Concrete Plant Park

Concrete Plant Park is a public park in the Longwood section of the southern portion of the Bronx, New York City. It consists of 7.39 acres (2.99 ha)[1] located on the west bank of the Bronx River between Westchester Avenue and Bruckner Boulevard. The centerpiece and namesake of the park is a group restored structures from the concrete plant which once occupied its site. It is maintained by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.

Concrete Plant Park
Concrete Plant Park, looking south
Type	Public park
Location	The Bronx, New York City
Coordinates	40.825201°N 73.885117°W / 40.825201; -73.885117
Area	7.39 acres (2.99 ha)
Created	2009
Operated by	New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
Status	Open all year
Water	Bronx River
Public transit access	New York City Subway: Whitlock Avenue (), Simpson Street (​) New York City Bus: Bx4, Bx4A, Bx11, Bx27
Website	www.nycgovparks.org/parks/concrete-plant-park

History and description

The Transit-Mix Corporation operated a concrete plant on the site from the late 1940s through its abandonment in 1987,[2] according to NYC Parks, although the city's land records indicate the property was foreclosed for non-payment of taxes in 1981. In 2000, the property was transferred to NYC Parks, which formed a partnership with community organizations, including the Bronx River Alliance, to design and construct the park. The city stabilized the old structures from the abandoned plant, cleared tons of debris, and constructed other park facilities. The park was opened to the public in 2009.[3][4]

Besides the restored concrete plant structures, which have fences around them, the park includes a walk along the Bronx River, grassy lawns, seating (some of it under a small metal canopy), a "reading circle" of concrete chair-like structures, and a paved bicycle and pedestrian trail that is part of the developing Bronx River Greenway. The park's north entrance is on Westchester Avenue just east of Whitlock Avenue, and its south entrance is on Bruckner Boulevard west of Bronx River Avenue.[3]

The ruined Westchester Avenue station, which was built in 1908 and designed by architect Cass Gilbert, stands near the park's northern entrance, where it is partly suspended over Amtrak's busy Northeast Corridor. One proposal to save the station from demolition involves moving part of it to a pier in the park.[5] However to date no source of funding for the project has been identified.

Gallery

• 
  Reading circle, with Westchester Avenue station ruin and a New York City Subway train on 6 train service in the background
• 
  Looking south towards the concrete plant structures. Bronx River is on the left and Northeast Corridor on the right
• 
  A view of the park from across the tracks

References

1. "NYCityMap". City of New York. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
2. Milosheff, Peter (October 13, 2009). "The Bronx Times - Concrete Plant Park". www.bronx.com. The Bronx Times. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
3. "Concrete Plant Park". New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
4. "ACRIS real estate records system". Bronx, Block 2759, Block 187. City of New York.
5. Schachter, Amanda. "Bronx River Right-of-Way: Reclaiming Cass Gilbert's Westchester Avenue Station for the Waterfront (video)". Retrieved 7 April 2014.