Transcript: Mayor Adams Invests $50 Million to Further Revitalize "The Arches," Public Space on Manhattan Side of Brooklyn Bridge

June 5, 2025

First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro: Alright, let's get started, ladies and gentlemen. This is my kind of crowd, New Yorkers who are happy to open a park. And we have this gentleman to thank for it. 

Well, this is a very special day and a long time coming. You know what makes New York so great? We make places that are affordable and where quality of life can thrive. And what better than that than to create a beautiful park right here under our iconic Brooklyn Bridge and a great skating park. I see a lot of skaters here. 

So we're going to hear from many people today. A few thank yous first. First, to Rosa Chang. Gotham Park, hundreds of you volunteering for years to make this a reality. And today, it is real, it is here. Enjoy it and enjoy it for many years to come. Thank you, Rosa. 

And working hand in glove with the Skate Park Association. And we'll be hearing more from them, Tony Hawk and his team. Thank you, guys. We'll be hearing from you more. And now, the man of the hour who made it all possible, who said, let's make it happen now, our mayor, Eric Adams.

Mayor Eric Adams: Thank you so much. And I recall, like it was yesterday, when Rosa and her crew, who were with you that day? A couple of folks came in and they talked about this, about the beautiful space, the possibility of turning it into a park and also the possibility of making sure it could be a space for skateboarders and a place for just everyday New Yorkers. 

And what I've found, not only as a police officer, state senator, and a borough president, now the mayor, we have a lot of hidden jewels and gems in this city that they just need tender love and care. The craftsmanship, the style of building back then were for generations and for a lifetime. Look at this beautiful space. And there's so much more we could do with this space. 

Inside the archways are hidden gems that if we would just give it some investment and care, it could turn into places where families and communities could come together. And all throughout the city, you're finding this, under the Queensborough Bridge, inside places in Coney Island, out in Queens, where we invested in our gateways. 

All we have to do is stop walking past these beautiful investments that were made generations ago and pause for a moment and just look at them and realize they're calling for us to renew them. And if we renew them, we can renew the spirit of what this city is all about. This is the greatest city on the globe. And inside this city, the greatness will continue if we invest in what we have and then reinvest in families. And that's what this is about. 

And our entire We Outside series is that type of investment. We want folks to get outside. Several years ago during COVID, we were all stuck inside and we were all behind the four walls of our homes, driving each other nutty because we couldn't explore ourselves. Well, now it's time to come back outside, New Yorkers. That's what we're saying to everyone. 

And this space is precious and we’ll cherish every inch of this. Look at this paveway, how beautiful it is. And Rosa and the skateboard team, they saw this and all they asked was some commitment from our city and we gave them just that. Spaces like this will always keep our city vibrant and it is priceless. No matter how much time passes, it is still as special as it was when it was first built. 

The amazing story behind building the Brooklyn Bridge is something that I encourage all of you to read. But we know the We Outside Summer Initiative, it will include a series of announcements and events, investments, and new programming across the five boroughs to ensure New Yorkers feel safe and enjoy this city during the summer. 

Whether it's at our public pools, beaches, or parks, New York City has so much to offer for everyone. And today, we are opening a newly revitalized portion of The Arches, a name that's popular to the skateboarders. You know, you knew what it was, The Arches. If you say it, they will all smile. This will return two more acres of public space to the local Chinatown community. 

After 15 years of restoration of the area under the Brooklyn Bridge, honoring the history of the public space that was once known as the Mecca of New York skateboarding, 15 years later, we're finally making it happen, which added space for basketball, pickleball, and shuffleboard courts, welcoming New Yorkers from all walks of life to cross-pollinate the enjoyment of recreational activity, and we're excited about it. 

For too long, under the bridge, it has remained dormant and derelict. And what to do with this head was part of conversations for years and years and years, but we stopped that. This administration did something that others could not pull off. 

We imagined this space. We heard from the community. We heard from those with historical connections to it, and we're getting it done. We got it done, and this park is now going to be open. The administration is living on a promise we made to you, Rosa, several years ago. We're going to get it done, and we got it done. 

You know, bringing this space back and revitalizing it is going to allow new relationships to develop and new friendships to develop as we interact with each other under this space. This is a bridge that connects Brooklyn and Manhattan, but not only that, it connects cultures. 

When you look at the connection of the Chinatown community with the connection with those who are here in NYCHA and public housing, you look at those who walk across the bridge every day, hundreds of thousands of people come here, and now they're going to see how they can walk across and enjoy a beautiful park that we have under this bridge and under the arches. 

