Preview of Pier 42 Waterfront Park Space and Re-development
This image has been archived or removed.
It was under crisp sunshine early yesterday afternoon that State Senator Daniel Squadron, Manhattan Parks Commish Bill Castro, and project manager Doug Nash collectively led an exclusive press preview of Pier 42. What presently exists as eight acres of public parking, abandoned warehouse, and overgrown lots will eventually blossom into a vast public waterfront park. But let’s first revel in the brilliant photogenic quality of this decrepit Lower East Side pier.
This image has been archived or removed.
Moving on. Last November, Squadron and Senator Chuck Schumer announced that $17 million in funding had been secured for the re-development of Pier 42, which would create a “unified harbor park” for residents. This last slice of untouched waterfront property is the proverbial keystone to completion of a contiguous “green ribbon” around the bulge of Lower Manhattan. It essentially connects the east and west sides.
This image has been archived or removed.
Landscape architect Mathews Nielsen is on board for the project (they were part of the Stuy Town beautification). What we learned yesterday is that developers are seemingly keen on tearing down the decaying shed. Tests are necessary for the current piles and caps to determine stability of the slab, and the bulkhead strengthened as necessary. But proposals are still in the most early stage of planning. The first step is the outreach phase – engaging in dialogue with Community Board 3, the Hester Street Collaborative, and the neighborhood at large. Kickoff session is the October 4 CB3 meeting at the Hamilton Fish Rec Center, when discussions will begin on the design process.
This image has been archived or removed.
Until a master plan is put to paper and ground is actually broken, though, the HSC is working to install a temporary park for interim use (remember Waterfront on Wheels?). To achieve that end, a “Waterfront Community Day” is scheduled for November 3 in the northernmost lot of Pier 42, which will open the gates to the public for the first time. The goal is to solicit ideas from the community about the best way to utilize the land until the project is fully underway. The parcel will be cleaned up and safety-proofed for the occasion.
This gallery has been removed.
Recent Stories
Death of the Tombs as Demolition Prep Commences Ahead of High-rise Jail
It’s death for the Tombs. Or, rather demolition. After three years of protests and community outrage, the Manhattan Detention Complex at 125 White Street is finally coming down. Demolition just started ahead of the eventual high-rise jail destined for the site. In December 2021, the city terminated the leases of businesses beneath the jail along […]
Flowers for Water at Long-Neglected Schiff Fountain
A decrepit Lower East Side relic in Seward Park is born again colorful. Until last week, the Schiff Fountain on the Essex Street perimeter of the park – stripped of its grandeur and weathering in public view – had mainly functioned as harbor for illicit activity. A favored spot for drinkers, junkies, and drifters. But […]
Bowery Mural Wall Curator Calls Hiatus During Rash of Tagging
In a surprising turn of events, the longtime curator of the Bowery Mural Wall announced yesterday that artwork at the site is now on hiatus. Blame the taggers. Jessica Goldman Srebnick, head Goldman Global Arts (an arm of the Goldman Properties real estate firm that owns the wall), published a missive on Instagram about the […]
Q-Train Shooter Surrenders to Cops at the 5th Precinct
The man accused of shooting to death a straphanger in an apparent random attack on a subway train subway morning is now in police custody. Andrew Abdullah, 25, identified as the suspect in the shooting, turned himself in to cops at the 5th Precinct yesterday. Apparently the surrender was aided by Lamor Whitehead, an ex-con-turned-clergyman […]
This Mott Street ATM Gouges with 17% Fee
Storefront ATMs are nothing new. In fact, their ubiquity was so pronounced that the city banned freestanding ones from sidewalks about a decade ago. Visitors to Chinatown or the Lower East Side unfamiliar with bank ATM locations when in need of cash might not realize the exorbitant fees some ATM operators are charging. For instance, […]
