At a former industrial compound in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, the next hit show is being filmed on a sprawling soundstage while butterflies fly through a meadow of wildflowers on the roof. Kingsland Wildflowers is a collaborative sustainability project occupying multiple rooftops at the headquarters of Broadway Stages, one of New York’s largest film and television production companies. Located along Newtown Creek, a Superfund site contaminated by a massive oil spill and the pollution of dozens of 19th-century oil refineries and other industries that once populated the area, this green roof represents the progress of ecological restoration.
Courtesy of Newtown Creek Alliance
On October 8th, Untapped New York members went on a behind-the-scenes tour of Kingsland Wildflowers led by Willis Elkins, Executive Director of the Newtown Creek Alliance! Join the next exclusive member-event by joining at the Insider tier or higher. Sign up today and get 10 days free!
Kingsland Wildflowers was born in 2015 when Brooklyn landscape design company Alive Structures partnered with Broadway Stages, Newtown Creek Alliance, and NYC Audubon to create the 25,000-square-foot green roof habitat. The project was funded by Broadway Stages and the Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund (GCEF), a grant from the New York State Attorney General’s Office and the Department of Environmental Conservation created from a settlement between the State and ExxonMobil.
The expansive green roof is populated by native grasses and perennial flowers. As you walk the meandering stone paths, you might see purple Beebalm, orange Butterfly Weed, bright yellow Blackeyed Susans, and pink Swamp Milkweed. This habitat is a welcome respite for birds, pollinators, and even bats. You can see all of the different forms of life that have been observed in the garden here!
Courtesy of Newtown Creek Alliance
Green roofs aren’t just pretty to look at, they have a real positive impact on the environment and the buildings they blanket. First, they help save energy by providing extra insulation. In urban centers like New York City, they help to the urban heat island effect. Green roofs improve the quality of the air and absorb stormwater to help prevent sewage overflow, a feature especially important at this site along Newtown Creek.
Kingsland Wildflowers is open to the public during public events like the Annual Kingsland Wildflowers Festival, and by appointment. Join Untapped New York Insiders for a behind-the-scenes tour on October 8th where we’ll learn more about the meadow, the area’s history, and how spaces like this make the future more green!
Nicole Saraniero is the Insider-in-Chief at Untapped New York, leading our Untapped New York Insiders membership program. Nicole graduated from Hofstra University with a Bachelor of Science in Televis
