New Renderings Revealed For BIG'S Four-Skyscraper Freedom Plaza Master Plan In Murray Hill, Manhattan
Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has unveiled new renderings of a proposed mixed-use casino development in Murray Hill, Manhattan. The development, called Freedom Plaza, would consist of two residential skyscrapers, two hotel towers, a waterfront park, a below-grade casino, and a museum. The property is located on First Avenue between East 38th and East 41st Streets.
New Renderings Revealed
Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has released updated renderings of its proposal for Freedom Plaza, a mixed-use casino development in Murray Hill, Manhattan. The project is a collaboration between The Soloviev Group and Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment.
The development would encompass two residential skyscrapers, two hotel towers, a waterfront park, a below-grade casino, and a museum. The property, located on First Avenue between East 38th and East 41st Streets, is the largest undeveloped plot in Manhattan and spans 6.5 acres.
The new renderings showcase the design of the towers, which feature reflective glass curtain walls, aluminum and bronze-hued paneling, and landscaped roof decks. The residential skyscrapers have rectangular massings, while the hotel towers have a unique design, with two perpendicular towers that curve 90 degrees at the top and meet in a cantilevering sky bridge.
Landscaped Waterfront Park
In addition to the towers, the development plans include a 4.77-acre public waterfront park designed by OJB Landscape Architecture. The park will offer panoramic views of Long Island City and Hunters Point's skyline across the East River. Amenities in the park will include a dog run, a large green lawn, a children's playground, and an open-air amphitheater.
The park will also house the Museum of Freedom and Democracy, retail shops and restaurants, a food market, community facilities, a bandshell for outdoor performances, and a daycare center. The design of the museum is inspired by the form of a Möbius strip, with outdoor walkways leading to an open-air amphitheater at the center point.
The aim is to create a vibrant and engaging public space that caters to both residents and visitors, while also preserving and highlighting the natural beauty of the waterfront.
Redevelopment of a Vacant Site
The proposed Freedom Plaza development would repurpose a vacant 6-acre site that has been unused for the past two decades. The site, nicknamed the 'First Avenue Mud Pit,' was previously home to the Con Edison Waterside Power Plant before its decommissioning and demolition.
Over the years, several redevelopment proposals for the site were made but never realized. The current outdoor public art exhibit, called 'Field of Lights,' has temporarily transformed the site into a dusk and nighttime event space with illuminated pathways. The exhibition opened in December 2023 and is scheduled to run until December 2024.
The Soloviev Group, the developer behind Freedom Plaza, aims to secure one of the gaming licenses from Albany to construct a casino as part of the complex. If approved, the casino would be located below street level beneath one of the hotel towers. The developers also have plans to make the entire development net-zero carbon.
