In response to Mayor de Blasio’s 2015 commitment to development and job growth within the Lower Concourse section of the Bronx, NYCEDC developed a set of priority infrastructure projects to revitalize underutilized land along the Harlem River in the South Bronx, including upgrades to infrastructure to support development, parks, and public waterfront open space. On behalf of NYC Parks, NYCEDC is managing the design and construction of the Lower Concourse Park project, a 2.3-acre park located between East 144th Street and East 146th Street, bounded by Exterior Street and the Harlem River. The proposed design includes an esplanade, environmental remediation, waterfront improvements, landscaping, fencing, lighting, park amenities, utilities, and a comfort station, as well as resiliency considerations to protect against climate and sea-level rise.

Melissa Johnson Associates is managing community engagement and stakeholder outreach for the Lower Concourse Park design team, including scheduling, content development, discussion facilitation, and feedback analysis for several public meetings, visioning workshops, and pop-up outreach events. Engagement opportunities are geared toward soliciting feedback from stakeholders on programming for the park’s design during the conceptual design and final design phases. Melissa Johnson Associates also designs and develops outreach materials aimed at educating stakeholders, and helps facilitate communication with constituents in the Lower Concourse area of the Bronx.