This document summarizes Elisabetta Di Stefano's research into preserving Floyd Bennett Field as a historic landmark. Through attending conferences, meeting with stakeholders, and researching past proposals, she identified the need to increase visibility and community involvement to advocate for the field's preservation. Di Stefano plans to reach out to more groups, draft proposals to non-profits, and explore the field's history to further her efforts.

1. Elisabetta Di Stefano
Pratt Institute Fall 2011
DES-660 Directed Research

2. In addition to the preliminary research, I made sure Canzanelli, NPS Gateway Rec Area Superintendent, who,
to take advantage of opportunities that lends itself to in turn, introduced me to National Park Ranger David
learning more about the field. One of those opportunities Taft. Taft led the boat tour of the Bay on Day 2. I also
included the State of the Bay: Jamaica Bay Symposium met Anthony Pignatello, Commodore of the Sebago
held at Brooklyn College. Floyd Bennett Field resides Canoe Club, located in Paedergat Basin in the Bay.
in Jamaica Bay and is directly affected by the state of Pignatello introduced me to Vivian Rattay Carter, a
the bay. Throughout the Symposium, I kept thinking, columnist for The Wave, Rockaway’s newspaper since
as Christopher Simmons would say, “Designers should 1893. While photographing images to post on my Blog
have a seat at the roundtable.” About a year ago, I heard ( http://thesis.elisabetta.me, See Fig. 1), I had a conversa-
Simmons speak at the AIGA Compostmodern Confer- tion with Peter I. May, Senior Environment Scientist/
ence and his presentation left me questioning our role Restoration Ecologist from Biohabitats. His presentation
as designers. From Day 1, the symposium was directed on Day 1 demonstrated how moved people are by ideas
to scientists, marine biologists and key leaders with the that engage community, design, science and education.
discussion turning on topics and strategies to improve The State of the Bay Symposium is an illustration of the
Jamaica Bay (FBF is adjacent to the Bay). Unrepresented benefits of cross-disciplinary collaboration, a method of
in this discussion was the community involvement as design which I intend to further explore for my thesis.
In order to foster the growth and preservation of a his- own extensive research I found that the space has been well as the design and art perspective to articulate these
torical landmark such as, Floyd Bennett Field, a designer proposed to be used for numerous things all of which are issues. I have had thoughtful interactions with a range
must engage the interest of various constituencies which not aligned with NPS standards and ideals, but most of all of concerned people. I introduced myself to Linda
include public, private and non-governmental organiza- do not preserve the history.
tions. Throughout this semester I have been collecting
information on those parties that show enthusiasm in The first proposal was done by Commissioner, Charles J.
this subject. However, the search does not limit me from Urstadt in 1969 titled: “A Total Residential Community”.
further pursuits in attracting more individuals and/or In retrospect to the newspaper articles, (Daily News, New
groups with a similar passion, perseverance, and focus. York Times, NY Newsday that I have cited from the 1970’s),
Who would have thought that a bike ride can lead to a this proposal took wind of much criticism. The Urstadt
discovery of such a wonderful open space? proposal was considered to be a long term dream to
solve a short term problem. The problem was the amount
A majority of Floyd Bennett Field has been an unresolved of homeless people in Brooklyn at the time and to have
design problem ever since it became a part of Gateway this low-income residential community was a far stretch
National Recreation Area, owned by the National Park to accomplish. The second proposal for the field, which
Service. In efforts to create a viable identity for Floyd had been rejected quickly, was to convert the field into a
Bennett Field, I have come to realize that many areas prison. This was pushed by Mayor Koch back in 1986 and
of expertise are required in order to create one that is I am happy that it was widely opposed. Other proposals
timeless. While deserving preservation for its rich role in included: Converting part of the field as a racetrack and
the History of Aviation alone, FBF is also part of Gateway the other was a report done by Floyd Bennett Field Blue
National Park which is under the aegis of the National Ribbon Panel granting a proposal with various uses
Park Service (NPS). Prior to ownership of the Depart- ( see: FBF Blue Ribbon Panel Report: http://www.rpa.org/
ment of Interior, FBF was used by the Navy. Through my floydbennett/ )

