Restoring an Icon. Serving a Community.
Unwind Hospitality Group is honored to be awarded the NYC Parks concession to operate the food, beverage and merchandise program at the Orchard Beach Pavilion. A 1936 Art Deco landmark on the Bronx’s only public beach, drawing over 1.5 million annual visitors.
The Pavilion sits at the heart of a $114 million reconstruction led by NYC Parks and NYC Economic Development Corporation, with Marvel Architects restoring the 140,000 square foot landmark to its original civic ambition. The City delivered the structure. Unwind is delivering the experience inside it.
NYC Parks hosted an opening event on 20 May 2026, marking the building’s return to public use after 17 years of closure.
How We Won the Bid
NYC Parks issued a competitive RFP for an operator capable of matching the scale and seriousness of the building itself. Our proposal was built on four pillars that aligned directly with the City’s stated priorities for the site.
A real operating track record.
We hold the experience working on projects such as McCarren ParkHouse in Williamsburg, Rockaway Beach 97 in Queens and Union Square ParkHouse opening summer 2026. We are also a partner in the Jacob Riis Park Bathhouse restoration with the National Park Service, an 80,000 square foot landmark project. Our reporting standards, our compliance posture and our track record delivering on schedule and on budget supports us offering a competitive bid to win proposals.
A year-round vision, not a seasonal one.
Most beach concessions shut down after Labor Day. We proposed an integrated program that activates the Pavilion across all four seasons through a full service restaurant, event rentals, off-season programming and a holiday market, generating Parks revenue throughout the calendar year rather than 90 days of it.
Community as the operating model, not a marketing layer.
Our plan commits to a Bronx-first hiring strategy with a goal of more of the workforce drawn from Bronx residents, recruiting through Workforce Development Centers, community boards, local high schools and CUNY colleges. Vendor sourcing prioritizes Bronx-based and M/WBE operators. Programming celebrates the Caribbean and Latin American cultural identity of the borough.
A serious capital commitment and an aggressive fee structure.
We proposed a competitive license fee with annual escalations and committed significant private capital to complete the interior fit-out of the concession spaces to a standard that matches the restored exterior.
Moving Quickly to Open for Summer 2026
The award arrived against an aggressive timeline. Less than five months separated license execution from the May 2026 ceremony and the start of the beach season. Unwind mobilized immediately, executing in parallel with the City’s construction closeout.
Permitting, vendor sourcing, equipment procurement, hiring and supplier partnerships were sequenced concurrently rather than serially. Long-lead kitchen items were considered and planned the week the license was signed. Loggia and cafeteria fit-out ran alongside the Pavilion’s final construction phasing. By the time NYC Parks cut the ribbon in May, our operating teams were being trained, our local supplier agreements were being signed place and our merchandise lines were stocking up.
This is the operational discipline that comes from running multiple Parks concessions concurrently. We brought the playbook with us and implemented it at a rapid pace.
What We Are Building
Three integrated venues under one master brand, opening in two phases.
Loggia Snack Bars and Cafeteria – Summer 2026.
Grab and go beach service across the curved arcades and quick service hot meals in the restored cafeteria. Caribbean-Latin favorites alongside classic American beach fare.
Restaurant at the North Waiting Hall – 2027.
A full service restaurant with bar service, catering and event rentals.
The Orchard Beach Pavilion sits within Unwind’s broader platform of projects. We are engaging capital partners, sponsors and brand partners interested in long-term participation in these concession assets. Contact us if it is of interest.