we do the same for our ferry service,” said New York State Senator Nathalia Fernandez. “I applaud this initiative by the city as we are improving conditions for riders as well as reducing emissions by nearly 600 tons per year. I look forward to its maiden voyage in 2024 and the winner of the naming competition!”
“We need to combat climate change now to improve everyone’s health and save our planet. New York City is leading the charge through innovative electrification methods to reduce carbon dioxide emissions,” said New York State Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn. “I applaud Mayor Eric Adams and the Trust for Governors Island for implementing our city’s first hybrid ferry, which will cut down emissions — and eventually eliminate them entirely — while also modernizing and improving our public transit system that millions of New Yorkers rely on.”
“With today’s launch of New York City’s first hybrid-electric ferry, Mayor Adams is leading our city to a sustainable, zero-emissions future,” said New York State Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar. “Deploying this first-of-its-kind ferry will get New Yorkers where we need to go with 600 fewer tons of carbon emissions annually and less air pollution. Before long, we will install infrastructure that will bring emissions and air pollution down to almost zero. I am pleased to partner with Mayor Adams and my Albany colleagues to promote the phasing in of zero-emission vehicles and renewable energy. Together, we will reach our goal of reducing statewide greenhouse gas emissions to 60 percent of 1990 levels by 2030 and ultimately down to zero.”
“New York City’s need for sustainable transportation is not just limited to its roads — our waterways need green investment too,” said New York State Assemblymember Grace Lee. “As a member of the Assembly’s committee on Environmental Conservation, I welcome the announcement of the city’s first hybrid-electric ferry, and I encourage further development of projects that will make our city livable for future generations.”
“It is great to see the expansion of the ferry service in an environmentally conscious way,” said New York State Assemblymember Michael Novakhov. “I look forward to seeing further expansion of service coverage deeper into my district in Brooklyn as well as year-round service to Coney Island.”
“All New Yorkers deserve to breathe clean air,” said New York City Council Majority Whip Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, chair, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. “Greening New York’s vessels and vehicles will reduce emissions and benefit communities citywide. I thank the administration for their focus on the city’s footprint as we continue to work toward a carbon-neutral New York.”
“This new hybrid ferry is not only creating greater access to one of our city’s gems, but reducing carbon emissions at the same time,” said New York City Councilmember Amanda Farías. “Its ability to serve up to 1,200 passengers at a time is another win for our local economy, allowing native New Yorkers and tourists alike to enjoy one of our city’s most unique destinations. Thank you to Mayor Eric Adams and the Trust for Governors Island for this innovative solution that I hope inspires more hybrid ferries in New York City.”
“As we continue our mission to create a more sustainable future for New York City, the introduction of this groundbreaking hybrid ferry marks a major milestone in our efforts to reduce emissions and combat climate change,” said New York City Councilmember Rita Joseph. “With this new vessel, we are setting a new standard for public transportation in the city and demonstrating that we can prioritize both environmental responsibility and reliable service for our communities.”
“I congratulate Mayor Adams and the Trust for Governors Island on introducing New York City’s first-of-its-kind hybrid ferry,” said New York City Councilmember James F. Gennaro, chair, Committee on Environmental Protection, Resiliency, and Waterfronts. “This new hybrid ferry will not only bridge the gap between sustainability and efficiency, but also open up a new horizon of possibilities for transportation, where both the environment and passengers can benefit from reduced carbon emissions.”
“There is no going back,” said Tammy Meltzer, chair, Manhattan Community Board 1. “The people of Lower Manhattan have been calling for clean, quiet ferries for as long as I can remember, and the Trust for Governors Island is set to deliver. The bar has been raised, and we now look to our partners in government to help the Trust secure the funding needed to install a charging element to their Manhattan slip to realize the full benefits of this vessel. This may be the first hybrid vessel in service in our harbor, but it won’t be the last. We hope that every operator will follow the Trust’s lead for all future purchases and major overhauls.”