3. Secondly, I also reached out to students, teachers, and be interested in the historic preservation of FBF. While I Pratt Institute [Contacts] National Park Service [Contacts] Community + Jamaica Bay interest
administrators regarding this topic at our own school, am still unraveling the depth of my pursuit, it is indeed a
Pratt Institute. The School of Architecture’s attention project that one can not be bored with researching! John Shapiro | Chair of City & Richard Barrett | Program Manager Peter I. May, Ph.D. | Biohabitats
was captured very quickly with the scale of this “park”. Regional Planning Graduate Program at New York Harbor Parks Senior Environmental Scientist
Pratt Institute Office 718-354-4613 410.554.0156
A student in the 5 year program for Architecture, Brian In summary, I have discovered what is needed in order
Cell 646-739-5790 www.biohabitats.com
Schulman, is interested in proposing something for the to preserve this space is the visibility of it’s existence. In
Jaime Stein | Visiting Assistant
field and collaborating along side with me. Further- efforts to increase its visibility, I would reach out to the Professor., Academic Coordinator. Christopher Parsons | Architect Vivian R. Carter | Journalist
more, I have been in constant communication with John list of various constituencies and also draft proposals Design Management., Grad Center Project Management Division Columnist for the Wave, Rockaway’s
Shapiro, Chair of City & Regional Planning Graduate to non-profits that advocate for spaces such as this. for Planning Gateway National Recreation Area newspaper since 1893
210 New York Avenue vcarter@nyc.rr.com
Program at the Pratt Institute. John Shapiro coordinates Simultaneously, I will further explore the history of the
Lacey Tauber | Assistant to the Chair- Staten Island, New York 10305
the Programs for Sustainable Planning and Develop- Highline and other projects similar to advocating for his- office 718.354.4727
person (John Shapiro), Professor at
ment, which includes the Historic Preservation, Urban torical preservation or revival. One that I have explored Grad Center for Planning, School of cell 917.295.7136
Environmental Management, and Construction/Facili- already was Grafik Intervention. The project had caught Architecture, Pratt Institute Steve Salgo | Park Ranger
ties Management Programs. He’s been incredibly helpful my attention and in turn I automatically reached out to Public Affairs Office
with resources to further pursue my endeavors for the William Culpepper who is now a professor at Ferris State Anthony Cardonna | Professor Gateway NRA
University. The project called “Grafik Intervention” was Undergraduate Architecture, School of Phone: 718-354-4602
field. See attached for list of all the people, groups, and
Architecture, Pratt Institute Fax: 718-354-4605
resources I already communicated with and/or will be in created for Professor Culpepper’s MFA thesis at the
steve_salgo@nps.gov
communication with. Academy of Art University. We had a skype conversation
Jenny Lee | Adjunct Professor
about my project and he gave me excellent feedback and Fine Arts Department Emina (Minka) Sendich | Planner
Lastly, I have also paid visit to Hanger 8 where it’s labeled recommendations for rapid prototyping, getting involved Gateway NPS
with events that are already sponsored in the area and 718.354.4628
as H.A.R.P. (Historical Aircraft Restoration Project). Brian Schulman | Student
They are open to the public on Tuesdays and Saturdays trying to reach out to the community at those events. School of Architecture
from 9:00am–4:00pm. ( See Fig. 2) The conditions of this ( see: http://vimeo.com/grafikintervention/introducing)
hanger are very poor. The roof leaks and the windows
are not fully repaired leaving the workers and visitors
Other [Contacts] Politicians [Contacts] NON-Profit Organizations
freezing cold in the fall/winter. The workers are volun-
Joseph P. Addabbo Jr | NY Senator
teers and most are veterans. They are over 65 years old at The Design Trust for Public Space
William Culpepper | Professor at 15th Senate District
least. The man who gave me a tour was thrilled to see my is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
Ferris State University http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/
dedicated to improving public space in
interest in the place and really would love for the youth to MFA Academy of Art University joseph-p-addabbo-jr/contact
New York City.
Thesis: Grafik Intervention
http://www.designtrust.org
http://grafikintervention.com
Marty Markowitz | Brooklyn
Borough President Place Matters
209 Joralemon Street City Lore & the Municipal Art Society
Brooklyn, NY 11201 founded the Place Matters project in
718-802-3700 1998 to identify, promote, and protect
Robert L. Turner such places in New York City.
Republican http://www.placematters.net/
New York District 9
Edolphus Towns
Democrat
New York District 10
Yvette D. Clarke
Democrat
New York District 11

4. Fig. 1 Fig. 1

5. Fig. 2 Fig. 2

6. 1970’s Newspaper Articles 12/17/11 12:18 PM
Work Cited
Kline, Polly “City Agencies Set Meeting On Use of Bennett Field” Daily News
22 April 1970
Shipler, David K. “1-Billion State Development Plan For Floyd Bennett Field Scored by
City” New York Times 25 May 1970
“Volpe backs General Aviation Use of Floyd Bennett Field” New York Times
20 April 1970
“Housing at No Cost to City Proposed at Bennett Field” Daily News 25 May 1970
Kline, Polly “Bennett a Golconda: Urstadt” Daily News 25 Nov. 1970
Kline, Polly “Calls Subway Link to Floyd Bennett Impossible Dream” Daily News
27 November 1970
Kline, Polly “Group seeks Nixon’s Nix on Bennett Field Housing” Daily News
11 Jan. 1971
Greene, Mel “Bennett Housing Plan Meets Flak” Daily News 12 Jan. 1971
Kline, Polly ”Urstadt Rips Plan to Use Bennett Field for Relievers” Daily News
19 Feb. 1971
Layton, Preston and Frank Mazza “Sees Housing Plan, park at Airport as ‘Compatible’’
Daily News 28 June 1971
Morritz, Owen “State makes a new pitch for Floyd Bennett Housing” Daily News
15 May 1972
”Local Plan Chiefs, Sharoff sue to ban Floyd Housing” Daily News 15 May 1972
”Bennett Housing Foes off to Capital” NY Newsday 21 Sept. 1972

