Breaking Ground on a Playground Renovation at Pomonok Houses
The Public Housing Community Fund (PHCF), joined by U.S. Congressmember Grace Meng, NYCHA staff and residents, and community partners, broke ground on May 28 for a playground and splashpad renovation project at Pomonok Houses in Queens.
The initiative will renovate an existing play area into a vibrant, accessible playground with new water-play features to better serve the community. The design team, led by Grain Collective, worked closely with Pomonok Houses residents to develop the renovation design, using NYCHA’s Connected Communities framework.
The project is being built by the Public Housing Community Fund with $550,000 in federal Community Project Funding secured by Congressmember Meng.
“I am so proud to have fought for and secured the $550,000 that has made this needed renovation possible,” said Congressmember Meng. “I cannot wait for its completion and to see children and families from the community taking advantage of this soon-to-be updated site. As a mom of two boys who have spent time at playgrounds, I know firsthand how important these types of play spaces are for kids. Delivering for our communities and fighting for children will always be top priorities of mine in Congress. I thank the Public Housing Community Fund, NYCHA, Pomonok residents, the Pomonok Resident Association, and all who played a role in moving this important project forward.”
“This renovated playground and splashpad will transform what was once a neglected area into a lively space for play, cooling, and social engagement for Pomonok residents of all ages,” said Alex Zablocki, Executive Director of the Public Housing Community Fund. “Building off of our first iteration of Green Space Connections, we worked closely with the community, empowering residents to imagine and actualize a space that fit their needs, ensuring the project promotes health, safety, and vitality for years to come. The splashpad is a welcome addition to Pomonok, and we’re thankful to Representative Meng for her support in securing critical funding for the residents of Pomonok Houses, and helping make it a thriving place for the people of this community to gather.”
“Vibrant open spaces and play areas are essential to the health and happiness of NYCHA families,” said NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt. “By working with residents through our Connected Communities program, and in partnership with Congressmember Meng and the Public Housing Community Fund, we are turning the residents’ vision of this space into reality. We look forward to providing Pomonok Houses families with a renovated playground they will enjoy for years to come.”
“Today’s groundbreaking reflects what happens when we build with the community’s vision at the center. This new splashpad is more than an upgrade, it’s an investment in our children, families, and the future of Pomonok,” said Tamika Williams-Moore, Pomonok Houses Resident Association President. “Safe, accessible spaces to play and gather strengthen the health and unity of our neighborhoods. We are grateful to the Public Housing Community Fund, NYCHA, our partners, and Congresswoman Grace Meng for making this transformational investment possible.”
“Working on the design of the new playground and splashpad has helped us learn a lot about the Pomonok Houses residents and how they want to improve their community,” said Runit Chhaya, Founding Principal of Grain Collective. “Today’s groundbreaking shows that when everyone’s involved, we can effectively and efficiently deliver projects on budget and earlier than anticipated. We’re looking forward to continuing the work and delivering this impactful and beautiful space for the residents.”
The renovation will include the demolition of existing surfaces and re-surfacing of the playground with asphalt paving, concrete, and safety surfaces, creating a more welcoming environment for residents of all ages. The project team will reconfigure the existing plumbing and playground water feature for the installation of a new water play/splashpad feature. New spinner play equipment, platform, and bench seating will also be installed, while some existing play equipment will be preserved.
In the fall of 2025, Pomonok Houses community members, including youth participants, NYCHA resident leaders, and property managers, were consulted on the design for the renovation of the existing playground at Pomonok Houses following the principles outlined in NYCHA’s Connected Communities guidebook. In close coordination with NYCHA Property Management and its Asset & Capital Management (A&CM) division, PHCF worked with architects from Grain Collective, and held multiple design and in-person engagement sessions at Pomonok Houses to obtain community feedback. PMY Construction Corp., the general contractor, is expected to complete the renovation in mid-September 2026.
The initial project idea for the renovated playground and splashpad came about through PHCF’s first iteration of the Green Space Connections program, when Pomonok Houses residents voted on open space improvements in their community. As part of that project in 2022, PHCF and NYCHA renovated a basketball court and installed new barbecues, picnic areas, and seating in the development. The renovated playground and splashpad was an unfunded project idea that the community wanted implemented.
NYCHA’s award-winning Connected Communities program includes several projects across NYCHA campuses, such as improving access to green spaces, transforming courts and playgrounds, and developing new open-space amenities. All these projects are led by residents in partnership with NYCHA and nonprofit organizations. In 2025, PHCF released NYCHA’s first open space toolkit, From Imagine to Activate, to support residents, philanthropy, elected officials, and others interested in supporting open space improvements in public housing through five easy steps.
Photos courtesy of Tameek Williams
