Governors Island's Man-Made Hills Now Have a July Opening Date

Governors Island is set to open for the 2016 season on May 28—which is, incredibly, just three weeks away—but one of its newest attractions isn't quite ready for its public debut. The Trust for Governors Island announced today that The Hills, the latest element of the park's total transformation, will officially open to the public on July 19. And while that's later than the rest of the park's attractions (including Hammock Grove, the Figment mini-golf course, and the like), it's still nearly a year ahead of the original opening date.

The Trust also announced that Leslie Koch, who has headed up the organization since 2006, will step down sometime this year. In a press release, Koch said, "It has been a great privilege to lead this effort for the last decade and I’m very proud of all that we have accomplished. The Island is ready for its next chapter and so am I."

The Hills is made up of four different man-made structures: Grassy Hill, a 25-foot high gentle, grassy slope that overlooks the Manhattan skyline; the 40-foot high Slide Hill, which comes with four slides, one of which is the longest in the city; another 40-foot high slope, Discovery Hill, which features a sculpture by artist Rachel Whiteread; and Outlook Hill, which at 70-feet provides views of the Statue of Liberty, and the Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Jersey City skylines.

Curbed recently got a chance to tour the site, before it opens to the public, but those interested in previewing the site before it officially opens in July can do so on free hardhat tours over the Memorial Day weekend, led by Koch.

Last year, the Island attracted over 450,000 visitors during its four-month open season. This year the Island will remain open until September 28.

By Max Touhey

• A Sneak Peek at the Governors Island Hills [Curbed]
• All the Governors Island Coverage [Curbed]