7. Silverman, Berton ”Housing at Floyd Bennett Nearing Showdown Vote” New York
Times 24 Sept. 1972
McCardell, Michael ”Dispute on Floyd Bennett may keep park up in air” Daily News
16 April 1973
Kline, Polly ”Gateway Park moving toward Reality” Daily News 8 Jan. 1974
Lane, Robert ”U.S. Launches in depth survey of our shoreline” Daily News 14 Oct.
1973
McCardell, Michael ”Cops Rehearsed the hostage bit, but for Naught” Daily News
22 Jan. 1973
”Rep. Holtzman assailed over Bennett air field” Daily News 15 May 1973
”Floyd Bennett astronomy day” Daily News 11 April 1979

8. 1980’s Newspaper Articles 12/17/11 12:18 PM
”50 Years For Floyd Bennett” New York Times 22 May 1981
Copage, Eric V. ”Bennett Field Development is proposed” Daily News 8 Jan. 1982
Chira, Susan “$25 million Development for Floyd Bennett Field” New York Times
13 Jan. 1982
Rabin, Bernard ”Fete to mark milestone in flight” Daily News 30 Jan. 1986
Moses, Paul ”Koch wants Stockades for Crack Dealers” NY Newsday 21 August 1986
Fleming, Robert “Prison at airfield’s widely opposed” Daily News 17 Dec. 1986
“Gardeners Youngsters Enjoy Festival” NY Newsday 29 Aug. 1988
Weiner, Caryn Eve “Making Ideas Fly at Airport: Development sought for Floyd
Bennett Field” NY Newsday 4 Jan. 1989
Weiner, Caryn Eve “Making Ideas for Air Field in Call for Initial Plans” NY Newsday 3
Feb. 1989

9. 1990’s Newspaper Articles 12/17/11 12:18 PM
1990’s
Thomson, Sheila “Renewing the Meadows” NY Newsday 11 Feb. 1993
Queen, Joseph W. “Brooklyn Eyed as Radar Site” NY Newsday 27 Jan. 1995
Fuentes, Annette “Weather station radar is feared” Daily News 1 Feb. 1995
McG. Thomas Jr., Robert “Douglas Corrigan 88, Dies; Wrong Way Trip was the right
way to Celebrity as an Aviator” New York Times 14 Dec. 1995
Cohen, Mark Francis “Precision, Pride, and Plastic” New York Times 28 April 1996
“Military copters head out” Daily News 18 May 1998
Superville, Denisa R. “Brooklyn’s Best-Kept Secret is Blooming at Floyd Bennett Field”
Park Slope Courier 13 Sept. 1999

10. 2000’s Newspaper Articles 12/17/11 12:18 PM
2000’s
Farrell, Bill “Hangars eyed for rec site” Daily News 20 May 2011
Rayer, Anne “In Brooklyn, Lasagna Gardening (No Pasta)” New York Times 18 Aug.
2002
Maisel, Todd “Firm Commitment” Daily News 23 Sept. 2002
Woodberry Jr., Warren “Airport Radar to Aid Safety” Daily News 7 Feb. 2003
“Historic Desolate Floyd Bennett Field to be Reborn as Recreation Center” Brooklyn
Daily Eagle 23 April 2003
Farrell, Bill “Sports Complex for Gateway” Daily News 3 June 2003
Silverbush, Ben “Plans for $15 million Sports Complex at Floyd Bennett Field
Unveiled” Brooklyn Daily Eagle 3 June 2003
Silverbush, Ben “Surprise! Surprising Sports Complex Plan For Empty Airfield Now
Controversial” Brooklyn Daily Eagle 4 June 2003
Silverbush, Ben “Weiner, Federal Parks Official Defend Gateway Sports Complex”
Brooklyn Daily Eagle 5 June 2003
Hayes, Elizabeth and David Saltonstall “Revved up over Bennett FIeld Auto Race Plan”
Daily News 25 April 2006
Geberer, Raanan “Floyd Bennett Field” Brooklyn Daily Eagle 27 April 2006

11. Books 12/17/11 12:18 PM
BOOKS
Stoft, Joshua Images Of Aviation: John F. Kennedy International Airport United States:
Arcadia Publishing, 2009
Baiter, Richard Lower Manhattan Waterfront 1979
Quinn, Judith A. The Administration Building (The Ryan Center) Gateway National
Recreational Area Floyd Bennett Bennett Field University of Michegan: 2000
Grant, R.G. Flight: The Complete History Ed. Dominick A. Pisano. New York: DK
Publishing, 2007

12. Pamphlet | .PDF’s 12/17/11 12:18 PM
Pamphlet | .PDF’s
A Total Residential Community. Commissioner, Charles J. Urstadt A Total Residential
Community: Floyd Bennett Field New York: 1969
United States. New York City Department of Transportation. Reconstruction of Seven
Bridges Sept 2011 < >