The new venue – the Classroom – offers 1,200 square feet of space for community use, performances, events, and programming
With lofty arched ceilings and massive windows that frame stunning views, the Classroom is located in the new Wagner Park, which reopened in July after a major reconstruction to address urgent climate resilience needs
Photos here (Credit BPCA)
The Battery Park City Authority today unveiled the Classroom, a 1,200-square-foot space that offers a new venue for community use, performances, events, and programming in Lower Manhattan. Located in Wagner Park’s Pavilion, the space features lofty arched ceilings and massive windows that frame views of the Hudson River, Statue of Liberty, and beautiful sunsets. The opening of the classroom represents a significant step toward the completion of the Wagner Park Pavilion. Located at the crest of Wagner Park, which reopened last summer after a major reconstruction to address urgent climate resilience needs, the Pavilion Rooftop opened in November with sweeping views and a peaceful garden for the public to enjoy; a restaurant will open in the Pavilion this summer.
“The Classroom will provide our community with a beautiful new space to convene, whether for meetings, events, art exhibitions or programming,” said Raju Mann, President and CEO of Battery Park City Authority. “This important step toward the full opening of the Wagner Park Pavilion underscores that our commitment to creating a more resilient Lower Manhattan goes hand in hand with our dedication to creating pristine spaces for New Yorkers to enjoy. We look forward to welcoming our partner organizations, neighborhood groups, elected officials, and other important community leaders into the new Wagner Park Classroom.”
“I’m proud to see another milestone at Wagner Park with the opening of the Classroom, as this vision continues to take shape. This space will serve as a hub for community programming, engagement, and connection, creating new opportunities for residents, families, and local organizations to come together. It’s the kind of investment that strengthens the fabric of our neighborhood and gives people a place to learn, gather, and build community,” said Assemblyman Charles D. Fall
“The opening of the Classroom in the Wagner Park Pavilion is a wonderful addition to Battery Park City and all of Lower Manhattan. This new space will give our community a home for the kinds of gatherings, performances, events, and conversations that help neighborhoods thrive. I thank the Battery Park City Authority for their work on this, as well as for their continued commitment to building a more resilient and vibrant waterfront for all New Yorkers,” said Senator Brian Kavanagh, who represents Battery Park City.
“The Classroom at Wagner Park Pavilion is an extraordinary new space for community programming and we’re excited to bring the Art Bath experience to the waterfront,” said Liz Yılmaz & Mara Driscoll, Co-Founders, Art Bath. “This event will transform the venue into an intimate chamber salon where world class artists and audiences will gather for live creation as the sun sets over the New York Harbor. We’re honored to partner with the Battery Park City Authority to activate this new space.”
Designed to be versatile and customizable, the Classroom contains modular equipment that can be used and arranged specifically for each event. The equipment includes 90 chairs, 20 tables, a lectern, three stage pieces and children’s chairs and tables. The dynamic AV system includes ceiling mounted loudspeakers, wired & wireless microphones, ceiling mounted projection screen, 98″ portable video monitors and a flexible lighting system.
The new Wagner Park Pavilion, designed by Thomas Phifer and Partners, serves as a beacon of the park, crowning the top of two sloped gardens. Visitors can approach the pavilion from either Battery Place or the waterfront esplanade by ascending the accessible ramps and stairs. Arched vaults welcome the public to the entry plaza, serving as the gateway to the park.
The Wagner Park Pavilion will achieve ILFI Net-Zero Carbon Certification. Sustainable features include geothermal heating and cooling, stormwater reclamation systems, LED lighting and occupancy sensors, operable window shades and high-performance glazing, a highly insulated building envelope, low-flow fixtures, energy recovery ventilation, and recycled building materials for a reduced carbon footprint.
BPCA reopened Wagner Park, a 3.5-acre public park located along the Hudson River in southern Battery Park City, in July 2025 after a two-and-a-half-year reconstruction as part of the South Battery Park City Resiliency Project. Joining New York City’s broader LMCR effort to defend Lower Manhattan against coastal flooding, the universally-accessible park now features a buried floodwall, 63,000-gallon subterranean cistern for rainwater reuse, and a palette of native, salt-resistant plantings in beautiful gardens. These features have contributed to Wagner Park’s attainment of prestigious WEDG® (Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines) Verification from the Waterfront Alliance. WEDG is a national rating system and gold standard for resilient, ecological, and accessible waterfront design.
BPCA will soon begin work on the North/West Battery Park City Resiliency Project (NWBPCR). The project utilizes an interconnected series of fixed flood barrier features and deployable measures to provide flood protection for the balance of Battery Park City and western Tribeca, while also managing rainwater flooding by incorporating a wet-weather pump station, improved drainage connections, and upgraded tide gates. NWBPCR will preserve the waterfront, maintain open space and introduce universal access, all while minimizing disruption to existing infrastructure.
For more information on the Classroom and to book the space, contact wagnerclassroom@bpca.ny.gov.
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