new york's next great waterfront park - urban design

New York’s Next Great waterfroNt Park

table of Contents

1. l Background ...............................................................................p.01 The Neighborhood New York City Waterfront Policy The Project Site

2. l The Opportunity ........................................................................p.05 East River Greenway Study New Funding P.S. 281 & Ferry Service

3. l 2011 Charrette .........................................................................p.10 General Themes Issues and Challenges

4. l Principles + Strategies .............................................................p.14 PHASE 1: Pier Infrastructure PrinciPlE 1: Get the most value out of the initial investment PrinciPlE 2: Maximize engagement with the water PrinciPlE 3: create changes in elevation PHASE 2: Interim Plan PrinciPlE 4: Improve flexibility and flow PrinciPlE 5: Promote local ecology and education PrinciPlE 6: Create a destination PrinciPlE 7: Build partnerships PHASE 3: Long-Term Plan

5. l Conclusion ................................................................................ p.34

6. l Acknowledgements .................................................................. p.36

7. l Appendix A .................................................................................p.48

8. l Appendix B ................................................................................p.60

all Materials are Copyright Mas

New York’s Next Great Waterfront Park 1

1. I BackGrouNd


In July of 2011, MAS gathered city officials, designers, planners, civic advocates and community members to collect ideas for transforming the former Con Ed Pier/Waterside Pier into a first rate park for residents of the East Side of Manhattan. This report is a synthesis of the ideas expressed that day and is a testament to the creativity that emerges from collaboration.

The goal of the discussion, also known as a charrette, was twofold:

1. To bring attention to the East Side’s desperate need for publicly accessible open space; and

2. To articulate a community driven vision for a new waterfront park.

After successfully developing waterfront open space in a number of other neighborhoods, the City is focused on unlocking the potential of the East River Waterfront. There is funding in place to begin to rehabilitate the pier and the City has selected a consultant to undertake a careful study of the waterfront between East 38th Street and East 60th Street. Now is a critical time for the future of the East River Waterfront.

In October of 2011, the City and State signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that would help fund the East River Greenway between East 38th Street and East 60th Street. The initial funds will come from two sources. First, the sale of a portion of the Robert Moses playground to the United Nations. Second, the sale of two office towers that are owned by the City where the UN currently occupies space at below market rate rents.2

The Municipal Art Society of New York (MAS) has a long history of advocating for thoughtful development along New York’s waterfront. Our work over the years has often involved collaborating with city officials, communities, designers and planning professionals to seize opportunities to create great new open spaces and improve waterfront policy. In 2007, MAS hosted a charrette to envision a new park on the East Side Waterfront, to be integrated with the development proposed by the East River Realty Company on a site across from the FDR Drive.

With renewed momentum in redeveloping the East River Waterfront, MAS continues to work to articulate a community driven vision for the future of New York City’s waterfront. This report outlines our most recent work and captures the many important ideas that came from the charrette that was held on July 26, 2011.

2011 East River Waterfront Charrette Participants

Background

In this report, the site is referred to as the former Con Ed Pier although in other documentation it is referred to as Waterside Pier. We have kept the Con Ed pier name as a historical reminder of the pier’s proximity to a power plant that occupied the East River Realty site. For more details on the MOU: http://www.eastsideopenspace.com/p/mou.html

1

2

1


Site Location

The former Con Ed Pier, located along the East River between East 38th and East 41st Streets, represents a tremendous opportunity to turn an unused pier into a wonderful new waterfront park. The site is located within Manhattan Community Board 6 (CB6). CB6 roughly covers the area on the East Side of Manhattan from 14th to 59th Streets, and from the East River to Lexington Avenue. While the population of CB6 is about average for a community district, it has a mere 26 acres of parkland, compared to an average of 198 acres in other Manhattan districts. In addition, the latest census figures show a steadily growing population, particularly in young children and the elderly, pointing to a vital need for additional open space in the area.

