Photo Credit: Courtesy of Stance
As expected, the neighborhood known as Battery Park City along the southwestern edge of Lower Manhattan puts a premium on space. The 92-acre community comprises residential areas, high-rise commercial buildings, and various businesses and community resources.
Amidst this urban density, the Battery Park City Authority (BPCA), which manages the area, has incorporated open and park space wherever possible. In fact, more than a third of the area’s land is dedicated to parks, gardens, plazas, athletic fields, and other open spaces. Accordingly, the community takes full advantage of these resources, and its sole athletic-field complex hosts a robust lineup of youth recreation programs, including Little League baseball and soccer for all levels, as well as field time for adult recreation leagues and youth camps. With so much activity in the neighborhood, the space is constantly in high demand.
The building boom around the ball fields and the volume of users eventually led the BPCA to recognize the need for an upgrade. In the words of the user group, every square foot represented another child who could participate, so making the best use of the site was paramount. In addition, converting the natural grass to synthetic turf would help protect the field from further wear and tear.