Built as part of New York City`s Design Excellence Program, the Ocean Breeze Indoor Athletic Facility sits within a new 110-acre park being developed as a part of 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. 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. The fieldhouse program includes a 200m hydraulically banked track that can convert from six banked to eight flat lanes. Meeting USATF, NCAA, and IAFF competition standards, the track boasts seating for 2,500 people, concessions, meeting rooms, restrooms, and fitness center. The project is seeking LEED Silver Certification and has been honored with a 2009 Design Award from the NYC Public Design Commission and a 2016 Architizer A+ Award.
