 During World War I, the site was used as the Rockaway Naval Air Station, one of the first naval air stations in the United States.Riis Park was largely constructed between 1936 and 1937 by New York City Parks Commissioner Robert Moses, who envisioned Riis Park as a getaway for New York City residents comparable to Jones Beach State Park on Long Island.The park was built along with the Marine Parkway Bridge and the Belt Parkway in nearby Brooklyn, which provided access to the park.