The Neighborhood

New York city Waterfront Policy

From rivers to creeks, canals, bays and sounds, the waterfront is central to New York’s identity. The East River, which runs along the former Con Ed Pier, is one of the more important waterways, separating Manhattan and the Bronx from Brooklyn and Queens. Unfortunately, highways, industry, and infrastructure have historically blocked pedestrian access to the river, and the connections that do exist are often inadequate, unreliable, or unsafe. Consequently, New Yorkers and visitors alike have been unable to take advantage of their proximity to this great resource.

In 2004, to address these challenges, the New York City Department of City Planning published the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway Master Plan. This plan sought to provide an uninterrupted path along the perimeter of Manhattan. Many portions of the plan have now been successfully implemented.

In March 2011, Mayor Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn released a citywide plan entitled the Waterfront Vision and Enhancement Strategy (WAVES), which includes Vision 2020: New York City Comprehensive Waterfront Plan and the New York City Waterfront Action Agenda. Vision 2020, developed by the Department of City Planning with extensive community participation and input from MAS and other organizations, established long-term goals for the future of New York City’s waterfront. All of these long-term planning efforts for New York City’s shoreline prioritize the open space needs of residential waterfront communities. In fact, Vision 2020 specifically identifies the former Con Ed pier as a potential waterfront open space.

Now is the time to turn that potential into a reality.

East River North Recommended Areas of Work, Vision 2020: New York City Comprehensive Waterfront Plan


The land between East 38th and East 41st Streets across from the FDR Drive and the former Con Ed Pier was the site of a massive Con Edison power plant. The plant was demolished after the 9.7-acre site was purchased in 2002 by developer Sheldon Solow, who heads the East River Realty Company (ERRC).

The ERRC plan initially proposed six residential towers of 3.5 million square feet with approximately 4,000 apartments, one commercial tower of 1.4 million square feet, and approximately 4.8 acres of open space.

In June 2007, in response to ERRC’s development plan, MAS lead a design charrette in collaboration with City Council Member Daniel Garodnick, State Senator Liz Krueger, the Reed Foundation and CB6 to generate a cohesive and inspired vision for the site.

In March 2008, the City Council approved the Solow plan and CB6’s 197a plan with modifications. The economic downturn and subsequent changes in the real estate climate stalled progress on the ERRC project and nothing on the site has yet been built.

The Project Site

Architects Working at the 2007 East River Waterfront CharretteFormer Con Ed Pier and Solow Site


2. I The oPPorTuNITY


The former Con Ed Pier is approximately 34,000 square feet in size, and, until recently, had been under lease to Con Edison for use as a parking lot. In 2010, Con Edison’s lease with the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services expired and the site was turned over to the City. The pier is immediately to the north of Glick Park, which stretches from East 34th Street to East 38th Street and stops at the foot of the pier. Directly to the west of the site is the FDR Drive, with an exit ramp at 42nd Street that is elevated above grade.

Over the past year, there have been several critical developments that need to be leveraged in order to build NYC’s next waterfront park. These include:

• East River Greenway Study

• New Funding

• P.S. 281 and the East River Ferry Service

The opportunity

Glick Park Facing North


In the spring of 2011, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYC EDC), on behalf of the City of New York, submitted a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the East Midtown Waterfront Esplanade and Greenway Project. The RFP was released in partnership with the Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) and the Department of Parks and Recreation (NYC DPR). In June 2011, NYC EDC selected the engineering, planning and design firm, AECOM.

