The Development of the Bronx River Alliance
Lessons in Organizational Structure and Goal Implementation

This project is an attempt to investigate the planning process that lead to the formation and formalization of the Bronx River Alliance, the entity that coordinates and manages the New York City Bronx River corridor and greenway.

The creation of the Bronx River Alliance was the result of a four-year coordination and planning process, in which numerous community groups, government agencies, and private institutions were involved. The Bronx River Working Group, as it was called, leveraged over $113 million in public and private funds to restore access to and ecology of the river, created three boat launches, and acquired over 40 acres of waterfront parkland.

The Alliance was created as an incorporated not-for-profit organization and its Executive Director also serves as the Bronx River Administrator, a New York City Department of Parks & Recreation position. It oversees $90 million in federal, state and local government funds for Bronx River restoration projects.

After first providing some background information about the Bronx River, this site looks primarily at the organizational structure of the Working Group, its connections to local and regional partners, its strategies and tactics, and particular crucial moments and circumstances that pushed the project forward. The Reflections page will provide the space for my thoughts on these matters.