WILLIAMSBURG -- Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Borough President Marty Markowitz and Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe Monday broke ground on the first phase of Bushwick Inlet Park on Kent Avenue between North 9th and North 10th Streets.

This is the first section of the 28-acre Bushwick Inlet Park, envisioned in the 2005 waterfront rezoning of Greenpoint and Williamsburg, and it is part of Mayor Bloomberg’s broader effort to transform the city’s waterfront and open it up to all New Yorkers.

“Across all five boroughs we’re working to bring our waterfront back to life, and Bushwick Inlet Park will be the latest, but not the last, new park we’re bringing to this part of Brooklyn,� said Bloomberg. “With thoughtful design and planning we are creating new open space in a former industrial area and revitalizing growing communities. Once completed, Bushwick Inlet Park, along with adjacent East River State Park and several public esplanades in residential developments to the south and north, will create contiguous open space along the shore for New Yorkers to enjoy.�

The first phase of Bushwick Inlet Park will include the construction of a synthetic turf multi-purpose field for soccer, football, lacrosse, field hockey, rugby and frisbee. Funded with $7.1 million from the city, the field lies from North 9th Street to North 10th Street, between Kent Avenue and the East River. The site, a former rental car storage lot, is situated at the southern end of the planned park, and is adjacent to East River State Park. The first phase of the park is expected to be completed in winter 2010.

Construction on the park’s second phase will begin early next year and is expected to open in summer 2011. Funded with $22.6 million from the city, the second phase will create public waterfront access, a playground and a new sustainable building with community and Parks maintenance space. Serving as a gateway at North Ninth Street, the building will feature a number of innovative designs including a green roof with a shade structure composed of photovoltaic cells that will provide solar energy to power the building. The building is designed to accommodate community art exhibitions, community meetings and public programming, a kitchen for catering public events, public comfort stations and Parks district headquarters.

The 28-acre planned Bushwick Inlet Park is comprised of six lots, all of which are now mapped parkland. Two of the three sites comprising the southern three blocks of the park have already been acquired and those two sites total 6.4 acres.

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