“RPA applauds the Trust for Governors Island for taking the lead on greener transportation modes with the city’s first hybrid-electric ferry,” said Tom Wright, president and CEO, Regional Plan Association (RPA). “Easy public access to Governors Island is vital and an issue RPA has staunchly advocated for more than three decades. We look forward to continuing to work with the Trust to advance the city and region’s environmental goals through this initiative and the forthcoming Climate Solutions Center proposal.”
“We applaud New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Trust for Governors Island President and CEO Clare Newman for introducing the first public, hybrid-electric ferry in New York Harbor,” said Julie Tighe, president, New York League of Conservation Voters. “As we move to clean up our transportation sector, this exciting new vessel will not only reduce emissions by approximately 600 tons annually compared to its predecessor — and that’s just for starters — it will also allow passengers to breathe cleaner air while serving as a green and gorgeous reminder that we’re putting fossil fuels behind us.”
“The new hybrid ferry to serve Governors Island, the first of its kind in the New York Harbor, is a sign of all that is possible for New York City and our region’s water-based transit network,” said Cortney Koenig Worrall, president and CEO, Waterfront Alliance. “Low-emissions ferries are a boon for hundreds of thousands of locals and tourists, especially children, who will benefit from clean air when riding on the water. We are excited about the island’s Center for Climate Solutions and that the Trust for Governors Island is setting an example of sustainability for other ferry systems around the harbor.”
“Trust for Public Land applauds Governors Island for adopting more sustainable access to this unique public space, which includes a TPL-invested community climbing boulder to introduce more New Yorkers to the outdoors,” said Carter Strickland, vice president, Mid-Atlantic region and New York state director, Trust for Public Land (TPL). “We know parks make cities more resilient and that access for all is essential, and that is why the Trust for Governors Island’s forward-thinking leadership today is so important in showing that transportation and access to parks can be greener and more sustainable.”
“Governors Island is an oasis and Lower Manhattan’s backyard,” said Jessica Lappin, president, Alliance for Downtown New York. “Nothing beats spending a day on the island any time of year. Whether you are going to an event, enjoying a spa experience, or taking a bike ride with friends and family, getting there is easier than ever, and we’re excited that an environmentally friendly and innovative solution has been found to increase public access.”
“The Urban Assembly New York Harbor School community is excited to learn that our new daily commute is heading in the direction of zero emissions with the introduction of this new hybrid-ferry,” said Jeffrey Chetirko, principal, Urban Assembly New York Harbor School. “Governors Island is continuing its mission to be at the forefront of climate solutions and is teaching our students, firsthand, the importance of making positive changes today for a cleaner tomorrow.”
“Billion Oyster Project and I welcome this exciting announcement by Mayor Adams and the Trust for Governors Island and what it means for our Governors Island community,” said Pete Malinowski, executive director, Billion Oyster Project. “As long-term tenants working towards a more sustainable city and harbor front, improvements like the hybrid ferry demonstrate a practical approach to bringing sustainability to all areas of our waterfront lives.”
“The new hybrid ferry is visionary, taking our city to another level of public engagement and deepening New York City’s contribution to the global conversation of climate justice and urban resilience,” said Craig T. Peterson, president, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and The Arts Center at Governors Island. “The Trust’s initiative provides more visitors with access to the rich variety of arts, educational, and recreational experiences available on the island. More importantly, it embodies a commitment to sustainable climate solutions in practice.”
“The Governors Island ferry is an essential part of the transportation infrastructure connecting the Institute for Public Architecture’s Block House and our fellows, staff, and visitors with the vibrant urban communities of New York City,” said Jonathan Kirschenfeld AIA, founder and president, Institute for Public Architecture; and Janet Fink AIALEEDAP, interim executive director, Institute for Public Architecture. “We are delighted that the city and Trust for Governors Island are leading the way towards a decarbonized, sustainable, multi-modal future with the announcement of this first public, hybrid-electric ferry.”
