Ocean Breeze Indoor Athletic Facility

Built as part of New York City’s Design Excellence program within both the Department of Parks and Recreation and the DDC, the Ocean Breeze Indoor Athletic Facility sits within a new 110-acre park being developed as a part of (then) Mayor Bloomberg’s PlaNYC initiative, whose primary goal was to bring large scale regional parks to every borough. Located on Staten Island’s Eastern Shore, the building overlooks the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, lower Manhattan, and the Freedom Tower. Now in the final stage of construction, Ocean Breeze has been open for track events since November 2015. Raised above one of the few remaining areas of native upland coastal grasslands on the island, Ocean Breeze’s minimal interior footprint - largely comprised of an open-air parking area - enhances both views and the potential for natural ventilation, while protecting the building from storm surges and rising tides. By far the most state-of-the-art track facility in the region, the fieldhouse program includes a 200m hydraulically banked track that can convert from six banked lanes during competition events, to eight flat lanes to accommodate large practice sessions. Meeting USATF, NCAA, and IAFF competition standards, the track boasts seating for 2,500 people, concessions, meeting rooms, restrooms and service areas, as well as a fitness center serving neighboring communities. The project integrates green building principles through the use of daylight harvesting, photo-sensor informed lighting controls, on-site storm water management, recycled materials, and a “cool” roof which has spare structural capacity for future photovoltaic technology. All mechanical systems utilize high efficiency equipment, which is monitored and controlled through a networked building management system. The project is on track to achieve LEED Gold Certification and has been honored with a 2009 Design Award from the NYC Public Design Commission and a 2016 Architizer A+ Award.