A view of the New Jersey Palisades directly across the Hudson River from The Cloisters
«The Museum is extremely pleased to provide an update on a project that threatened the extraordinary and long-protected viewshed of the Hudson River from The Cloisters, Fort Tryon Park, and the surrounding neighborhoods.
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In 2009, LG Electronics USA proposed a new North American corporate headquarters of unprecedented height to be built in Englewood Cliffs, across the river from The Cloisters. That original plan for the building was the subject of debate, but we now join numerous other groups in expressing our gratitude that a compromise has been reached and that LG's new design calls for a building that is half the height of what was originally planned. In spite of development immediately west of the Palisades (which have been designated as both a National Natural Landmark and a National Historic Landmark), an unbroken view of the cliffs north of the George Washington Bridge has been preserved due to determined conservation efforts over more than a hundred years. LG's decision to change their design will result in a building that has significantly less impact on the view and natural environment while still allowing LG to develop the site.
The Cloisters is inextricably bound to its location across from the Palisades and above the Hudson River, and this was acknowledged from the Museum's very inception. At the opening on May 11, 1938, John D. Rockefeller, Jr.'s remarks addressed the importance of designing a new museum that: ". . . would give the greatest distinction and interest to this unique and commanding site, with the majestic Hudson flowing by, the Palisades rising like a battlement on yonder shore, and the greatest city in the world lying at its feet. . ." We are grateful for all those who have contributed their efforts to preserve this magnificent view.
See a statement from the Director about the announcement.
Source
LG Electronics USA. "LG Building Project to Proceed in New Jersey; Conservation Groups and LG Reach 'Win-Win' Settlement." LG Electronics USA press release, June 23, 2015. LG Electronics USA website.
Related Links
In Season: "The Cloisters, Fort Tryon Park, and the Palisades" (September 5, 2014)
Husband, Timothy B. "Creating the Cloisters": The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin v. 70, no. 4. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2013.