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Access building for West Side railway tunnel

Information about this lot

Address: Riverside Park, Manhattan, 10025
Area: 0.41 acres (17928 square feet)

Political Boundaries

City Council District 7 represented by Shaun Abreu
Community District Manhattan 9 ( info@cb9m.org / 212-864-6200 ), district manager: Eutha R. Prince
Find all elected officials for this lot at Who Represents Me? NYC

Government Agency

New York City Department of Parks & Recreation - building (public)
Contact: Sabina Saragoussi, Director, Partnerships For Parks (ssaragoussi@cityparksfoundation.org)

You can use this form to suggest uses that the community actually wants to see as concessions in this building:
https://www.nycgovparks.org/opportunities/concessions/suggest-idea

NYC Parks will consider your fantastic ideas and you should also share them as notes below and become an Organizer so you can connect with others to make the futures we imagine real! Keep in mind that NYC Parks isn't going to do your project for you.

Opening buildings costs money and NYC Parks' has a limited budget. HereĀ is a great guide to how to get money for your NYC Parks building stewardship project, created by the Center for Urban Pedagogy, New Yorkers for Parks and Partnerships for Parks: http://welcometocup.org/file_columns/0000/0613/improve_my_park.pdf. Follow the tips for "Capital Projects."

Getting your Council Member on board is key: they have money to give out every year via their discretionary budget; some Members allocate some of their discretionary money to Participatory Budgeting: https://council.nyc.gov/pb/. You can get involved to get the word out about the need to re-activate the building you want to steward.

The building might be landmarked. If it is, any work will need to comply with these rules: http://www1.nyc.gov/site/lpc/applications/applications.page

News feed

Dec. 17, 2016, 11:18 p.m.
Ira Gershenhorn said

Page 100 of the Riverside Park Master Plan dated June 24, 2016 Draft shows that the 1984 Master Plan envisioned a pedestrian bridge and overlook at 116th.

Dec. 15, 2016, 1:04 a.m.
Ira Gershenhorn posted
Capture of Google Street View from Henry Hudson Parkway.
Capture of Google Street View from Henry Hudson Parkway.
Dec. 15, 2016, 1:03 a.m.
Ira Gershenhorn posted
View inside from  lower level front - straight on
View inside from lower level front - straight on Photo taken Dec 11, 2016.
Dec. 15, 2016, 1:02 a.m.
Ira Gershenhorn posted
View inside from  lower level front
View inside from lower level front Photo taken Dec 11, 2016.
Dec. 15, 2016, 1:01 a.m.
Ira Gershenhorn posted
Front door of lower level facing the Henry Hudson Parkway
Front door of lower level facing the Henry Hudson Parkway Photo taken Dec 11, 2016.
Dec. 15, 2016, 1 a.m.
Ira Gershenhorn posted
View inside from main level front south showing ramp
View inside from main level front south showing ramp Photo taken Dec 11, 2016.
Dec. 15, 2016, 12:59 a.m.
Ira Gershenhorn posted
North Staircase
North Staircase In better condition than the south staircase. Photo taken Dec 11, 2016.
Dec. 15, 2016, 12:52 a.m.
Ira Gershenhorn posted
North bathroom
North bathroom View of north bathroom door. Photo taken on Dec 11, 2016.
Dec. 15, 2016, 12:48 a.m.
Ira Gershenhorn posted
View inside from main level front
View inside from main level front Light is coming from the grate in the roof. Much graffitti is in evidence. This photo was taken on Dec 11, 2016 and taken through a protective screen.
Dec. 15, 2016, 12:46 a.m.
Ira Gershenhorn posted
North bathroom
North bathroom North bathroom door. This photo was taken on Dec 11, 2016.
Dec. 15, 2016, 12:45 a.m.
Ira Gershenhorn posted
Arches
Arches View north showing all the arches. This photo was taken on Dec 11, 2016.
Dec. 15, 2016, 12:44 a.m.
Ira Gershenhorn posted
Southern Staircase
Southern Staircase Note the bottom step is missing. This photo was taken on Dec 11, 2016.
Dec. 15, 2016, 12:43 a.m.
Ira Gershenhorn said

The photosphere shows an overlook, but what is below is the structure of interest.The photosphere also shows the grate that floods the tunnel with light.  The photosphere does not show the barricades blocking the staircases leading down to the structure.

I believe its an access point for the West Side rail tunnel. Outwardly it looks very similar to structures at 109th, 105th and 102nd in Riverside Park, but inside its very different. I believe it did have functional bathrooms at one time.  The popular name of the railway tunnel is the Freedom Tunnel.  The name Freedom comes from a graffitti artist who used the walls for his works.  This tunnel is very popular with urban explorers.  There are many articles about this tunnel and many photos on photo sharing websites like Flickr.