FRANK OTTOMANELLI HOSTS HUNTERS POINT SOUTH PARK NAMED BEST URBAN PARK IN AMERICA

Thomas Balsley And Frank Ottomanelli

James Edstrom With Police Captain Hameed Armani (NYPD 108th Precinct)

Brent O'Leary With Ebony Young (Deputy Queens Borough President)

Frank Ottomanelli hosted a celebration at his cafe F. Ottomanelli By The Water in Hunters Point South Park for winning Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) 2025 ULI Americas Awards for Excellence including Hunter’s Point South Park on the east river which was voted best urban park. 
 
Hunter’s Point South was much like the rest of New York City’s original coastline: swampy marshland. The site became home to a landfill, a concrete plant, The Daily News printing facility, and a railroad transfer site. And who can forget the famous Pepsi Plant with the giant billboard right on the east river (which is still there).

 

Kristen Gonzalez (District 59 Senator) with Claire Valdez (District 37 Assembly Member)

Hunters Ponit Parks Conservancy President Rob Basch with Barbara Etzel

 Among the VIP's attending the event were, Tom Balsley, Principal Designer and Landscape Architect of Hunters Point South Park, Marion Weiss (Co-founder Weiss Manfredi), Michael Manfredi (Co-founder Weiss Manfredi),  Hunters Point Parks Conservancy President Rob Basch And Barbara Etzell, Ebony Young (Deputy Queens Borough President), Claire Valdez (District 37 Assembly Member), Kristen Gonzalez (District 59 Senator), James Edstrom (President Hunters Point Civic Association), Community leader Brent O'Leary and Hero Police Captain Hameed Armani (NYPD 108th Precinct)

Photos By James Edstrom