Meet the Conservancy People Behind the Davis Center

As the opening of the new Davis Center at the Harlem Meer draws near on April 26, the Central Park Conservancy team is hard at work putting the finishing touches on this transformative project. From working on landscape architecture to construction, fundraising, programming, and everything in between, hundreds of Conservancy staff members have devoted countless hours to ensure the Davis Center will offer visitors a beautiful and vibrant space to gather as a community and connect to nature.

As we count down to the opening, we’re introducing you to just a few of the passionate people who are bringing the Davis Center to life.

Length of service at the Conservancy:

11 years

Bob’s work on the Davis Center:

As the head of the Landscape Architecture team, Bob has seen it all—the very first sketches of the Davis Center, the finishing touches happening today, and every moment along the way. “I remember the day—there were three or four of us, and we went up to the Dana Center, and it was this secret project,” Bob recalled. That was the day landscape architect Chris Nolan and architect Susan Rodriguez drew the first sketches of the facility, and the ideas began flowing about how to transform the site. Alongside design teams Susan T. Rodriguez and Mitchell Giurgola, Bob and his team of landscape architects have poured their expertise into creating a space that reflects the spirit of Harlem. Together, they’ve worked hand in hand to design the landscape and develop the necessary contracts and approvals to bring this vision to life.

What Bob’s most excited about for the Davis Center:

“Definitely the green roof,” he said with enthusiasm. "It will be interesting to see that evolve over the years. It’s going to be really exciting.” Visitors can access the Davis Center’s green roof year-round, where they can find walking paths and tranquil places to sit and take in the views of the surrounding landscape.

How it feels to see the project nearly finished:

“To see the first people walk into the project is going to be a tearjerker—it's pretty emotional,” Bob said. But it’s no goodbye. “We talk about the project being ‘over,’ but we know from working in the Park that our projects are never over.” As Bob and the team prepare to maintain and care for the Davis Center and its surrounding landscapes, there will be much more to come, ensuring the space thrives for future generations.

Length of service at the Conservancy:

Seven years

Leah’s work on the Davis Center:

Leah has been proudly contributing to the Davis Center project over the course of her seven-year run as chief of staff at the Conservancy. She was involved in early fundraising efforts and helped organize press events and community engagement strategies around the facility’s design, ensuring that the concerns of residents, user groups, and elected officials were heard and addressed. She also supports the Board of Trustees’ oversight of the project, leading the work of the project’s Programming Advisory Committee. When she stepped into the role of vice president of strategy and programming in 2024, Leah began pulling together an operating plan for the Davis Center and leading efforts to develop accessible, affordable, and community-centric programming that will help define the impact of this re-envisioned public amenity.

What Leah’s most excited about for the Davis Center:

“I cannot wait to see the public’s reaction to this transformed facility and all that we will offer there,” she said. “We had an opportunity to bring several of our ice partners out to the center recently, and the smiles on their faces when they saw the rink for the first time made it all worth it. It feels so refreshing to be part of a project that is truly about doing good and bringing back a new and improved version of a place that was already so beloved by the community.”

Leah’s hopes for the Davis Center’s impact:

Leah sees programming as a “tool that can make a real difference in the world,” she said. Her team has been hard at work creating a diverse range of programming while forming partnerships with local organizations to bring their programs to the community. Whether it’s ice skating, swimming, wellness and fitness classes, guided tours, DJ dance parties—or opportunities for the public to visit and relax in the space on their own time—Leah’s team aims to make the Davis Center a welcoming and accessible place for all members of the community.

“In thinking through our approach to programming at the Davis Center, it’s much less about the sport or the activity you’re doing, but what you're gaining through being part of these amazing nonprofits that we’re bringing to the center,” she explained. “We have our own goals of providing connection to nature, fostering physical and mental health, and creating a respite from the craziness of the City for local residents. But if we can then bring on local nonprofit partners whose missions are also dedicated to lifting up youth and inspiring the next generation of civic leaders, it's only going to amplify what the Davis Center is able to accomplish.”

Length of service at the Conservancy:

18 years

Steve’s work on the Davis Center:

When the Davis Center project began, Steve was the senior project manager on Bob’s team. The two worked closely on the facility's design, collaborating with consultants, architects, and engineers to bring the vision to life. Over the course of the work, Steve became studio director for planning in 2022 while continuing work on the Davis Center project, spearheading the planting design for the facility and surrounding landscape. Sustainability was core in the team’s vision: “With our landscape approach, we're using native species that require less water inputs and selecting plants suited for the site conditions,” he said.

What Steve’s most excited about for the Davis Center:

“People actually getting out on and experiencing the boardwalk, because that’s something that has not existed in the Park,” he said. “You’re walking over the Harlem Meer. That’s a completely different experience.”

Steve’s hopes for the Davis Center’s impact:

“The hope is we've found something that is sustainable,” Steve said. While he acknowledges that—like any capital project—the center will require updates and maintenance over time, he hopes that through the Davis Center, “we found something that works for the Park and provides the community with important resources, and that it can last for a very long time.”

