As a spur to community action after 9/11, New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani issued a challenge to rebuild an amphitheater and rundown soccer fields at a riverside park in lower Manhattan. Given just one week to complete the project, the innovative, reality-based television show "Challenge America with Erin Brockovich" worked with an all-volunteer design and construction team to create a jewel-like outdoor performance place.

The abandoned amphitheater was originally developed by Robert Moses in the 1930's. Joseph Papp used it in the 1950's as the first home for the famous New York Shakespeare Festival, which is now based in Central Park. By the 1970's, the theater itself had fallen into disrepair and neglect, blocked off by chain link fence and covered in graffiti.

AD donated its services to consult with HLW Architects on the renovation of the amphitheater. The plan included the removal of the dilapidated stage house, leaving the band shell open to a beautiful view of the East River. A series of cables and canopies have reshaped the structure. AD consulted on the acoustics for the band shell and on the design of the cabling structure to eliminate vibration and whistling from the wind.

"We were very pleased to contribute in this philanthropic effort to renovate this community performance space," commented Ron Eligator, design principal for AD.

The project is of a scale equal to one year's work, but Ms. Brockovich was given less than a week to accomplish the task. From demolition to completion, she convinced and "challenged" America to contribute to the renovation. Now completed, the park is open to the public for recreation and performances.