Teatown Lake Reservation Launches a Campus Transformation Project in Ossining

Teatown Lake Reservation, a nonprofit organization and education center, announced its $26 million campus transformation project during a ceremony earlier this October with elected officials, community members, and students. The project aims to make the reservation even more accessible to the Westchester community with an increased emphasis on education.

Founded in 1963, Teatown Lake Reservation has 15 miles of hiking trails, more than 1,000 acres of protected land, a two-acre island refuge for more than 230 species of native wildflowers, wildlife exhibits, science and stewardship projects, nature classes and camps, and more. It’s the largest nonprofit community-supported nature preserve in Westchester. With the goal of creating more accessible, sustainable, and engaging spaces for the local community, Teatown Lake Reservation partnered with nARCHITECTS to create a brand-new 22,000-square-foot campus alongside landscape architect Starr Whitehouse.  

The Opening Ceremony  

Elected officials, local elementary school students, and Teatown’s animal ambassadors joined the nonprofit organization’s brief press ceremony on October 9 at the Red Barn Lot behind the Nature Center. Kevin Carter, Teatown’s Lake Reservation’s executive director, and Marcia Saunders, chairman of the board at Teatown Lake Reservation, attended the ceremony.

Additionally, a number of elected officials were in attendance, including Ken Jenkins, Westchester County executive; New York State senator Peter Harckham; and state assembly member Dana Levenberg. The team behind the transformation was also present, including Amanda Morgan, AIA principal at nARCHITECTS; the co-founding partner of nARCHITECTS, Eric Bunge; and the principal at Starr Whitehouse, Gail Wittwer-Laird.  

A Glimpse Into the Transformation 

The award-winning nARCHITECTS team, a Brooklyn-based architecture firm led by Eric Bunge and Mimi Hoang, in collaboration with landscape architect Starr Whitehouse, leads the project to create Teatown Lake Reservation’s new 5,400-square-foot education center and renovate its nature center. The mission is to create an ecologically enhanced pedestrian campus with reconfigured access. 

 

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In the shape of a leaf (fitting, right?), the education center will feature teaching and educational spaces in its interior, on its deck, and on the green roof. The center will also feature a ramp to guide visitors from the forest floor to its roof deck. This design will give visitors access to Teatown Lake Reservation’s natural landscape and the expansive views of the campus.  

Additionally, this transformative project will renovate the existing nature center. The three-story building will have gallery spaces, a nature store, offices, and an animal care center. The campus will also have a new pavilion and maintenance building. 

 

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An Interactive Campus Map

Currently, Teatown Lake’s nature center is closed to the public for ongoing renovations. The carriage home remains open for children’s birthday parties. Teatown has an interactive map to help visitors navigate the exciting and ongoing changes, including public parking and hiking trails. Construction is expected to last 12-16 months, but public programs, school visits, camps, and trails will remain open.  

Teatown Lake Reservation is located at 1600 Spring Valley Road in Ossining. Follow Teatown Lake Reservation on Instagram at @teatown_lake_reservation or visit its website for more information about this groundbreaking campus transformation.  

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