Aaron Nell

Senior Landscape Designer

Aaron is a versatile designer with experience in all phases of design and construction and an interest in the long-term health of landscapes. He is currently supporting the FEMA-funded reconstruction of historic Dinosaur Playground in Manhattan’s Riverside Park — retrofitting a landmarked park with new play features and high-performing stormwater infrastructure. He leads drawing production on three miles of NYC Parks’ Destination: Greenways! initiative and the creation of neurodivergence-oriented play experience at NYC Parks’ Wolfe’s Pond Park Playground. With Laura Starr, Aaron’s concept design for the Stemma helped the developer team win the contract to implement this new sustainable housing project in the Bronx. He is currently providing construction administration for NYC Parks’ Clove Lakes Park Baseball Field in Staten Island. Before joining Starr Whitehouse, Aaron performed construction documentation and administration on Hudson River Park Piers 25 and 84 and learned sustainable design practices through work in drought and fire sensitive regions of Sourthern California. Originally from rural Alabama, Aaron graduated with an MLA from Auburn University where he worked as a teaching assistant.

Representative Projects:

Park Design
Southwest Resiliency Park Expansion, Hoboken, NJ
Dinosaur Playground Renovation, Riverside Park, New York, NY
Wolfe’s Pond Park Playground, Staten Island, NY
Clove Lakes Park Baseball Field, Staten Island, NY
Freshkills South Park, Staten Island, NY

Streets, Public Realm, and Infrastructure
Destination Greenways! Leif Ericson Park to Verrazzano Bridge, Brooklyn, NY
DUMBO and Vinegar Hill Mobility Study, Brooklyn, NY
Alpharetta Downtown Planting Guidelines Alpharetta, GA

Site Plans + Housing
Atlantic Chestnut Affordable Housing, Brooklyn, NY
Cooper Commons Hospital Conversion, Brooklyn, NY
Halletts Point Waterfront Development, Queens NY
Seniors First: Weeksvillage Senior Housing, Brooklyn, NY
Lecount Place Pool Deck, New Rochelle, NY
Bedford Union Armory, Brooklyn, NY*
Mary Star of the Sea Senior Housing, Brooklyn, NY*
Penn South Landscape Management Oversight, New York, NY*
The Chateau Garden Restoration, Queens, NY*

*Work Completed Prior to Joining Starr Whitehouse.