AECOM is now undertaking a waterfront open space feasibility study between East 38th Street and East 60th Street. The study will provide a much more detailed picture of the cost of constructing new waterfront open space. The four major components of the study are:

• The potential re-use of 24 existing support structures, which are now in the East River, to create an esplanade between 53rd Street and 59th Street. These structures were originally built to support construction work on the FDR Drive, but could be re-used to provide structural support for a new open space;

• The UN Esplanade Project, which could establish a new walkway along the East River between East 41st Street and East 51st Street to the east of the UN campus;

• Improving connections to the waterfront from the surrounding neighborhoods; and

• The potential for new open space at the former Con Ed Pier, the focus of this report.

east river Greenway Study

Aerial View of the Former Con Ed Pier


In July 2011, the city received a $13 million dollar payment from Con Edison for structural rehabilitation work on the pier. In addition, Councilmember Garodnick, a champion of developing new open space along the East River, was successful in allocating $1 million in funds to provide amenities for a new park on the site.

To supplement the $13 million received from Con Edison to stabilize the pier, the state legislature passed legislation that allowed city and state officials to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to generate additional funding.

New Funding

United Nations Secretariat Building

The MOU, signed in October of 2011, permits the City to sell a portion of Robert Moses Playground (located on First Avenue between East 41st and 42nd Street)to the United Nations. The UN would then consolidate their office space in a new building on this site, allowing the City to sell two City-owned office buildings where the UN is renting space at below market rents.3

The MOU also creates an Eastside Greenway and Park Board (EGAP Board) to oversee the development of the greenway. The EGAP Board will consist of eleven members: six members will be appointed by the Mayor, while the remaining five members will be appointed by the local elected officials. The EGAP Board will oversee the Eastside Greenway and Park Fund (EGAP Fund), which will be formed with a $70 million payment from the United Nations Development Corporation (UNDC) for the land where Robert Moses Playground is currently located. Additional funds will be generated from the sale of United Nations 1 (UN 1) and United Nations 2 (UN 2).

With the signing of the MOU, and the future construction of a new UN Tower on the Robert Moses Playground site, new funding for open space will be available, but there will also be thousands of new workers coming to the area. Given the scarcity of open space on the East Side of Manhattan, public open space on the former Con Ed Pier needs to be provided prior to the construction of a new UN building.

For more information please visit: http://www.eastsideopenspace.com/3


P.S. 281 & Ferry Service

A new public school, P.S. 281, is being built near the former Con Ed Pier site at First Avenue, and East 35th Street, and in June of 2011, the City began to operate a new East River Ferry Service with a stop on East 34th Street. Both the school and the ferry will attract a number of new people to the area – ranging from commuters, to tourists, to young children and their parents – who will benefit from a welcoming open space.

The combination of all of these factors served as a catalyst for MAS to host a second charrette for the East River Waterfront on July 26, 2011. Given the City’s interest in developing open space on the the former Con Ed Pier, and the immediate funding available for the rehabilitation of the pier, MAS focused the 2011 charrette on the pier. The goal of the charrette was to provide the City and its consultants with an outline of the community’s goals and priorities for a new waterfront park.

The New East River Ferry


3. I 2011 charreTTe


This intensive workshop set out to facilitate meaningful community engagement in the development of a new park, while putting the conversation within the context of the City’s waterfront priorities.

The day began with remarks from elected officials, including Councilmember Daniel Garodnick, State Senator Liz Krueger, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney’s office, and Mark Thompson, Chair of CB6. David Quart, Senior Vice President at NYC EDC, Joshua Laird, Assistant Commissioner at NYC DPR, and John West from CB6 and a member of the MAS Planning Committee also gave presentations providing critical background information. See the Appendices for these presentations.

Participants were divided into six groups, each with several community members, an architect, and a MAS staff-member. Other participants included representatives from organizations such as the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance, Transportation Alternatives, NYU Hospitals, School Construction Authority, Solar 1 and the UNDC.

The work sessions were divided into two hour-and-a-half blocks. An architect was selected to act as a facilitator for each of the six tables. They were George Vellonakis, George Bloomer and Jim Mituzas from NYC DPR; Mary Margaret Jones, Hargreaves Associates; Chris Marcinkoski, PORT; and Dong-Ping Wong, FAMILY. MAS provided the facilitators with discussion guidelines and questions to help organize and shape the brainstorming process. The culmination of these discussions was a presentation to the rest of the groups at the end of the day.

