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Bennett Park Construction Begins in Hudson Heights

By Carla Zanoni | September 14, 2011 4:28pm | Updated on September 15, 2011 9:33am

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — A long-awaited renovation of Bennett Park in Hudson Heights kicked off this week, to the delight of neighborhood parents and residents.

The Parks Department began its renovation Monday of the 1.8-acre park, between 183rd and 185th streets and Fort Washington Avenue, roping off sections to allow for continued access during the reconstruction.

Improvements include water features such as sprinklers and water fountains, a restored lawn, water features in the children’s playground, new seating, resurfaced blacktop, a field at the park’s southern end, and tree plantings and horticulture.

The new design of the park will also improve access to the park's natural and historical features, which include the highest point in Manhattan and the footprint of Fort Washington, the site of a Revolutionary War battle.

The $1.6 million capital improvement project was financed through the offices of City Councilman Robert Jackson and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer.

The Bennett Park Community Alliance, a resident group that offered input into park improvements last summer, worked closely with the Parks Department before the project’s launch.

The department held a series of public outreach meetings, scoping sessions and public hearings through Community Board 12 and the Public Design Commission in order to create a master plan for the park.

After the first phase of construction, Parks plans to move forward with a second phase of work, which will consist of a new accessible park house and restroom building, a new expanded and upgraded playground with better sightlines between two age group areas, and a new children's garden area.

That phase has not yet been funded.

Construction on the initial phase is expected to take up to one year, depending on weather conditions.

The park's northern pathway and seating — from 185th Street and Pinehurst Avenue to 184th Street and Fort Washington Avenue — will remain open during the renovations.

The playground will also remain open throughout the construction, with periodic closures when the water feature excavation is under way. Notices warning of closures will be posted in the park, according to Parks officials.

Questions about the construction project can be addressed to info@northernmanhattanparks.org or 212-795-1388.