A stunning new park along the Hudson River waterfront is now open to the public. The Sleepy Hollow RiverWalk at Edge-on-Hudson was formally dedicated to the Village of Sleepy Hollow in a ceremony along the waterfront on October 31, attended by State, County, and local officials. The Halloween day ceremony, appropriate for the Village of Sleepy Hollow which has emerged as one of the country’s most popular Halloween Season destinations, was all treat and no trick – as the park restores access to a section of the Hudson River that has been inaccessible to the community for more than a century. Designed by internationally renowned Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects, the RiverWalk allows visitors to stroll along the waterfront from River Street in Sleepy Hollow as far north as the historic 1883 lighthouse. Phase Two construction of the Sleepy Hollow RiverWalk, which will continue north to Kingsland Point Park, is expected to begin in 2023. A temporary path from the Sleepy Hollow RiverWalk at Edge-on-Hudson to Kingsland Point Park has been established in the meantime.
Sleepy Hollow Mayor Ken Wray commented, “This is truly a historic moment for residents of the Village of Sleepy Hollow who have not had access to this section of the Hudson River shoreline for more than 100 years. We look forward to sharing this new gem with nearby communities and visitors to the region. This new RiverWalk will serve as a gateway to the Hudson Valley and as a welcome new link to our nearby parks, trails and historic attractions.”
The $2 million Sleepy Hollow RiverWalk is a public/private partnership funded by Edge-on-Hudson, a mixed-use, transit-oriented community rising along the waterfront in Sleepy Hollow. The project is supported by a $500,000 Market New York grant from Empire State Development and I LOVE NY/New York State’s Division of Tourism, awarded through the Regional Economic Development Council initiative. Following its dedication, the park is now owned by the Village of Sleepy Hollow.
Empire State Development Vice President and Executive Director of Tourism Ross D. Levi said, “The Hudson Valley is home to some of the most spectacular and picturesque waterfront scenery that welcomes visitors from around the world and encourages guests and residents alike to explore the outdoors. The Sleepy Hollow RiverWalk is the latest addition and will invite even more people to come be a part of it and find what they love along the Hudson River.”
The Sleepy Hollow RiverWalk will be enhanced with adjacent amenities including a waterfront restaurant, a recreation pier, the area’s first waterfront hotel, a DeCicco & Sons Market, and more – as the Edge-on-Hudson development proceeds. Edge-on-Hudson is set to include 1,177 units of housing; a 140-room boutique hotel; 135,000 square feet of retail space and 35,000 square feet of office space, in addition to more than 16 acres of parkland. More than 250 units of housing are already occupied at Edge-on-Hudson, ranging from townhomes and condominium residences to market-rate and affordable housing rental apartments.
Edge-on-Hudson is led by master developers Biddle Real Estate Ventures (BREV) and PCD Development, LLC (PCD). Landscape architects Nelson Byrd Woltz designed the RiverWalk, working in conjunction with the Village of Sleepy Hollow Public Space Council. Additional planning and engineering services were provided by DTS Provident.
Nelson Byrd Woltz’ design for the first phase of the Sleepy Hollow RiverWalk features two distinct sections of Promenade and Overlook. The Promenade features a path network, inspired by the Fordham Gneiss geology beneath the surface, as well as a series of plazas and lawns. The Overlook offers a rise with amphitheater-style seating and expansive views of the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge and Manhattan skyline to the south, and to Hook Mountain and the scenic cliffs of the Palisades to the north.
Thomas Woltz, Principal, Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects, said, “This graceful RiverWalk draws on the industrial and ecological history of the Edge-on-Hudson site to afford residents and visitors a variety of experiences – from moments of quiet contemplation to truly exhilarating views across the Hudson River.”
Peter Chavkin, Founder of BREV, commented, “We’re so pleased to open this new park ahead of the original timeline envisioned for the project. We’re grateful to New York State for supporting the construction of the RiverWalk, and for the Village of Sleepy Hollow’s participation in planning, allowing us to accelerate its completion.”
Jonathan Stein, Founder of PCD, added, “This new RiverWalk will be a treasured amenity not only for residents of Edge-on-Hudson, but for residents in Sleepy Hollow, Westchester County and surrounding communities, as well as for visitors from New York City and beyond.”
