The Golden Hour

For the last year and a half, Urban Omnibus has been tracking ongoing efforts to build a wilderness atop the remains of the infamous Fresh Kills Landfill in Staten Island. A series of photo essays in collaboration with the Freshkills Park Development Team documents the progress of the nascent parkland as plastic, rocks, and soil are spread and grasses take root to cover the 150 million tons of waste that built up over the landfill’s 54 years of operation. This time, the transformation of what had been the landfill’s East Mound into the serene East Park is especially remarkable for photographers Andrea Callard and Michael McWeeney, who remember the view of the landfill from across busy Richmond Avenue and the mall that abuts it. Staten Islanders Sean Sweeney and Lance J. Reha, and returning off-islander Charles Giraudet, find something newly captivating as well. East Park is 482 acres, with a hill that plateaus at 122 feet; expansive grasslands belie the dense neighborhoods that hem the park. Based on current estimates, East Park will be open for early access in five years.

As we approach 2017, it is easy to feel discouraged by what’s happened this year or anxious about what the next has in store. But this quarter’s photographs remind us that change, however slow, comes on inexorably, and that new life can emerge from the most toxic environments. The now robust grasslands disguise almost completely the mounds of trash that lie beneath them; proof that any amount of garbage can be overcome. –O.S.

Photo by Sean Sweeney courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by Sean Sweeney courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation

Sean Sweeney

Photo by Sean Sweeney courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by Sean Sweeney courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by Sean Sweeney courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by Sean Sweeney courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation

Charles Giraudet

Photo by <a href="http://charlesgiraudet.com/">Charles Giraudet</a> courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by Charles Giraudet courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by <a href="http://charlesgiraudet.com/">Charles Giraudet</a> courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by Charles Giraudet courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by <a href="http://charlesgiraudet.com/">Charles Giraudet</a> courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by Charles Giraudet courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation

Andrea Callard

Photo by <a href="http://www.andreacallard.com/">Andrea Callard</a> courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by Andrea Callard courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by <a href="http://www.andreacallard.com/">Andrea Callard</a> courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by Andrea Callard courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by <a href="http://www.andreacallard.com/">Andrea Callard</a> courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by Andrea Callard courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation

Michael McWeeney

Photo by <a href="http://www.michaelmcweeney.com/">Michael McWeeney</a> courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by Michael McWeeney courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by <a href="http://www.michaelmcweeney.com/">Michael McWeeney</a> courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by Michael McWeeney courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by <a href="http://www.michaelmcweeney.com/">Michael McWeeney</a> courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by Michael McWeeney courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by <a href="http://www.michaelmcweeney.com/">Michael McWeeney</a> courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by Michael McWeeney courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation

Lance J. Reha

Photo by <a href="http://www.lancejrehaphotography.com/">Lance J. Reha</a> courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by Lance J. Reha courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by <a href="http://www.lancejrehaphotography.com/">Lance J. Reha</a> courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by Lance J. Reha courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by <a href="http://www.lancejrehaphotography.com/">Lance J. Reha</a> courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by Lance J. Reha courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by <a href="http://www.lancejrehaphotography.com/">Lance J. Reha</a> courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation
Photo by Lance J. Reha courtesy of the City of New York: NYC Parks, Freshkills Park, and the Department of Sanitation

Megan Moriarty is a writer and Programming Associate at Freshkills Park. The views expressed here are those of the author only and do not reflect the position of Urban Omnibus editorial staff or The Architectural League of New York.

The views expressed here are those of the authors only and do not reflect the position of The Architectural League of New York.

Series

Capturing Change

Photographers document the transformation of a Staten Island landfill into parkland. A long term collaboration with NYC Parks and the Freshkills Park Development Team.