2011 charrette

General Themes and Spirit

Participants were energized by the possibility of turning this unused piece of land into a vital resource for the community. The conversations initially focused on analyzing the issues and challenges facing the former Con Ed Pier site. The dialogue then shifted to identifying those design and implementation approaches that would get the former Con Ed Pier open as soon as possible, while simultaneously turning it into a first-rate open space and community resource.

Former Con Ed Pier Facing North


Issues and challenges

In brainstorming various design and programming elements for the former Con Ed Pier, the charrette groups identified a number of challenges.

Access from the north end. The only entrance to the former Con Ed Pier is from the south at 38th Street through Glick Park. As the remainder of the East River Greenway is constructed, the former Con Ed Pier site will be connected to that network. However, as it currently stands, the former Con Ed Pier has a dead end on East 41st Street. As a result, the groups discussed several ideas to create entrances at the northern end of the park to provide greater accessibility and connectivity.

View of the Former Con Ed Pier from Glick Park

Pedestrian safety. The former Con Ed Pier runs along the FDR Drive and its access roads, where cars drive at very high speeds. In creating access points to the park, careful thought must be given to pedestrian and bicycle connections to provide comfortable and safe access to the park.

Loud noise and pollution. With the park adjacent to the FDR Drive, there is a lot of noise and other kinds of pollution from the cars and trucks that speed by. This can be an impediment to certain programming in the park, such as outdoor movies and concerts. In designing the park, consideration should be given to structures, landscaping, and changes in elevation that would mitigate the loud noise coming from the highway and improve the air quality.

Lack of identity. One of the challenges of this site is that very few people know it exists – it does not have a clear sense of place or history. In developing the design and amenities of the park, many of the participants noted that it should be given a name that is representative of the site’s history and relationship to the water. As the pier lies on what formerly was a bay, one group recommended that the park be named “East Bay Park.” Another complementary approach to creating this sense of identity was to find ways to express values, like environmental stewardship, in the design of the open space.


Issues and challenges

Potential Access Points to the East River


4. I PrINcIPleS + STraTeGIeS


Principles and Strategies

The intention of the charrette was not to create a final design for the open space, but rather to formulate design principles. As it will be several years until the East River Waterfront Esplanade from East 38th Street to East 60th Street is completed, the charrette participants had to bear in mind a design approach that would create a stand alone park that would reflect the community’s priorities, while also recognizing that in the long term, the park will be incorporated into a larger greenway along the East River.

The first phase of the project is the creation of a structurally sound pier. This is an opportunity to think about providing the park with some form and identity and to make sure that any design features, such as the location of trees or changes in elevation, can be incorporated into the structural rehabilitation work in order to make park construction as cost effective as possible.


PhaSe 1: PIer INFraSTrucTureensure that the rebuilding of the pier infrastructureconsiders critical park design elements.


PrINcIPle 1:GeT The moST value ouT oF The INITIal INveSTmeNTThe design for the park needs to be reflected in the pier infrastructure. The design of the edge of the park and the topographic elevation are two key elements that will be determined as the pier is rebuilt. These two decisions will have an impact on access to the water, park identity and form. Examples where this approach has been successfully implemented are Pier 46 and Pier 64 at Hudson River Park. Pier 46 includes built-in tree pits and a sunken lawn – both features that were built into the structure of the pier – while Pier 64 gradually rises over 10 feet above the water. The tree pits and sunken lawn of Pier 46 and the slope of Pier 64 were design decisions that were made when the infrastructure was built. Moreover, the ERRC site plan provides for the continuation of 39th and 40th Streets as pedestrian ways that can span the FDR Drive if the elevated exit ramp is eliminated or depressed. It is critical that we consider these kinds of structural elements now in order to create a unique new park that maximizes the benefits of the initial infrastructure investment.


