Press Releases

NYC Parks has officially unveiled the Hart Island Concept Plan, a 20+ year vision for improvements to New York City's public cemetery in Long Island Sound.

The concept plan proposes a series of capital projects in response to operational needs and public input, while taking into consideration the ongoing necessity of burial operations on Hart Island. Among the highlights proposed: a modest welcome center with restrooms and seating,

an adaptive reuse of the island's historic chapel as a space for remembrance, an upgraded maintenance and operations compound, shoreline stabilization recommendations, and forest restoration strategies for natural areas.

“For more than 150 years, Hart Island has been an essential part of our city. This concept plan presents a suite of proposals that can improve the physical conditions and resiliency of the island, and provide a better experience for visitors as well as agency staff that manage its daily operations — all through the lens of respectfully honoring those who are laid to rest on this peaceful island,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa. “We look forward to working with various stakeholders, fellow city agencies, and partners in government to advance the long-term planning priorities for the island.”

The plan outlines a framework of potential capital projects that are within the purview of NYC Parks to develop and implement. To gather input on the concept plan from community members, NYC Parks hosted two virtual forums during 2024 that drew more than 200 attendees and also conducted a digital survey.

Hart Island has served as the city's public cemetery since 1869 and is the final resting place of over one million individuals. As one of the largest public cemeteries in the United States, it provides the essential service of burials to those most in need and holds a significant place in the city’s history.

In 2021, management of Hart Island was transferred from the NYC Department of Correction to NYC Parks and the NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA), part of the Department of Social Services. The city is committed to ensuring that the public has access to the island and provides services to help individuals find and visit their loved ones buried there. Since the island was transferred, NYC Parks has led improvements to the gravesite visitation process and launched free Urban Park Ranger interpretive tours for the general public, leading to a substantial increase in visitors to the island.

NYC Parks recognizes the need to provide visitors with basic amenities such as restrooms, seating, and shelter from heat and rain. Enhancements are also needed to ensure the island's ecological communities and shorelines are resilient to erosion from coastal storms due to sea level rise and global warming. This concept plan will help the city make strategic investments and seek outside funding to improve the island.

“We are proud of the work we’ve done in partnership with the Parks Department to transform Hart Island and preserve the island’s ecosystem to ensure that we are maintaining sufficient capacity for dignified burials. This plan outlines more opportunities to enhance the landscape and further strengthen access to the island for family and next of kin looking to honor the final resting place of their loved ones and New Yorkers who wish to learn about the important history of Hart Island and its ongoing evolution,” said NYC Department of Social Services Commissioner Molly Wasow Park. “We look forward to continuing to work closely with our agency partners to find more ways to continue to meaningfully develop the island.”

More information on Hart Island — including gravesite visits and locating a loved one’s burial location — can be found here.