8. Rockefeller Bought the Land Across the Hudson River to Preserve the View

The New Jersey Palisades

For those who imagine Manhattan’s skyline to be solely comprised of high rise and skyscrapers, a trip to the top of Fort Tryon Park will surely change your mind. From here, the view of the Hudson River, the George Washington Bridge, the New Jersey Palisades and the Harlem River is absolutely breathtaking. In fact, this was what Rockefeller recognized when he purchased the park from C.K.G. Billings, because he also purchased the land on the New Jersey side of the river. Olmsted spent four years to transform the site into the beautiful landscape we see today, making sure to preserve open ares and the spectacular views of the Hudson and the Palisades.

Unfortunately in recent years, developments have been seen on south of the bridge on the Jersey side, including the proposed LG Corporation headquarters in Englewood Cliffs. At 143-feet, the office building will be more than four times what was permitted for the site. Despite resistance from New York lawmakers, it is up to New Jersey to make zoning decisions over the Palisades. As of October 2015, LG has agreed to reduce the building height to 69 feet, but is still negotiating with local environmentalists to finalize the design.

View all on one page