Length of service at the Conservancy:

10 years

Stormy’s work on the Davis Center:

For Stormy, her role as senior manager of programming partnerships is more than just a job—it’s a deeply personal mission. As a Harlem native, she is passionate about shaping programming at the Davis Center by partnering with organizations that prioritize the needs of the surrounding community—her home, her neighbors, the people she grew up with. “I’m ecstatic to be part of the Davis Center,” she said. “It’s truly a remarkable gift to Harlem. It’s so important that the experience of Central Park feels the same for those whose backyard is the Lower East Side as it does for those of us who call Harlem home. We’re thrilled to bring this gift back to our community.”

How it feels to see the project nearly finished:

Stormy is excited to welcome the community back to the Davis Center and witness firsthand the impact it will have on local residents. Born and raised in Harlem, she grew up playing in Central Park’s playgrounds, visiting the Central Park Zoo, and skating with her father at Lasker Rink and Pool, where she also learned to swim as a Girl Scout. “As a child who enjoyed Lasker Rink and Pool, it is a phenomenal idea to be present—to look into the faces of little children where I once stood—and be able to provide them with the utmost customer service,” Stormy said.

What Stormy’s most excited about for the Davis Center:

To Stormy, the Park is more than just a place to visit—it’s a space for self-care. With the Davis Center open year-round, Stormy sees the facility, offerings, and surrounding landscape as transformational to that purpose. “We forget that a large part of self-care is rest and relaxation, making sure that it is a part of our lives. The Harlem Oval will offer that; it will be an extension of the Park to offer time to rest, enjoy a yoga class, maybe read a book, and enjoy peaceful time with oneself.”

This interview with Stormy was conducted by Hannah Payne, assistant manager of content.

Length of service at the Conservancy:

24 years

David’s work on the Davis Center:

As director of construction, David is at the Davis Center every day, ensuring that the landscape architecture team’s designs are executed as envisioned, and collaborating with the construction management team and contractors to keep the project on schedule and in budget. Additionally, he played a key role in coordinating the Davis Center’s transformation across seasons—turning the new pool into an ice rink in the winter, then a turf-covered “village green” in the spring and fall, ensuring all-year access for the community.

What David’s most excited about for the Davis Center:

“I think what I'm most excited to see is the experience of walking from the North Woods underneath Huddlestone Arch, and then seeing more Park land—seeing the stream on your left and the Davis Center on your right,” he said. “Because, before the project started, you looked at the back of Lasker Rink. There were unsightly containers and a cooling tower back there. That's kind of the biggest improvement, in my eyes, is that entrance from the south end.”

How it feels to see the project nearly finished:

“It's a little bittersweet,” David admitted. “I'm looking forward to being done and walking through the site as part of the new Park land. But I've really enjoyed working on this project, and I hope we have similar projects in the future that are as fulfilling as this one.”

David’s hopes for the Davis Center’s impact:

For David, the Davis Center project is about much more than the facility—it's about giving the neighboring communities more of their Park. “I think people looking in through the construction fence are thinking, ‘Okay, it's a new facility, a new place to swim and to ice skate.’” he said. “But once we take the fence down and people start walking in, they're going to realize there are all these new experiences that weren’t there before, and that's the biggest impact.”

Length of service at the Conservancy:

Seven years

Mary’s work on the Davis Center:

As a fundraiser, Mary’s involvement with the Davis Center began with keeping donors up to date on the progress of the project—sharing construction milestones, programming updates, and the vision for what the space would become. Over time, she’s also worked to raise money for the community programming at the Davis Center, which will allow programs to remain accessible to the community by keeping them free or low-cost.

What Mary’s most excited about for the Davis Center:

“There are two things I’m most excited about,” she said. “One is the reconnection of the stream course coming from the North Woods to the Harlem Meer, because it is revealing this incredible access point from the northern end of the Park that was previously totally blocked by Lasker. It’s now going to create a visually stunning landscape that honors the original design of Central Park that Olmsted and Vaux had. This reconnection is just more symbolic; we’re encouraging access into the rest of the Park, which historically, we’ve learned from the community that they didn't feel welcome. It didn't feel like Central Park was their Park.”

She’s also eager to see the Harlem Oval, which will keep the Davis Center active for the community year-round. “It’s a totally new experience for people in the Park. They get to enjoy this amazing greenspace that’s going to be so stunning with the green roof and North Woods. They just get to enjoy it 365 days a year.”

How it feels to see the project nearly finished:

“It feels surreal, to be honest,” she said. But like Bob, she sees this as just the beginning. “We’re not just doing a shiny, fancy capital project and then walking away, but we’re going to be maintaining and sustaining this massive investment for the long-term. We’ve brought this section of the Park back to so many people, providing this state-of-the-art, unbelievable facility. It makes you feel like the possibilities in Central Park are even more than we realize. We’ve come so far in 45 years, but there’s even so much more we can do.”

We are thrilled to unveil the Davis Center on April 26, and to celebrate this transformational space with our community. Stay tuned for more information on the facility, programs and offerings for the community, and the vision of the project.

Jenny Schulte is the senior marketing writer and editor at the Central Park Conservancy.