Rough Outlines of Piers at Queens West Are Shaped to Allow Access to the Water and Corner Gathering Places

Pier 46 at Hudson River Park Includes Built-In Tree Pits and Sunken Lawn

Pier 64 at the Hudson River Park Gradually Rises Over 10 Feet Above the Water


PrINcIPle 2: maxImIze eNGaGemeNT WITh The WaTerThe waterfront is both a spectacle with a myriad of activities to watch, as well as a place of active physical engagement. Not surprisingly, a number of charrette participants suggested that very careful consideration be given to interacting directly with the water and finding space for water related activities. Opportunities that were discussed included step downs, boat launches, fishing areas, tidal pools, viewing platforms and beach areas, among others. Varying the design and use of the perimeter of the pier will allow for different interactions with the water. Cuts into the structure were also discussed at length, creating additional points of access to the water along the perimeter of the pier as well as within the pier to create “tidal pools.” These “tidal pools” could create a unique window into the water and help to celebrate and measure the significant improvements in water quality over the last thirty years.


Urban Beach Concept

Step Down to the Water


PrINcIPle 3: creaTe chaNGeS IN elevaTIoNThe adjacent elevated FDR Drive generates noise, which flows down onto the pier. The topography of the pier can help mitigate these conditions, as well as provide visitors breathtaking views of New York City and the East River. In addition to providing places for viewing, these elevated areas can support a variety of activities, such as sledding, and provide a setting for movies, concerts, and other public events. In the reconstruction of the pier, thinking through potential elevation changes will help to literally lay the foundation for a new park, which leverages the unique advantages of this particular site. Raising the elevation at the north end also creates the potential for later building a connection between the pier and the city street grid, or a connection to a future pedestrianized FDR access ramp.


Hilltop and Overlook Concept

Park Elevation Change ConceptPassageway between the FDR Drive and the Former Con Ed Pier


PhaSe 2:INTerIm PlaN To create a functional stand alone park until future connections to the esplanade can be built.


PrINcIPle 4:ImProve FlexIBIlITY aNd FloWUntil additional access points are created by the ERRC at 39th and 40th Streets and by potentially converting the elevated FDR Drive exit ramp at 42nd Street into a passageway to the park, pedestrians, bicyclists, and skateboarders will enter the park from the south. A bike share station could be located at the southern edge of the pier or close to the ferry station to help reinforce the idea of the ferry station as a transit hub, enabling morning commuters to hop off the ferry and then ride into Midtown or the hospital corridor further to the south. Visibility through the open space was a priority as many felt that care should be taken not to create hidden pockets. Most also felt that the water’s edge should be reserved for pedestrians, while bicyclists and others could be integrated in the western portion of the site. In addition, the narrow pier should not be so overwhelmed by pathways that gathering spaces are diminished. A flexible gathering space, which accommodates community events, markets, and passive and active recreation of all kinds should be included in the plan. Providing a gathering space and creatively programming this space with a variety of events will help bring people to the site until better connections can be established.


Circulation Path Concept

Park Program Ideas Connection Ideas


PrINcIPle 5: PromoTe local ecoloGY aNd educaTIoNThis area had in fact been a bay before it was filled for development. Suggestions for naming the area “East Bay” or another historically based name were suggested. Some groups also suggested using the pier as a laboratory for understanding climate change and sea level rise. Further to the south at approximately East 20th Street and the East River is Stuyvesant Cove Park, which provided many sources of inspiration for how ecology and education can be integrated into park design.

