Thesis Book - Part 1

U R B A N R E V I TA L I Z AT I O N commemorating histor y through innovation

2016-2017

Pa u l a Ve l e z

N e w Yo r k I n s t itute of Technol ogy S c h ool of A rchite cture & Des ign B a c helor of Archite cture Un d erg ra dua te Thesis

T h e s i s p rof e s s or G il Even-Ts ur Fal l 20 16 - S p rin g 2017

As in h erito r s of t h e u rban fab ric , we mu st u nd e r s t a nd the i n ten t io n s of ou r an c estor s bef ore making our own mark .

Tab le of Con ten t s e x pl or a t i on & re s e a rc h

propos a l

exploration I began my exploration by researching the area of Flushing Meadow Park. Located in Queens, it was the place where I would go to play as a child. I have a personal connection to this place because living and growing up in Elmhurst, it was an area where many of my memories were created.

Now that I have grown older, I realized that the park has become neglected. Overlooked by locals and visitors alike, it is only seen at a glimpse from the highway once one arrives at one of the city’s airport and heads toward Manhattan. Comparing to the size of Central Park, it is the largest park in Queens which could easily welcome the same crowds. This began to spark many questions such as; Why had people turned away from the park?

Why would people prefer travelling to Manhattan to visit Central Park instead of visiting their own local one?

How come only a few tourists consider Flushing Meadow Park on their lists of places to visit?

How did the park affect its surrounding communities?

What was the park’s relationship to Queens? to NYC as a whole? What it could offer them?

Included in my area of research is also Willets Point. Located in the north eastern part of my area of exploration, it is very different from the rest of the area which includes the park. It is a neglected industrial area that has been overlooked even further than the park. Also known as the Iron Triangle, this area is home to auto repair shops and scrap metal companies.

The low rise shops of Willets Point are juxtaposed by Citi Field, a large sports complex and the open space of Flushing Meadow Park. Willets Point may be an eyesore to many but its chaotic nature unveils many questions. Such as; Why was this area treated so differently from the rest?

What was the story behind it?

Who works here and why?

FLUSHING MEADOW PARK Flushing Meadow Park 897 acres

897 acres

QUEENS’ PARKS

CENTRAL PARK Central Park 843 acres

843 acres

PROSPECT PARK Prospect Park 526 acres

526 acres

through time

LONG ISLAND CITY

NEWTOWN

FLUSHING

JAMAICA

1600

Marshland inhabited

by Matinecocks

1645

Dutch settlers establish the colony

1683

Queens County established

1891

Map of street system

Grand Central Parkway is constructed

1924 1898

Map of Flushing River

Landfill “Valley of Ashes”

1931

Site proposed to host World’s Fair

1951

1946 1939 1939 World’s Fair Building the World of Tomorrow

NYC Building houses the UN General Assembly

Surrounding neighborhoods develop suburban style streets

Shea Stadium

1958

1964

Post 1939 World’s Fair Map. River is dammed into lakes

1964 World’s Fair Peace Through Understanding

2009

Citi Field

currently 1 2

3

8 4

7 6

9 17

5

12

10

13

16

14

11

15

18

19

20

1 Marina 2 Willets Point 3 Citi Field 4 Olmstead Center 5 NY Hall of Science 6 Billie Jean Tennis Center 7 Golf Center 8 Ice Arena & Aquatic Center 9 Botanical Garden 10 Terrace on the Park 11 Queens Zoo 12 Queens Museum 13 Unisphere 14 Queens Theatre 15 NY State of Pavillion 16 Soccer Fields 17 Pool of Industry 18 Playground 19 Baseball Fields 20 Meadow Lake 21 Willow Lake 22 NYCT Jamaica Yard

21

22

ENTRANCE POINT

PROGRAM & ENTRANCES

AREAS OF DENSITY

ZONING

COMMERCIAL

RESIDENTIAL (MEDIUM)

PARK

RESIDENTIAL (LOW)

INDUSTRIAL

HARDSCAPE VS SOFTSCAPE

WATER SOURCES

TREES

68

7

FLUSHING

LIRR

48

CORONA

ELMHURST

KEW GARDENS 58

88

REGO PARK

FOREST HILLS

E R

NEIGHBORHOODS & BARRIER

TRANSPORTATION

F

PEDESTRIAN PATHS

DIRECTIONALITY

DRAINAGE ISSUES

FLOOD MAP

From researching about the site’s history and current conditions, I have discovered that this site has transformed many times to meet the needs of the people of its time.

Originally marshland, the area that today is Flushing Meadows surrounded the Flushing River and its inhabitants harvested the site’s seafood and marsh grasses. This Flushing River previously divided the towns of Flushing and Newtown. During the 19th century, as the use of coal increased, the marshland became a dumping ground for ash and coal. Parks Commissioner Robert Moses later saw the area as a potential site to host the World’s Fair. The existing Flushing River was dammed into 2 lakes, Meadow Lake and Willow Lake. Meadow Lake was meant to create a backdrop for the fair and Willow Lake as a natural refuge. The design and engineering of the lake later contributed to its pollution problems seen today. The theme of the 1939 World’s Fair was “Building the World of Tomorrow”.

