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NYCHA Harborview Terrace Unveils $3.8M Resident-Led Open Space Renovation

architecture-design · 2026-08-18

The open areas at NYCHA's Harborview Terrace Houses in Hell's Kitchen have been fully revamped, with a hefty investment of $3.8 million across 33,000 square feet. This project wrapped up in under sixteen months and was a team effort between The Pershing Square Foundation, the Public Housing Community Fund, NYCHA, and Grain Collective, all while taking residents' input seriously. New amenities now include a community garden, a multi-level plaza, a playground, and an outdoor gym designed by Kompan. NYCHA's CEO Lisa Bova-Hiatt and PHCF's Alex Zablocki praised the project's beneficial effects on health. This effort is part of the Connected Communities initiative, building on a $200,000 grant for a sports area in 2023, benefiting around 600 residents and featuring murals by Laura Alvarez.

Key facts

  • The $3.8 million renovation of NYCHA Harborview Terrace Houses open space was unveiled.
  • Partners include The Pershing Square Foundation, Public Housing Community Fund, NYCHA, and Grain Collective.
  • Approximately 33,000 square feet of open space was transformed at the Hell's Kitchen campus.
  • New features include an intergenerational plaza, playground, outdoor gym, and upgraded community garden.
  • The first phase, completed in 2023, added a 20,000-square-foot sports zone funded by a $200,000 grant.
  • Murals by artist Laura Alvarez were funded by Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi.
  • The project used the Connected Communities framework and was led by residents through a participatory design process.
  • Grain Collective principal Runit Chhaya said the project was completed in under sixteen months.

Entities

Artists

  • Bill Ackman
  • Neri Oxman
  • Alex Zablocki
  • Lisa Bova-Hiatt
  • Runit Chhaya
  • Maria Guzman
  • Laura Alvarez
  • Kwame Onwuachi

Institutions

  • The Pershing Square Foundation
  • Pershing Square Philanthropies
  • Public Housing Community Fund
  • New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)
  • Grain Collective
  • Harborview Terrace Houses Resident Association
  • Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
  • Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi
  • Project Find
  • SPEC Play
  • Kompan
  • Landscape Forms

Locations

  • Hell's Kitchen
  • Harborview Terrace Houses
  • New York City
  • United States
  • West 55th Street
  • West 56th Street
  • Tenth Avenue
  • Project Find's Older Adult Center

Sources