Activities related to the natural qualities of the site include:• Bird watching• Gardens• Community gardens• Science lab • Tidal pool

Design features that help improve the ecology of the pier should also be considered including:• Composting toilets• Storm water collection gardens• Native plants and habitats• A vegetative pier edge


Looking South From Stuyvesant Cove Park (Credit: Transpoman) Urban Farm Concept


PrINcIPle 6: creaTe a deSTINaTIoN To overcome the isolation and potential security issues at the remote, disconnected north end of the pier, the community understood the necessity of providing an attractive destination at this side of the park. Suggestions included a heightened elevation at the northern end to provide a sense of arrival (hilltop viewing destination) and potentially help to create a future link to the City streets. Other suggestions include:• A small but unique food service establishment• A beach – both a temporary and permanent use – sunbathing, volleyball• Temporary barges for activities – pools, theater, concerts• Creative programming – fishing docks, farmer’s market


Potential Destinations for the Northern End: Hill and Beach


PrINcIPle 7: BuIld ParTNerShIPS As many of the landscape architects pointed out, a plan for maintaining a park is as important as the design. The participants discussed many precedents, from Stuyvesant Cove to Brooklyn Bridge Park to the Tudor City Gardens, for models of partnership and organization to sustain the park. The various tasks required include park maintenance, programming and potentially fundraising. Programs for special events, boating, community services and many other activities must be planned and orchestrated by the organization. Above all, the transformation of the former Con Ed Pier site into a public park will only be successful if the community takes a leadership role in the maintenance and future development of the site. A number of groups in nearby Tudor City have already been very active in the maintenance of park spaces in that neighborhood. This demonstrates a great deal of capacity within the community that can be brought to bear in service of this park.


Suggested Partners and Activities


PhaSe 3:loNG-Term PlaNTo integrate the former con ed Pier with the esplanade to the north and create better connections to the rest of the city.


long-Term Plan

As progress is made on infrastructure development and design of the park, the community and the City need to work together to develop a plan to integrate this new amenity into the fabric of the surrounding neighborhood.

42nd Street exit rampPlans should be studied that evaluate the feasibility of converting the existing FDR exit ramp at 42nd Street into an entrance for the park. This would entail closing the exit ramp to traffic and connecting it to the existing street grid. Transforming the exit ramp into a safe pedestrian entrance at the northern most part of the former Con Ed Pier site is a creative solution to the difficult challenge of providing access from the upland areas to the waterfront.

Integrating access from the ERRC site to the waterfrontThe future residential towers being built along First Avenue by ERRC will serve as an impetus to connect the city streets to the park site. The ERRC site plan calls

for the continuation of 39th and 40th Streets to the park site provided that the elevated exit ramp to the FDR Drive is eliminated or depressed. This will help create safe points of access at locations throughout the length of the former Con Ed Pier site. Multiple points of access will attract visitors to the park, while also helping to fully integrate this new amenity into the neighborhood.

Minimizing the impact of FDRThe FDR Drive is a major safety and accessibility issue for the development of the East Side Waterfront. Eventually, the FDR Drive between approximately 25th Street and 42nd Street will be rebuilt. Therefore, thought should be given to how it can be reconstructed to minimize the impact on the waterfront open spaces and support access from the surrounding neighborhoods to the waterfront. This has been done in the past with the West Side Highway, which was completely demolished in 1989 as a result of neglect and lack of maintenance. In the case of the West Side Highway, removing the elevated portion served as an asset in developing one of New York City’s most successful waterfront parks, Hudson River Park. There are different challenges on the East Side, but any long-term plan needs to consider how to overcome the barrier to the water that the FDR Drive presents and ensure that any future reconstruction work of the FDR Drive considers pedestrian, bicycle and ferry access.

Expanding East River Ferry service to 42nd Street Opening in June of 2011, the East River Ferry has accomplished a major goal of bringing New Yorkers to the waterfront. According to The New York Times, ridership of the ferry service on the weekends averages approximately 4,500, which is almost six times the City’s projection. The success of the East River Ferry represents an opportunity for increased service and the potential to add additional stops to its route. Currently, the northern most stop is at 34th Street. As 42nd Street is arguably New York’s most thriving commercial corridor, plans should be considered to expand the East River Ferry service to 42nd Street.