Pavillions were built for countries who came from around the world to exhibit their innovations and ideas. One building from this time still remains today, the NYC Building that is now the Queens Museum. It was used as the home of the United Nations General Assembly for a few years after the fair. It was the site of numerous defining moments in the UN’s early years including the creation of UNICEF. The site later hosted its second World’s Fair, this time the theme was “Peace through Understanding”.

Countries from around the world came and showcased their culture and traditions at the site. The unisphere was constructed as a symbolism of unity through diversity. The area later was turned into Flushing Meadows and Corona Park where it is surrounded by diverse communities.

The park has deteriorated over time and some areas have been focused on more than others. The areas that mainly attract people to the site today are the Queens Museum, the Tennis Center and Citi Field which are mainly seasonal attractions. There are problems with pollution in the lakes as well as the Marina and creek. The unnatural flat topography and excessive areas of paving as well as tides from the Flushing Bay causes occasional flooding and the area is also vulnerable to potential sea level rise in the future. Willets Point at the north of the site really sticks out from the rest with major drainage issues, no green space, close to no pedestrian traffic and run down shops, it reads totally different from the rest of the area.

This site is situated in a complicated context.

It is located between La Guardia and JFK Airports, has ties to the UN, includes massive highways and is surrounded by diverse immigrant communities. Ideas true to Queens and its identity such as cultural diversity, innovation and acceptance all have roots in this site.

Ideas and directions generated from research:

Park & H igh way

Q u e e n s ’ & Di ve r s i t y

Th e F org ot te n R i ve r

Re v i t a l i z a t i on of W i l l e t s Poi n t

Park & Highway

Diversity

Comparison of Ellis Island and Queens. Ellis Island served as entry point for immigrants in the past. Queens is now the new entry point for immigrants as times and technology have changed.

The Forgotten River

Flooding seen throughout the site due to changed topography and damming of the river.

Revitalization of Willets Point

LAND USE

ZONING

proposal U RBAN REV I TALI ZATI ON WI LLE TS POI NT

A proposed platform for Natural G rowth that adapts to the needs of individuals as well as a growing community which experiments with a new approach to urban renewal. One which aims to keep the character of the place along with improving its qualities and adding to the existing community.

A focus on Willets Point’s Relationship to Flushing Meadow Park, Queens and NYC as a whole.

By uncovering the site’s importance, understanding it’s problems and focusing on it’s many potentials it can be transformed into an area which expresses it’s diversity.

“Entry Point for Immigrant Labor and Entrepreneurship”

225 firms make up the automobile shop commercial community The current site might not be aesthetically pleasing to some but it’s organic and incremental characteristics are worth preserving.

The city’s renewal economic development plan for Willets Point includes a convention center, office space, hotel and retail. It does not represent the current community. The plan is mainly designed for newcomers and for economic purposes. No remnance of its f a b r ic , diver s ity, s ign age, layer s and evol uti on is expressed in this plan.

City Proposal Housing - 5,000 units Retail, Office, Residential, Hotel, Convention Center, Community & Cultural Facilities, Open Space, Parking, Public School 14 acres of publicly accessible open space Total: 9,000,000 SF

Prob le ms : Polluted Water Table No Sewage Line 100 Year Flood Plain Increasing Demand for Housing Commercial Area Does Not Attract Many

Prop os a l: Mixed Use: 8,000,000 SF Cultural: 330,800 SF Industrial Park: 1,256,426 SF Total: 9,587,226 SF

Gro w in g Fam ilies Diversity of: Program Occupants

Artists

Materiality Building Methods

Mixed Use Live & Work

Businessmen/ women

Cultural Organizations COMMERCIAL MANUFACTURING CULTURAL RESIDENTIAL

Light Manufacturing

Environmental Organizations

PORTO SEGURO SOCIAL HOUSING Christian Kerez

INCREMENTAL HOUSING Alejandro Aravena

DEMOLISHED STRUCTURE KEPT CONVERTED

LIVE & WORK TOWERS

SCULPTURE PARK & ARTISTS WALLS

FIVE POINTZ

INDUSTRIAL PARK

SCULPTURE PARK

ART DISTRICT

MASTERPLAN

3

1

4

2

2

5

6

3

4

1

5

6

WILLETS POINT : A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD 1

CITI FIELD PLAZA

4

INDUSTRIAL PARK

CITI FIELD PLAZA Spill Space CULTURE CENTER Museums LIVE & WORK TOWERS Artist’s Habitat INDUSTRIAL PARK Sculpture Park & Artist’s Walls LIGHT MANUFACTURING Industrial Warehouses MIXED USE TOWERS Commercial Spaces