“We can’t wait to welcome our visitors to Governors Island aboard New York Harbor’s first public hybrid ferry,” said Patti Davis, interim executive director, Friends of Governors Island. “It’s fitting that this new, environmentally friendly ferry will be serving Governors Island, New York City’s top destination for nature lovers and climate solutions. This new ferry is a game-changer and a giant leap forward in our ongoing effort to reduce our carbon footprint.”
Spring in Liggett Terrace, photo by Timothy Schenck
The Trust for Governors Island and the Friends of Governors Island today announced the Island’s second annual Earth Day celebration, offering a day of free programming celebrating our shared connection with nature. New Yorkers are invited to spend the day on Governors Island and enjoy free educational activities and workshops for all ages, guided tours through the Island’s open space, and live performances inspired by ecology and the environment. The festivities will take place on Earth Day, April 22, 2023, from 10am to 3pm.
“Governors Island is an ecological resource for New York City, and we’re committed to showcasing how New Yorkers can engage with solutions to better care for our planet to combat a changing climate,” said Clare Newman, President &CEO of the Trust for Governors Island. “This year we invite New Yorkers and visitors from all over the world to join us for a free day of programming that not only highlights the natural beauty of our Island but also teaches us how we can all assist in the critical fight for a better Earth.”
Earth Day on Governors Island will feature volunteer stewardship projects, free environmental education activities for all ages, guided tours of the Island’s climate-resilient landscapes and unique Urban Farm, a bird walk focused on early migratory birds passing through Governors Island, a hands-on workshop on making your own seed balls with the Trust’s horticulture team, insect ecology activities, free bike lessons with Bike New York, an immersive performance by artist Seung Taek-Lee, and more activities to be announced. For more information and a full schedule of the day’s events, visit www.govisland.org/earth-day.
“There’s no better place in New York City to immerse yourself in nature and celebrate Earth Day than Governors Island! From Hammock Grove to Nolan Park, the Island’s green spaces will be in their full splendor on Earth Day,” said Patti Davis, Interim Executive Director of the Friends of Governors Island. “Bring your friends and family to spend the day exploring and learning about the cutting-edge environmental and conservation activities taking place here all year round.”
EVENTSCHEDULEEvents will take place at Colonels Row unless otherwise noted.
10am-12:30pm: Island-wide volunteer projects (check in at Colonels Row)
1pm: Community Celebration with giveaways, performances, food trucks, and more
Earth Day on Governors Island is co-presented by the Trust for Governors Island and the Friends of Governors Island, with programming support from NYC Audubon, Billion Oyster Project, Circular Economy Manufacturing, Wind Support, Earth Matter NY, the National Park Service, Bee Conservancy, Bike New York, and Canal Projects.
Governors Island’s award-winning park is open to the public every day, along with recreation activities like bike rentals, a Community Climbing Boulder, Hammock Grove, The Hills, Picnic Point, and more. Governors Island Arts public art commissions, including work from Duke Riley, Rachel Whiteread, Mark Dion, and Mark Handforth are also currently on view throughout the Island. Charles Gaines’s The American Manifest Chapter Two: Moving Chains will reopen on Governors Island later this spring.
QCNY is open daily on Governors Island, with two heated outdoor pools alongside saunas, steam rooms, relaxation treatments, massages, and a new bar and bistro. This winter also marks the return of Winter Dog Days, where dogs are allowed on Governors Island on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the end of April. Dogs must be leashed while on Governors Island except for in the Weekend Winter Dog Park, located adjacent to Liggett Terrace. The Trust and the Friends will also hold New York City’s largest egg hunt on Saturday, April 8, free and open to all.
The Trust for Governors Island and the Friends of Governors Island today announced the launch of an eggs-ceptional event, the Governors Island Egg Hunt, a new springtime celebration to be held for the first time on April 8, 2023, from 10:oo a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Participants will scramble to find the 10,000 wooden painted eggs hidden in areas throughout the Island’s 172 acres, with Island-specific prizes and giveaways for the most hard-boiled egg hunters.
The Governors Island Egg Hunt is free for all participants…no need to shell out big bucks for a day of eggs-cellent family-friendly free-range fun.