Develop a unique design and identity for the park through historyThe history of the East River and Midtown East should be expressed in the design of the park amenities, which will imbue this new waterfront park with a sense of place that is connected to the community. This will continue to help differentiate the park that will be built on the former Con Ed Pier site from other parks in New York City, and create a vibrant unique public space for New Yorkers to enjoy.

Long-Term Vision from the 2007 Charrette

5. I coNcluSIoN



conclusion

MAS has long been an advocate of open space development along New York City’s waterfront and specifically along the East River. With renewed commitment on the part of the City and the availability of new funding, now is a critical moment for the East River Waterfront.

In July 2011, MAS hosted a charrette to generate design ideas for one portion of the proposed waterfront esplanade – the former Con Ed Pier located along the East River from 38th to 41st Streets. The charrette served as a forum for the community to articulate their ideas.

The ideas that were presented at the charrette, which have been described throughout this report, are a reflection of what is possible for the future East River Waterfront Esplanade. While the waterfront esplanade from 38th to 60th Streets will not be completed for a number of years, there is funding for the immediate rehabilitation of the former Con Ed Pier, which will lay the ground work for a new waterfront park. As work begins on rehabilitating the pier and designing the park amenities, MAS encourages the City and the consultant, AECOM, to consider the thoughtful ideas the community articulated.

We are confident that the new park on the former Con Ed Pier will provide a much needed open space for all neighbors and all New Yorkers to enjoy, while also supporting its future waterfront development along the East River.

We hope that this kind of collaboration between the City, the community board, neighboring institutions, elected officials, non-profits and residents continues to demonstrate the value of collaboration for other projects across the City.

6. I ackNoWledGemeNTS



acknowledgements

Special thanks to Barbara Wilks and her firm W Architecture and Landscape Architecture and Melany Wimpee, Marketing Director at W Architecture and Landscape Architecture.

Municipal Art Society of New York:

Vin Cipolla, President

Eugenie Birch, Chair MAS Program CommitteeHugh Hardy, Chair MAS Planning CommitteeJohn West, MAS Planning Committee

Frank Sanchis, Senior AdvisorRonda Wist, Senior Vice President, Policy and AdvocacyRaju Mann, Director of PlanningJoel Kolkmann, Project Manager, Policy and AdvocacyPaul Kelterborn, Project Manager, Public ProgramsDavid Smucker, Intern, Policy and AdvocacyJuan Camilo Osorio, Senior Planner / GIS AnalystAileen Gorsuch, Associate PlannerKokutona Kaijage, Assistant GIS Analyst Hazel Balaban, Manager, Communications and MarketingAlana Farkas, Public Programs Associate

New York’s Next Great Waterfront Park is a project of the Municipal Art Society of New York rooted in the organization’s commitment to making New York City more livable through intelligent urban design, planning and preservation. MAS would like to thank the following organizations and individuals for their leadership and support in envisioning New York’s Next Great Waterfront Park:

The Reed FoundationNew York State Council on the ArtsManhattan Community Board SixMark ThompsonEllen ImbimboUS Representative Carolyn MaloneyState Senator Liz KruegerState Senator Thomas DuaneState Assembly Member Jonathan BingState Assembly Member Brian KavanaghCity Council Member Daniel GarodnickCity Council Member Jessica LappinCity Council Member Rosie MendezManhattan Borough President Scott StringerMetropolitan Waterfront Alliance’wichcraft

David Quart, NYC Economic Development CorporationCali Gorewitz, NYC Economic Development CorporationLaura Bozgo, NYC Economic Development CorporationJoshua Laird, NYC Department of Parks and RecreationMichael Bradley, NYC Department of Parks and Recreation

MAS would like to thank all of the participants and the following architects who offered their time and expertise to facilitating discussions at the 2011 charrette:

