Know Your Neighbors: Solar One

It makes sense, when you think about it, that Solar One, the only free-standing solar-powered building in all of New York City, would be located in Bristol Cove. After all, where in town can you get better sunlight than right here in this neighborhood?

Billed as a "Green Energy, Arts, and Education Center", Solar One is actually a much more vibrant, community-building organization than that somewhat bland moniker implies, with workshops (including the very cool, though definitely geeked-out, Gadget Building session this Saturday, November 7), adult classes on such trendy topics as Green Design, and neighborhood gardening in both the pretty, under-utilized Stuyvesant Cove Park as well as locations throughout the city. Solar One also organizes a terrific, site-specific, Solar Powered Dance Series every year; a free, outdoor Solar Powered Film Festival, which makes for a lovely summer's evening, right there on the river; and a performance, participatory and visual arts festival, the Solarium.

Best of all, perhaps, is Solar One's annual Citysol Sustainability Festival, which has quickly become one of the New York City's hottest summer parties. Lasting all weekend, the solar-powered-palooza has featured such great acts Dan Deacon (above), Dead Prez, Rachel Trachtenburg, the Alien Comic, and Reverend Jen, as well as skateboarding demos, lots of tasty food and drink, installation art and, basically, a whole lot of fun right here in Bristol Cove. And soon Solar One will be joined by Solar Two, the first carbon-neutral, net-zero energy building in New York City, with ten times the space of the original structure!

For lots more information on Solar One and Solar Two--including a look at upcoming events--visit the website, here, or just stop by the site (located on the northern end of Stuyvesant Cove Park) on weekdays from around 10:30 until 5:00.

Posted at 04:06PM Nov 05, 2009 by Scott in Bristol Cove  | 

A Tour of Bristol Cove

Bristol Cove is the small neighborhood that borders the East River, lying east of Kips Bay in Manhattan. It includes Stuyvesant Cove Park, the 23rd Street Marina, the United Nations International School, the British International School, Waterside Plaza's apartment buildings and stores, the Water Club restaurant, and the 34th Street Heliport and Water Taxi. Just to the north of Bristol Cove lies the United Nations building complex.

Looking north towards Waterside.

The Marine Terminal.

The Solar Center at the beginning of Stuyvesant Cove Park.

Waterside seen from Bellevue's Park.

Posted at 06:41PM May 20, 2009 by geriksen in Bristol Cove  |