Coleman Skate Park Now Closed for Upgrades

Downtown skaters are now SOL for the duration, as construction on the beloved Coleman Playground has just begun beneath the Manhattan Bridge. And right on schedule, it seems. All access points have been locked, except for the gate into the concrete dog run at the southeast corner. Construction signs littered across the chain-link fencing indicate that work officially started this past Monday.

Behind lock and key, however, are the nuts and bolts of the new layout. The well-worn rails and jumps that graced the area for years were pried from the concrete and piled in another corner. Stacks of new equipment are also visible, including dozens of concrete slabs. We suspect vandals will be in here tagging the shit out of the place.

As previously reported, 5Boro Skateboards founder Steve Rodriguez received a Gamechangers grant from both Nike and Architecture for Humanity to completely revamp the existing footprint. California Skateparks, the organization behind similar projects in Flushing Meadows and Astoria, is tasked with remodeling what is now dubbed the “Coleman Oval.” Yup, that’s what they’re calling it now. Fancy shmancy.

With this corporate cash injection, plans call for the replacement of existing prefab obstacles with more ambitious pieces like a “super pipe.” The skate surface will also receive an upgrade. This latest makeover is set to increase the total park square-footage by 25 percent.

ESPN notes that Coleman will remain free, open to the public, and without supervision. Expected completion date is still sometime later this spring.