What Gotham Park does

Gotham Park (legally Brooklyn Bridge Manhattan Inc., d/b/a Gotham Park) is a New York State 501(c)(3) public charity founded in 2021 that reopens, revitalizes, and reactivates the underused spaces beneath the Manhattan landing of the Brooklyn Bridge. Co-founded by community advocates Rosa Chang, Steve Rodriguez, Rob Magliaro, and Nancy Kong in response to a decade of closure, the organization operates as the City's nonprofit Plaza Partner, raising 100% of the funds needed to clean, beautify, and activate the site through free public programming. The park currently spans approximately four open acres of the planned nine-acre footprint and includes the restored Brooklyn Banks skate facility, recreational courts, gardens, plaza space, and event areas, with three additional acres scheduled to open.

The core offering is free public access and free programming (yoga, Zumba, skateboarding lessons, gardening, cultural events), with no paid pricing tier; revenue is generated entirely through tax-deductible donations (individuals, corporate founding-circle sponsors), government grants, and corporate sponsorships. Notable funding includes a $50M NYC capital commitment announced in June 2025, a $2M federal Reconnecting Communities grant (March 2025), a New York State Downtown Revitalization Initiative award (December 2022), and contributions from founding-circle donors including Trinity Church NYC, The Skatepark Project (Tony Hawk), and the Brosterman family. The organization runs an 11-50 person team across operations, programming, and development, supplemented by paid youth ambassadors and volunteers.

Planned expansions include a Community Hub, Brooklyn Bridge Museum, New York Public Library branch, and Maker Space inside the bridge's vault spaces, with the organization running educational and design-build programs alongside Pace University, Fashion Institute of Technology, Urban Assembly Maker Academy, and Arup. Stakeholder distribution includes deep ties to NYC DOT, federal and state representatives, adjacent neighborhood organizations (Welcome to Chinatown, Park Row Alliance), and corporate partners (Vans, The Skatepark Project). The user base is split across local residents (47,000+ within a 1/2-mile radius), seniors, youth, athletes and skateboarders, students, and the roughly 19,000 daily pedestrians crossing the Brooklyn Bridge.

Name

Gotham Park

Legal name

Brooklyn Bridge Manhattan Inc.

Website

https://gothampark.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Gotham Park is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that reopens and reactivates public space beneath the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge, delivering free programming, sports courts, and the restored Brooklyn Banks skate facility to Lower Manhattan residents, seniors, youth, and visitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Park Management and Community Space Activation

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

akta.pro primary industry

Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH)

Keywords

• Public space management
• Community programming
• Nonprofit park operations
• Urban revitalization
• Public plaza activation

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tax-deductible donations: Individual and corporate donations from the public and supporters to support community stewardship, intergenerational gardening and environmental engagement programs, youth internships, wellness programs, cultural events, and park maintenance.
2. Government funding and grants: City funding ($50 million announced by Mayor Adams), federal grants ($2 million Reconnecting Communities grant from Senators Schumer and Gillibrand), and state funding (Downtown Revitalization Initiative Award from Governor Hochul).
3. Corporate sponsorships: Support from founding circle members including Master Alchemists (Betty Kay, Jonathan and Elizabeth Lewinsohn, Trinity Church NYC), Alchemists (Natalie and Ed Emerson, Brewster Pettus, The Skatepark Project), Catalysts (The Brosterman Family), and various Benefactors and Allies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Gotham Park is a nonprofit organization that reopens, revitalizes, and reactivates public spaces under the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge, operating a 9-acre planned public park with the first 4 acres open as of 2025. The organization provides free recreational amenities including the historic Brooklyn Banks skate facility, sports courts, and green space, along with free community programming such as yoga, Zumba, gardening, wellness activities, and cultural events. As NYC's nonprofit Plaza Partner, Gotham Park raises 100% of funds through donations, grants, and corporate sponsorships to clean, beautify, and activate the public space.

Product overview

Gotham Park is a nonprofit grassroots organization operating a public park under the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge. The organization offers a core public space product spanning 9 planned acres with recreational amenities including the historic Brooklyn Banks skate facility, sports courts, and green space. The park provides free community programming including yoga, Zumba, skateboarding lessons, and cultural events. Planned offerings include a Community Hub, Brooklyn Bridge Museum, New York Public Library branch, and Maker Space within the bridge's vault spaces. The organization also runs the GRooP Project - a community-designed environmental sustainability initiative with multi-use planters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Gotham Park Public Space A 9-acre nonprofit public park under the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge featuring recreational amenities, community programming, and open green space spanning from Park Row to South Street, serving local residents and visitors free of charge.
• Brooklyn Banks Skate Facility Iconic skate spot and cultural touchstone for the New York skate and action sports community since 1972, featuring the legendary 'Big Banks' and 'Small Banks' skateboarding areas, including a 9-stair feature.
• Recreation Courts Outdoor sports facilities including basketball, pickleball, handball, and shuffleboard courts available for free public use at Gotham Park.
• Free Community Programs and Events Free classes, events, and community meet-ups including yoga, Zumba, skateboarding lessons, gardening, wellness programming, and cultural events offered regularly at the park.
• GRooP (Grass Roots Planters) Project Community-designed multi-use planters developed with Urban Assembly Maker Academy students for stormwater filtration, seating, and skate-friendly edges under bridge overpasses, supporting environmental resiliency.