Bringing the space back to life and transforming it into a lively, inclusive space for friends and neighbors is something that will be a legacy for not only this administration, but all those who participated in bringing this together and making it happen. 

And so part of this year's Best Budget Ever, we are also investing $50 million into funding to improve and maintain this public space. Your tax dollars are coming back to you, so now the residents of this community can enjoy the space and experience the beauty of this bridge. 

So today's announcement builds on our commitment to improving quality of life and creating public spaces for all New Yorkers. And two years ago, we opened The Arches. I remember standing here with some of the faces that are near us. Time flies by, but we knew we could get it done. 

Giving New Yorkers more outdoor space to exercise, engage with others, and enjoy. And we have always said that public space is not a privilege, it's a right. You have a right to have public spaces right by your community. And it's an essential part of living in the five boroughs. And everyone deserves it because this is not a city for the few, it's a city for all New Yorkers. 

Right in time for summer, The Arches bring us closer to a more equitable, livable, and prosperous New York. And it's bringing us closer to the city that we all love, the best place to raise a child and families here in New York. Let's enjoy this park as much as possible. Thank you to everyone that's responsible. 

First Deputy Mayor Mastro: Thank you, mayor. And now, the woman of the hour, Rosa Chang. 

Rosa Chang, Co-Founder and President, Gotham Park: Thank you so much. Thank you, First Deputy Mayor Mastro, Commissioner Rodriguez, and most especially Mayor Adams for saying yes. Your yes unlocks a different future for our historically under-invested community of color. Your yes unlocks possibility, joy, discovery, and wonder. 

It changes the trajectory of lives because public space isn't just bricks and trees. It's the relationships discovered, the creativity unlocked, and the grit that we build together. New York City was and is built and rebuilt daily by people for people. For centuries, a breathtaking diversity of New Yorkers have shaped the city through bold dreams and relentless effort. Our skyline, our streets, our New Yorkerness are the result of that constant yearning and striving. 

The Brooklyn Bridge is our greatest symbol of that spirit, a love letter written in stone 142 years ago by New Yorkers for New Yorkers. It reaches across time to connect us to ground us, to inspire us, and to challenge us to be ever better. We are so fortunate to stand here together today in this space, a truly majestic canvas. 

But don't ever forget, we, the people who bring it to life, are the ever-changing art. Gotham Park is honored to be DOT's official plaza partner to steward this iconic and growing space. Today's opening and announcement is a monumental achievement, a powerful commitment to the public good. It benefits the community of Lower Manhattan. It welcomes people from every walk of life, across the city, the state, the country, and the world. 

So in the words of Batman, everything's impossible until somebody does it. Everything's impossible until somebody does it. And in the words of Hillel the Elder, if not now, when? Together, let's make this space something that we are proud to build for ourselves and for generations of New Yorkers to come. And please, don't litter. Thank you. 

First Deputy Mayor Mastro: Thank you, Rosa. As Rosa mentioned, it takes partnerships, teams, and government, so many great colleagues in government who helped make this happen. But let's hear from our DOT Commissioner, Ydanis Rodríguez.

Commissioner Ydanis Rodríguez, Department of Transportation: Well, when the mayor took office, he said, we cannot be the city of no. We have to be the City of Yes. And when Rosa and her partners in the Chinatown community spoke loud and clear and said, “We need to get these things done,” the mayor said, “Yes, you guys go and get it done.” 

I want to say thank you to the mayor, First Deputy Mayor Mastro, who came back to serve our city. Our first deputy mayor, also Jeff, who is there, Ya-Ting, the whole team. Especially Paul Schwartz, who oversees 800 bridges for New York City. It is his team, under the leadership of Margaret, for joining my first deputy commissioner, that are responsible for whatever happened here, but most importantly, our iconic Brooklyn Bridge. 

This is part of 800 bridges and tunnels. And the mayor is putting the money where it's needed. Not only is putting the money to build a public space, but Mayor Adams also put $17 billion in a 10-year capital for our bridges to keep them in a state of good repair for us and for future generations to come. 

So we want to encourage all visitors, all New Yorkers, to please come and enjoy this public space. And again, we talk about the two acres, but this is only part of 1.5 million square feet of public space that have been built by Mayor Adams, the largest number of pedestrian spaces that have been built by any mayor in the history of New York City. 

Para mi es un honor estar aquí con el liderazgo del alcalde Eric Adams que ha demostrado que si se puede. Que no somos la cuidad de no. Que somos la ciudad del si. Que está poniendo todo el dinero para que los espacios de los peatones se construyan de una forma viva y celebrandola. Thank you mayor

Translation: It's an honor for me to be here under the leadership of Mayor Eric Adams, who has shown that it can be done. That we're not a city of no. That we're a city of yes. That he’s putting all the money into creating vibrant pedestrian spaces and celebrating it. Thank you, mayor.

