The NYC Department of Transportation has selected Starr Whitehouse to “put the park back in Park Avenue.” Creating wider medians and a greener public realm along eleven blocks between East 46th and East 57th Streets, the project will be coordinated with the reconstruction of the MetroNorth train shed that runs beneath the corridor.

“This is a unique opportunity to make Park Avenue greener, safer, and more pedestrian-friendly," says NYC DOT commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, "while honoring the character that makes it one of New York City’s most recognizable streets. With the ongoing reconstruction of the train shed, we have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to reimagine this corridor for the next century, and we look forward to engaging with the community to bring this vision to life.”

Read news coverage of the project award in:

• The Architect’s Newspaper
• New York Daily News
• NBC 4 New York
• 6sqft

NYC Parks has officially unveiled the Hart Island Concept Plan, a 20+ year vision for improvements to New York City’s public cemetery in Long Island Sound. Led by Starr Whitehouse for NYC Parks, the concept plan proposes a series of capital projects in response to operational needs and public input, while taking into consideration the ongoing necessity of burial operations on Hart Island.

“For more than 150 years, Hart Island has been an essential part of our city," says NYC Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa. "This concept plan presents a suite of proposals that can improve the physical conditions and resiliency of the island, and provide a better experience for visitors as well as agency staff that manage its daily operations — all through the lens of respectfully honoring those who are laid to rest on this peaceful island.”

Read more about the concept plan in:

NYC Parks’ press release

The Architect’s Newspaper

6sqft

Photo: NYC Parks

Starr Whitehouse and WSP will support the Waterfront Alliance, Coney Island Beautification Project, NYC Parks, and NYC DEP to create a roadmap to resilience for Coney Island Creek. Focusing on public land along the creek's southern edge, the study will link previous and upcoming plans including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ New York-New Jersey Harbor and Tributaries Study (HATS), NYC DEP's upcoming comprehensive coastal resilience plan, Coney Island Beautification Project’s community resilience plan, and previous work by NYC EDC. The team will build on these efforts to create comprehensive goals and strategies, concept designs, and an implementation plan that envisions a greener, more resilient future for this important waterway.

Starr Whitehouse joins S9, Cirrus Workforce Housing, and LCOR to transform Queens' vacant Flushing Airport into 3,000 affordable units and 60 acres of verdant green. Since closing in 1984, Flushing Airport has partially reverted to native wetland. The design protects this emerging habitat, connecting it to the new residential buildings and surrounding neighborhood with low-impact trails and parklike amenity spaces. Selected as the winning bid by NYC EDC, the proposal will create 1,300 construction jobs, 530 permanent positions, and $3.2 billion in economic impact over the next 30 years. Read more about the project award in:

• The Architect's Newspaper
• 6sqft
• AMNY

Hamlin Beach State Park Shoreline Wins Upstate NY ASLA Honor Award

On the southern shore of Lake Ontario, the Hamlin Beach State Park Shoreline Restoration has been awarded New York Upstate ASLA's Honor Award. “The Hamlin Beach project creates a more resilient Lake Ontario shoreline, reduces maintenance requirements, and enhances lakeside ecology, while also enhancing the public’s experience," says Stephen Whitehouse. "We are grateful to NYUASLA for recognizing the Hamlin Beach State Park Shoreline Restoration with a 2025 Honor Award, and to the team at OPRHP for their visionary leadership on this project.”

The project is currently in construction.

Stephen Whitehouse Elevated to ASLA Fellow

The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) has elevated Stephen Whitehouse as one of 50 ASLA Fellows in 2025. “The 2025 Class of ASLA Fellows reflects the very best of landscape architecture—visionary leaders whose work uplifts communities, restores ecosystems, and advances climate-ready design,” said ASLA President Kona Gray, FASLA, PLA.

ASLA Fellows will be elevated at the 2025 Conference on Landscape Architecture in New Orleans.

Kristen Reardon Becomes Principal

We are excited to announce that Kristen Reardon has become our newest firm Principal. As Landscape Architect, Kristen has led design on some of our firm’s most ambitious projects, including the Halletts Point Esplanade, Southwest Resiliency Park Expansion, and The Linc. As Studio Director, she has streamlined workflows and raised production standards across our three offices. Now as Principal, she will be leading project teams at the highest level with her technical knowledge, experience, and vision.

Roswell River Parks Fitness and Adventure Trail

Roswell, GA

Nineteen miles north of Atlanta on the Chattahoochee River, the Fitness and Adventure Trail reclaims a former sand dredging facility for human and environmental health. A nexus of adult fitness, restored habitat, and riverfront seating along Roswell's most used trail, it is the first phase in a system of riverfront parks designed by Starr Whitehouse for the City of Roswell.

Photos by Garey Gomez.