Javits Playground is Open!

February 2020

It’s time to play! After 28 years, Fort Tryon Park’s Jacob K. Javits Playground has been reconstructed and there are many new amenities to celebrate! The facilities include workout equipment for teens and adults, an expanded playground for all ages and abilities with a tot lot and nature discovery area, a spray shower, new basketball courts, more seating, picnic tables, and an accessible drinking fountain.

The $3.1M project was funded by New York City Councilmember Ydanis Rodriguez, Manhattan Borough President Brewer, and the Fort Tryon Park Trust, which provided $350,000 in private funds to close the city’s funding gap and bring the project to fruition. Special thanks to members of the Fort Tryon Park Trust’s Javits Playground Committee and stakeholders who participated in Public Scoping Meetings held by NYC Parks, CM Rodriguez, and MBP Brewer. Thank you also to Community Board 12’s Parks & Cultural Affairs Committee for public hearings on the design, and the Landmarks Preservation Commission and the Public Design Commission for working with NYC Parks’ talented team of Landscape Architects on the redesign of this key amenity in our beloved 67-acre Scenic Landmark.