10. This Part of the Island Used to Have a Burger King

It’s pretty well-known that Governors Island used to have a Burger King (and Motel 6 and bowling alleys), part of the amenities for the Coast Guard and visiting families. As we walked through this portion park, our guides Meagan O’Neil and Will Johnson pointed out the spot where the Burger King used to be. It was the only Burger King in the chain that sold beer. According to the Governors Island blog, a pitcher of beer was a cool $3.99 and 32 ounces went for $2.10. The Coast Guard was on Governors Island for three decades from 1966 to 1996.

In his 2016 State of the City speech, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the City would start a comprehensive redevelopment of Governors Island to turn it into a year-round destination that would combine educational, non-profit and commercial uses – an “innovation campus.” Many of the buildings in the Historic District would be repurposed and an additional 33 acres of land would be developed on the western and eastern parts of Governors Island. There’s still a long way to go though , as the redevelopment needs to go through public feedback and master planning stages.

Check out more photographs below from our Behind the Scenes tour of The Hills on Governors Island and join us for more explorations!