Hi Ted, the Navy Yard is not a park in the traditional sense, it's now a thriving industrial area with film studios, artisans, artists, and various companies.
http://brooklynnavyyard.org/the-navy-yard/history/
PS- I'm not 100% sold on the SOL theory. The elevation seems higher than it should be, I'll also submit, if you look at old photos of Brooklyn and downtown Manhattan from that era, there are an over abundance of churches/cathedrals with towering spires...just a thought.