Today, Manresa Island Corp., a nonprofit dedicated to transforming Connecticut’s Manresa Island into a new public destination, announced its vision to turn the over 125-acre former industrial power plant site into a thriving publicly accessible park designed by SCAPE, unlocking 1.75 miles of its waterfront access for the first time in nearly 75 years. Anchored by a reimagined decommissioned coal-fired and oil-powered facility, the park will become a new public amenity in Norwalk with a stellar network of spaces that supports passive and active programming for people of all ages and abilities, revitalized ecological habitat and educational opportunities centered around water.
“We at SCAPE are honored to play such a pivotal role in transforming Manresa Island into a vibrant public park that seamlessly connects Norwalk’s rich heritage with forward-thinking green design,” said Kate Orff, SCAPE’s Founding Principal. “Our vision for Manresa Island integrates ecological restoration, community access, and sustainable design to create a park that enhances the natural landscape and invites people to experience the waterfront in a new way. We are thrilled to champion a project that will set a benchmark for the adaptive reuse of industrial sites and waterfronts globally.”
Read on for more about the park design, and visit the park’s website for more information.
Vision for Manresa Island
Projected to open in 2030 through phased development, this one-of-a-kind park will serve as a hub for learning, exploration and community engagement — offering year-round experiential programming including water activities, education, children’s play areas and a university research component.
By repurposing the existing power plant infrastructure, the readapted 250,000 square foot vision for the space will offer an indoor experience like no other recreational hub. Spanning the size of about 117 football fields, the new publicly accessible park will have a network of outdoor areas to engage with the water and local habitat like never before, including:
- An expansive green lawn and meadow
- A public beach with views across the Long Island Sound, and New York City
- Pedestrian bridge and other walking paths through nature, with opportunities to view a thriving habitat
- Outdoor thermal pools and controlled pool areas
- A rejuvenated pier and boat launch for water activities
History and Site Context
Located on the Long Island Sound in Southeast Connecticut, Manresa Island holds centuries of history and ecological significance. Since the 1800s, it has been home to farmland, a spiritual retreat center, and, for 60 years, a power plant that caused significant ecological concerns. The plant closed in 2013, and for over a decade, Manresa Island has been closed to the public. Today, the island has grown to over 125 acres due to industrial fill and is undergoing a natural resurgence, with a birch forest thriving on former coal ash deposits and ospreys nesting throughout the area. Wetland ecosystems have flourished, contributing to the island’s rich biodiversity.
Park Transformation Plan
The design for the park, led by SCAPE, creates a public space that transforms the abandoned power plant site into a healthy public space with water access, public swimming, playspace, recreational, and ecological experiences. SCAPE’s design vision includes a network of new walking paths that bring people to the water’s edge and through various natural habitats, and exciting programming with educational and adventure opportunities for everyone from kids to nature enthusiasts.
The plan incorporates remediation strategies that will revive Manresa’s coastal ecosystems and preserve its post-industrial landscapes. To ensure the site is as resilient as possible, the strategic design vision will include a program of living shorelines, adding tree canopy to combat extreme heat, and elevating portions of the site to mitigate increased flooding.
Community Engagement and Partnerships
Beginning in early 2025, SCAPE and the nonprofit will guide a community engagement process to advance a design that prioritizes sustainability, resilience, and dynamic ecological design. Additionally, central to the park’s vision is partnering with national institutions to activate the site. Manresa Island Corp. is pleased to announce that The Maritime Aquarium is the first institution to become a partner.
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Client:
Manresa Island Corp.
Collaborators:
Bjarke Ingels Group
AKRF
eDesign Dynamics
Directional Logic
Tighe & Bond
HR&A
Virginia Hanusik