Orange County is moving ahead with engineering studies and design work for the 258-acre Camp LaGuardia property, which the county plans to turn into a new park. The county’s Legislature has authorized a supplemental appropriation of $600,000 to be added to the current county budget so that studies and designs for the park can be accomplished.
According to County Executive Steve Neuhaus, “This investment in design and engineering is a giant step forward. This park will rival any in the region, connect our rail trail network, and stand as a symbol of progress and pride for Orange County.”
In 1918, New York City built a women’s prison named Camp Greycourt at the site. In 1934, the prison was closed and it the buildings at the site were used to house more than 600 unemployed men as the Great Depression dragged on. In 1935, it was renamed Camp LaGuardia after New York City’s mayor at the time Fiorello La Guardia. It subsequently became a homeless shelter with about 1,000 beds. While Michael Bloomberg served as New York City’s mayor, the occupants were moved to other housing and the shelter was closed. Orange County purchased the property in 2007 for $8.5 million. The county sought developers to do revitalize the site, but nothing came to fruition and the site has remained vacant.
The planned park will be Orange County’s first new park since Thomas Bull Memorial Park was created in 1965. The county anticipates that once complete the new park will be a major destination for outdoor recreation and community gatherings. The county says it will be preserving the site’s historic significance.
“Camp LaGuardia has been part of Orange County’s story for generations, and it’s time we give this property a new chapter that promotes activity, recreation, and opportunity,” said Neuhaus.
In 2020, the County Planning Department secured $28 million in federal and state funding to acquire and construct the 10-mile Schunnemunk Rail Trail, which will connect directly to the county’s popular Heritage Trail at the Camp LaGuardia site.
Some preparatory work has already been accomplished on the property, including removal of some structures.
“This is about connecting communities and investing in our quality of life,” said Neuhaus. “We’re moving full speed ahead, and I’m excited to see Camp LaGuardia transformed into a place where families will make memories for generations.”