“Since opening to the public year-round in 2021, Governors Island has cemented itself as an unmatched destination for accessible all-season outdoor fun, and we are thrilled to continue to expand our free year-round programming with the Island’s first public egg hunt,” said Clare Newman, President and CEO of the Trust for Governors Island. “Together with the Friends of Governors Island, we hope you’ll hop on the ferry and join us for a one-of-a-kind springtime celebration in the heart of New York Harbor.”
This new event includes several levels of egg hunts tailored to specific age groups, along with an Island-wide scavenger hunt that everyone can take a crack at. The day-long celebration at the Parade Ground will also include performances from Wonderspark Puppets, Brooklyn Magic Shop, and more to be announced. Spring-themed arts and crafts will be featured all day, and food will be available for purchase onsite from Governors Island vendors along with a beer garden from Governors Island Beer Co. Visitors will also have the opportunity to meet and take pictures with the Easter Bunny and enjoy the hijinx of Looney Tooney the Clown.
“The Friends of Governors Island is thrilled to be co-hosting New York City’s largest egg hunt on Governors Island this spring,” said Patti Davis, Interim Executive Director of the Friends of Governors Island. “As our first free public program of the spring season, the Egg Hunt will feature activities for all ages throughout the Historic District and beyond, extending across our beautiful open space. The Egg Hunt is a wonderful opportunity to introduce new visitors and welcome back old friends as we kick off a wonderful spring season on Governors Island.”
EVENTSCHEDULEEvents will take place on the Parade Ground unless otherwise noted. All egg hunts are as supplies last.
10am-4pm: Registration and giveaways
10am-3pm: Island-wide scavenger hunt
10am-3pm: Bubbles with Looney Tooney the Clown
11am-2pm: Meet the Easter Bunny
11am-3pm: Arts & Crafts
11am &1pm: Egg Hunt A, Parade Ground (ages 2 – 4)
11am &1pm: Egg Hunt B, Parade Ground (ages 5 – 8)
11:30am: Wonderspark Puppets puppet show
12pm: Egg Hunt C, Colonels Row (ages 9 – 13)
12:15&1:45pm: Brooklyn Magic Shop magic show
The Governors Island Egg Hunt is co-presented by the Trust for Governors Island and the Friends of Governors Island.
Governors Island’s award-winning park is open to the public every day, along with recreation activities like bike rentals, a Community Climbing Boulder, Hammock Grove, The Hills, Picnic Point, and more. Governors Island Arts public art commissions, including work from Duke Riley, Rachel Whiteread, Mark Dion, and Mark Handforth are also currently on view throughout the Island. Charles Gaines’s The American Manifest Chapter Two: Moving Chains will reopen on Governors Island later this spring.
QCNY is open daily on Governors Island, with two heated outdoor pools alongside saunas, steam rooms, relaxation treatments, massages, and a new bar and bistro. This winter also marks the return of Winter Dog Days, where dogs are allowed on Governors Island on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the end of April. Dogs must be leashed while on Governors Island except for in the Weekend Winter Dog Park, located adjacent to Liggett Terrace.
Governors Island is open to the public daily from 7am to 6pm. Trust for Governors Island-operated ferries run daily between the Battery Maritime Building at 10 South Street in Lower Manhattan and Soissons Landing on the Island. For schedules and ticketing information, click here. Trust-operated seasonal weekend Brooklyn ferry service will return this summer.
Round-trip ferry tickets cost $4 for adults. Governors Island ferries are always free for children 12 and under, older adults ages 65 and up, residents of NYCHA, IDNYC holders, current and former military service members, and Friends of Governors Island members. Ferries before noon on Saturdays and Sundays are free for all. There is no surcharge for bicycles or strollers at any time.
NYC Ferry also serves Governors Island daily on the South Brooklyn route, with stops in Lower Manhattan and along the Brooklyn waterfront. For ticketing information and full schedules for NYC Ferry, visit www.ferry.nyc.