East Side Coastal Resiliency

The redevelopment of the coastline allocates the entire area to open spaces, recreational activities and public green areas. The project will create a 226,000 sqm park hosting basketball and football fields, tennis courts, an open-air amphitheater, barbecue areas and playgrounds.

The project does not aim to introduce any economic measures. However, the redevelopment of the coastline will enhance the overall attractiveness of the area by offering new public spaces, green areas, and amenities. The redevelopment will have a positive impact on the surrounding areas by increasing their land value. In addition, the project will significantly reduce the economic losses on assets and infrastructures caused by floods. The new flood system will protect the major pump station and electrical substation of the Lower Manhattan Area, the local schools, the libraries and the other infrastructures located close to the waterfront.

The major objective of the regeneration project of the waterfront is improving the flood protection system and the resiliency to future climate-related events. The project will create a new 4km flood protection system. The new measures consist of floodwalls running along the coastline, floodgates, and a raised parkland which will host an underground raised bulkhead and seepage barrier. The floodwalls will be built along the northern and southern part of the waterfront running along the walking and bicycle paths. The floodwalls are complemented by 18 floodgates which will provide additional flood protection by being closed during events of possible coastal storm. The floodgates have been installed to ensure a proper and smooth connection between the neighborhood and the waterfront. The parkland of the East River Park will be elevated and will raise the current flood protection level by 8-9 feet, exceeding the requirements needed for the 100-Year Floodplain for the 2050s established by the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). The project will also implement a new irrigation system to support the establishment and setting of the roots of newly planted trees, and to ensure the rinsing of saltwater from the soil after possible storm events. The redevelopment of the waterfront will also involve the sewer system, as the project will bring huge improvements and modifications to increase its capacity. The construction of new sewer lines will help to reduce the risk of inland flooding caused by heavy rainfall, directing the excess water straight to the Manhattan Pump Station during storm events. A new conveyance system will be implemented to transport wastewater directly to the treatment plan, and two underground interceptor gates will block sewer system flows coming from the adjacent areas. Together with the newly built flood protection system, the project envisioned several different sustainable design solutions. The redevelopment will build green roofs on the public restrooms, and EV charging stations and photovoltaic cells on maintenance buildings, tennis and track houses. The initiative will also install permeable pavers around the waterfront and install LED light poles throughout the entire site. To further improve the urban ecosystem and enhance biodiversity, the redevelopment project will renovate and improve the parks with new trees and different tree species. The project envisions the planting of around 2,000 trees with almost 50 different species, significantly improving the short- and long-term tree canopy and the natural landscaping of the area. The trees will be planted following a diverse and layered planting scheme, including different native and pollinator species to enhance urban biodiversity and ecosystem resilience. The selected species are resistant to saltwater sprays, heavy precipitation, strong wind and extreme weather conditions. The resilient trait of the ecosystem will be improved by raising the tree roots, placing them outside the flooding zone and avoiding saltwater contamination. The existing trees located on the waterfront will be reutilized for the nature exploration area, for other park projects outside the waterfront and for distributing mulch throughout the community.

The redevelopment of the coastline is determined to improve the accessibility and provision of public spaces for the residents surrounding the coastline, fostering inclusiveness and social equity in the neighborhood. The redevelopment of the coastline park will provide residents with access to a variety of recreational spaces including a pool, playgrounds, barbeque and picnic areas, multi-functional fields, ballfields, and different sports courts. The improved accessibility to public spaces is given by the creation of universally accessible pathways throughout the park, the installation of new furniture providing accessible seating areas, and a universally accessible amphitheater to hosts cultural events and exhibitions. The universal accessibility will be granted also by equipping the four bridges connecting the park to the surrounding area with universally accessible ramps, ensuring the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Accessibility standards. In terms of sustainable mobility, the project will improve the pedestrian access to the different park sections by providing three pedestrian-only bridges, reconfiguring the parking lot dedicated for the park, and modifying the pedestrian crossings in the area to promote a safer and more direct walkable entrance. The regeneration project will also provide a pedestrian sidewalk and a cycling lane running along the entire length of the park, and a separated cycling lane running parallel to the flood protection barriers. The improvement of the pedestrian and bicycle lanes will reconstruct the Manhattan Greenway, connecting the existing northern and southern parts of the Greenway with the new recreational and green areas of the project. In addition, the project will renovate the waterfront access to the Corlears Hook and Stuyvesant Cove ferry landings. In terms of public safety, the redevelopment of the area will significantly reduce the risk of flooding of the nearby Lower Manhattan Area and protect the local environment and the almost 120,000 residents potentially affected by flooding events.

The waterfront redevelopment project received the Envision Gold Award from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure. The certification was awarded for the comprehensive response to climate change, the improved resiliency and protection of the coastline communities, the provision of amenities and public spaces, and the high community engagement. The project also achieved the WEDG (Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines) Verification. The certification recognizes developers and landowners for sustainable, resilient, and accessible waterfront projects. The verification process involves the evaluation of site assessment and project planning, costal risk reduction, community connections and access, edge and waterfront resilience, innovation and protection of natural resources. The initiative is targeting LEED Building Design & Construction under the Location and Transportation and Materials and Resources categories.

The project has been entirely funded by public institutions. The largest contribution was made by the New York City Department of Design and Construction. The other funding source is the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development provided USD 338 million in federal funds through the Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery Fund. This federal program provides funding for the design and construction of urban development projects. The Municipality of New York invested USD 1.112 billion in municipal funds to finance the entire redevelopment project. The total cost of the project has been estimated to be around USD 1.45 billion.

Image from New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, retrieved here.