First Deputy Mayor Mastro: Thank you. Gracias, Ydanis. And for our last speakers, I want to present our partners at Skatepark Project, Ben Bashein and Steve Rodriguez. Come on up, guys. Come on up.

Benjamin Bashein, Executive Director, The Skatepark Project: Appreciate it. Thank you. We're thrilled to be here with you guys today. I'm not just the CEO of the Skatepark Project. I'm also on the board of Gotham Park, and I'm extraordinarily proud of Rosa and Megan and the entire team at Gotham Park that has worked tirelessly for so many years. 

This is a monumental day for skaters and everybody who rips. I see the BMX folks here and the inline skating folks here. This is truly an icon of skating around the world, and to have it reopened is absolutely profound. Skateboarding is not just a sport. It's a community. It builds resilience and creativity, and our mission at the Skatepark Project is to help build free, safe, accessible skate parks, and this is a beautiful example of what that can look like. 

We are enormously grateful to City Hall and the mayor for his extraordinary vision to make something of this scale happen so quickly. That's no small feat. We are grateful to our partners at the Department of Transportation and to our partners at Vans, without whom we could not have reached this day. And it is my great pleasure to hand this over to Gotham Park co-founder and the unofficial mayor of skateboarding in New York City, Steve Rodriguez.

Steve Rodriguez, Co-Founder, Gotham Park: Thank you, Ben, and a huge thanks to Tony Hawk's nonprofit organization, the Skatepark Project, for realizing the importance of this space for skateboarders, the action sports community, and everyday New Yorkers, tourists, and future generations who will utilize this amazing space in their own way. 

I look forward to being involved in the community and the evolution of this space and want to thank Mayor Adams, give a big round of applause for Mayor Adams right here. And the team at City Hall, the DOT, Rosa Chang, and my team at Gotham Park, Justin Villano, if you're out here, and the team at Vans, and my supporting family, Hiroko right there and Shiki somewhere skateboarding. What's up, Shik? 

It's been 15 years since the fence went up around the big banks, and I began my advocacy for this space, and I can't wait to cut the ribbon and open up a world of opportunity here at the Brooklyn Bridge Banks. Thank you very much. 

Mayor Adams: You know, it doesn't stop here. It's because as you come to a park, as you stop at a park, as you sit in a park, you want to be there safely. And so yesterday, we announced a slate of policies to make our streets safer, what Commissioner Rodriguez has been doing. He knows how important it is to keep our streets safe, and he has done an amazing job in bringing down fatalities, but we also want to bring down crashes. 

So we announced a slate of policies, and one of them includes a 15-mile-per-hour speed limit for e-bikes and e-scooters. I hear this at every town hall, they're moving too fast. We have to slow down, New Yorkers, because children and families need to be safe at this time. 

But we also need help from the City Council. Last October, we gave a bill to the council that requires delivery companies like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub, who deliver workers, use e-bikes and e-scooters to obtain a license from the city, and so it's imperative that we get a movement on that bill because it will make it safer, and it will protect those workers. 

Large companies should bear the brunt of making sure that their employees have the tools that they need, and so this is a way of making sure those large companies bear that brunt and not everyday working people. So nine months later, we want to ensure that this moves forward in a real way. 

Just as we got this park open in a short period of time, the city must move in a short period of time. We've got to get it done. If you're a City of Yes, you can't sit back in your sterilized environment shaking your head no. It's not this way, it's this way. And so we're going to continue to move forward, but congratulations to everyone. We're going to open it to a few off-topics so we can cut the ribbon and let folks enjoy this park.

Question: In response to that e-bike production, Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said last night that you didn’t consult the City Council. Just what's your response to that in regards to that proposal?

Mayor Adams: The communication has been clear– I just realized something. Your tie matches that ribbon. You know that? Fashionable. 

As we stated, we announced this nine months ago. We have been communicating with the central staff. There's been a lot of communication. I was surprised that she stated she was not aware of it. Part of running for mayor, you have to do your day job also. We've communicated with their staff over and over again and they have it on their desk so they should move forward.

Question: You watched the debate last night. What were your thoughts about it? 

Mayor Adams: I was in the subway last night talking to passengers, inspecting a few projects that we thought are important. I'm going to let these guys do what they have to do. Whoever emerged from the debate, I'll see them on the campaign trail after. I have the crown that they're going after. Let them do what they're doing. I'll see them after. 

Okay, cut the ribbon.