Long-awaited repairs at MacNeil Park on the College Point waterfront are officially underway.
The seawall at MacNeil Park, located along Poppenhusen Avenue between 115th Street and College Place, is being restored in a $5.2 million project carried out by AAH Construction Corporation. Repairs are slated to be completed by August 2019.
Work will be conducted on approximately 1,550 linear feet along the waterfront, according to city Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski.
The city official also noted the project was moving forward after “some setbacks.” AAH Construction Corporation is the third bidder for the project at a higher cost and the plan omits some of the improvements part of the original proposal.
The approximately 28-acre, northern Queens green space is located along the East River and features waterfront views, handball courts and other amenities.
“MacNeil Park has long been an essential recreational resource for the College Point community,” Queens Borough President Melinda Katz said. “The repairs to the MacNeil Park seawall will enable full access to the park’s waterfront to be restored and make the park an even more enjoyable place to visit.”
Plans to repair the wall came together during meetings between the nonprofit Coastal Preservation Network, the city Parks Department and Councilman Paul Vallone’s office.
The councilman called the project a “huge victory for the neighborhood.”
“These repairs have been needed urgently and I applaud the Parks Department for following through on this community request,” Vallone said. “I look forward to continuing to work with the College Point community so that the dream of a vibrant MacNeil Park with waterfront accessibility is fully realized.”
