Directly across the Hudson River from Lower Manhattan, Jersey City is an important growth hub for new housing. As it has grown denser, transportation options have improved in tandem. But one of its most central and densely developed neighborhoods, Journal Square, has lacked a central public space for years.
Located on a 3.4-acre site one block from the Journal Square PATH station, Courthouse Park replaces a decommissioned administrative building and surface parking lot with a high-performance green space positioned to become the civic heart of one of the most park-deficient and rapidly densifying neighborhoods in the Tri-State Area. Adjacent to the historic Brennan Courthouse and the forthcoming Guarini Justice Complex designed by Rafael Viñoly Architects, the park layers programming and ecology into a vibrant focal point for the diverse Journal Square neighborhood and the city at large.
Capitalizing on the site’s 10-foot grade change, SWA’s design organizes the park into two distinct but connected areas: an active lower park anchored by a sculptural shade pavilion, multi-generational play spaces, interactive water features, terraced seating, and a café housed in the repurposed Brennan Powerhouse; and a verdant upper park featuring an urban forest, picnic lawns, universally accessible pathways, and a dog run. Pollinator gardens and tree groves weave throughout, softening the noise and heat of the city while providing a point of respite in this bustling district. The result is a cultural crossroads where Journal Square’s layered history and dynamic future meet.
Bensonhurst Park
Bensonhurst Park is part of the larger Shore Parkway, an 816.1-acre collection of parks that stretches across Brooklyn and Queens. Today, the site provides a series of pathways, passive seating areas, recreational fields and a playground.
SWA/Balsley created a master plan for the redesign of the north end of the park and final design and construction do...
Silver Park
An entire 42nd Street block, in Manhattan’s west side, has been developed as a new residential tower complex whose central public park space is common ground to be shared by the neighborhood and new residents. A strong architectural edge at its 42nd Street sidewalk is created by fall portal light pylons and a trellis “room” from which visitors can view the str...
Westshore Park
Complementing the Inner Harbor’s world-famous promenade, Westshore Park has come to be known as the city’s living room on the harbor. The park is strategically located on the innermost shore of the harbor and sandwiched between the new Baltimore Visitor Center and the Maryland Science Center. Having rediscovered its maritime heritage and opened it to the world...
Milton Street Park
Milton Street Park is a 1.2-acre linear urban park alongside the Ballona Creek Bike Trail in Los Angeles, California. The plan incorporates numerous green-design elements, including the use of recycled materials, native planting, flow-through planters and treatment alongside the 1,000-foot-long, 45-foot-wide stretch of land. A variety of special elements such...