Escape the crowds of the Financial District with this hideaway in the sky.
Located on 55 Water Street, the Elevated Acre is one of the city’s most underrated parks. With views of the New York Harbor and the Brooklyn Bridge, you can have fun trying to search for the hidden escalator that will take you up to this rooftop park. Serving as a quaint spot to read a book, take in the harbor views, or to picnic on its open lawn, this park is sure to give you some well deserved R & R away from the bustling neighborhood below it.
Designed in 2005 by Ken Smith and Rogers Marvel Architects (now split into two separate companies, Marvel Architects and Rogers Partners as stated by untappednewyork), consists of an amphitheater, a public lawn, Sky55 (their currently closed restaurant) and a boardwalk over the East River. According to Ken Smith Workshops, the parks current design “manipulates perspective with the sloping ground plane initially obscuring the view of the East River and the Harbor. As people move up the slope and through the dunes, the horizon gradually opens up to the East River and the graceful span of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Harbor are dramatically revealed.”
This park remains one of the only privately owned elevated spaces in the city open to the public. Hours to enjoy this hidden gem run from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. until Wednesday, September 30, and from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. starting Thursday, October 1, through the end of April. Good luck finding your way to this wonderfully secretive oasis!
featured image source: Peter Mauss / ESTO, for Ken Smith Workshop
See also: This Stunning Garden & Park Is A Hidden NY Gem, & It’s Completely Free To Visit