Quantifiable outcome

• $1.4 billion in projected revenue for surrounding business districts
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Mayor Eric Adams AdministrationcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 5 June 2025Mayor Eric Adams opened the first acre of Gotham Park on May 24, 2023 and hosted ribbon-cutting ceremonies in 2024 and 2025. The administration announced $50 million in additional funding as part of FY2026 budget.
• The Skatepark Project (Tony Hawk)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 January 2023Tony Hawk's The Skatepark Project partnered with Gotham Park to develop and restore the Brooklyn Banks skate space. Benjamin Anderson Bashein, CEO of The Skatepark Project, serves on Gotham Park's Board of Directors. The partnership has been instrumental in bringing back the historic skate spot after more than a decade of disuse.
• Welcome to ChinatowncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWelcome to Chinatown, led by Co-Founder & CEO Vic Lee who serves as Gotham Park's Secretary, co-funded the Social and Economic Impact Analysis and supports community programming including Lunar New Year celebrations.
• HR&A AdvisorscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHR&A Advisors, led by Partner Bret Collazzi who serves on Gotham Park's Board, prepared the detailed Social and Economic Impact Analysis projecting $1.4 billion in revenue for surrounding business districts.
• NYC Department of TransportationcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNYC DOT is the primary city agency partner for the park project, with Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez participating in grant announcements. The city opened initial park spaces and continues to support development.
• VansmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerVans partnered with The Skatepark Project and Gotham Park for Go Skate Day events and restoration efforts, providing support for community skateboarding programming.
• Pace UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPace University's Environmental Studies department, led by Professors Monica Palta and Perl Egendorf, uses Gotham Park as a living laboratory for student research. Students conduct soil, air, and water quality testing and present findings to the organization.
• Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFIT's Graduate Program in Exhibition and Experience Design collaborated with Gotham Park on wayfinding and placemaking design projects. Students created branded graphic design packages and presented to the Gotham Park team.
• Urban Assembly Maker AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUrban Assembly Maker Academy students participate in the GRooP (Grass Roots Planters) project, designing and building multi-use planters for the park. Students receive paid internship stipends through NYC Department of Education.
• Arup EngineerscoreTechnology or IntegrationArup engineers led students in bringing GRooP designs to life in full scale during Fall 2023. The 3-month design-build prototype project resulted in three full-scale wood and foam models.
• Bloomberg AssociatescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMegan Sheekey and Andy Wiley-Schwartz from Bloomberg Associates serve on Gotham Park's Brain Trust advisory group, providing strategic guidance.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Prospect Park Alliance: Nonprofit that manages and fundraises for Brooklyn's 526-acre Prospect Park in partnership with NYC Parks. Comparable operating model as a private nonprofit raising capital and running free programming for a large NYC park serving dense adjacent neighborhoods.
• Friends of the High Line: NYC nonprofit conservancy that maintains and programs the High Line, an elevated linear park built through a public-private partnership with NYC. Highly comparable to Gotham Park's nonprofit Plaza Partner model, free public programming, fundraising-driven operations, and iconic New York City location.
• Hudson River Park Trust: NYC public-benefit corporation that operates the 4-mile Hudson River Park through a state-city partnership. Comparable in scale and model as a mixed government/nonprofit operator delivering a long linear urban waterfront park with free public programming and capital-project delivery.
• Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy: Nonprofit that operates, programs, and fundraises for Brooklyn Bridge Park, the most directly adjacent peer given the geographic and branding overlap with the Brooklyn Bridge. Highly comparable mission of activating a large NYC waterfront public space through community programming and donor support.
• Bryant Park Corporation: Private nonprofit that manages and programs Bryant Park under a long-term agreement with NYC. Operates free public programming, sponsorship-supported events, and recreational amenities in a dense Manhattan business district — directly comparable to Gotham Park's community-led stewardship and free programming of a large downtown public space.
• Riverside Park Conservancy: NYC nonprofit that maintains and programs Riverside Park along Manhattan's west side in partnership with NYC Parks. Comparable mission of fundraising, volunteer engagement, and free programming for a large linear Manhattan public park serving dense neighborhoods.

Broad incumbents

• The Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit that works with communities and public agencies to protect land and create parks. Comparable in mission and nonprofit PPP park-development model, but operates at national scale across many cities rather than a single site.
• Central Park Conservancy: The largest NYC park conservancy, responsible for restoring and maintaining Central Park in partnership with NYC. Comparable as an established nonprofit-PPP park operator but at far greater scale, capital base, and brand maturity than Gotham Park.

Others

• Lower Manhattan Cultural Council: NYC nonprofit arts organization operating artist residencies, public programming, and cultural initiatives in Lower Manhattan. Comparable as a Lower Manhattan nonprofit providing free public programming and cultural activation; Gotham Park's Senior Manager of Plaza Operations previously worked at LMCC.

Emerging players

• The Skatepark Project: Tony Hawk Foundation spin-off nonprofit that funds and advocates for free, public skateparks across the U.S. Directly comparable as a strategic partner of Gotham Park (CEO sits on the board), with overlapping focus on preserving skateboarding infrastructure and youth recreation access.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/gothamparknyc
• Xx.com/gothamparknyc
• Facebookfacebook.com/gothamparknyc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gothamparknyc

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Gotham Park