George Bloomer, NYC Department of Parks and RecreationJim Mituzas, NYC Department of Parks and RecreationGeorge Vellonakis, NYC Department of Parks and RecreationMary Margaret Jones, Hargreaves AssociatesChristopher Marcinkoski, PORT Architecture + UrbanismDong-Ping Wong, Family Architects

7. I aPPeNdIx a


1EAST MIDTOWN WATERFRONT & WATERSIDE PIER

Waterside Pier & East Midtown Waterfront Overview Municipal Arts Society Charrette

July 26, 2011


Agenda

§ Project Context– UN Consolidation Project– East Midtown Waterfront

§ Project Overview: Waterside Pier§ Waterfront and Open Space Examples


Project Context

§ Challenge of waterfront access on the East Side

– In-water construction is costly and subject to regulatory hurdles

– FDR structure makes upland connections challenging

– Project requires comprehensive approach

§ Project timing – why now?– Community Board 6 lacks open space;

new upland park opportunities are limited

– Con Ed payment allows for structural rehab of Waterside Pier

– Federal and State grants to fund esplanade feasibility study

– UN Consolidation Project provides new opportunity to realize waterfront


Project Context: UN Consolidation Project

Robert Moses Playground (portion)

§ United Nations faces space challenges

– Constrained campus– Rents space in City-owned buildings and

various private properties throughout East Midtown

– Long-standing need to expand and desire to consolidate

§ Project summary– State legislation may allow UN to

construct new Consolidation Building at Robert Moses Playground

– MOU required – Project would facilitate new esplanade

from 38th to 60th Streets, and upland open space improvements


ODR

UN Esplanade

ConEd Waterside Pier

Project Context: East Midtown Waterfront

§ EDC, in partnership with Parks and City DOT, will conduct feasibility study for waterfront greenway

– Scope includes full structural/marine design for Waterside Pier rehabilitation

§ East Midtown Esplanade: – ODR– UN Esplanade– Waterside Pier– Upland Connections

§ UN Consolidation Project is only foreseeable source of capital funding to realize waterfront vision

Robert Moses Playground

Glick Park


Project Overview: Waterside Pier

ConEd Waterside Pier (~34,000 SF)


Project Overview: Waterside PierPier requires complete structural rehabilitation/rebuild required§ Recent $13 million payment from Con Ed§ Work anticipated to begin early fall on investigations and pre-

design of piles and decking

City to commence conceptual design and feasibility study for waterfront esplanade§ Charrette provides early opportunity

for public input§ Project outreach to be coordinated

through CB6



§ Opportunities– Create waterfront access– Make Pier accessible for future public use– Extend Manhattan Greenway north from

Glick Park

§ Challenges– Significant damage and deterioration of

concrete deck and timber sub-structure– No capital funding available for open space

finishes at this time


Waterside Pier – Existing Conditions

Serious cracking across the deck surface Substantial weakening of piles


Significant deterioration of piles and sub-structure

Waterside Pier – Existing Conditions



Criticalconsiderations:• Phasing—first goal is

the rehabilitation of Waterside Pier

• Permits—coordinate with regulatory agencies

• Budget—understand NYC precedents

Waterside Pier looking west


Riverside Park “Riverwalk”Description: Eight-block pile supported bikeway/walkway adjacent to Henry Hudson Parkway

Size: 33,000 sf

Date of Completion: 2010


Waterfront & Open Space Examples: Piers 25 & 26Description: Pier 25 – sand volleyball courts, 18-hole miniature golf course, large children’s playground with water features, artificial turf lawn area, snack bar, town dock and provisions for historic vessels

Pier 26 – Fully reconstructed marine platform, dock and fendering for future non-motorized boathouse/restaurant building, estuarium building and public open space

Size: Pier 25 – 130,000 sfPier 26 – 117,500 sf

Dates of Completion:Pier 25 – 2010Pier 26 – 2009 (pier structure only)


East River Waterfront EsplanadeDescription: Project will improve access, enhance pedestrian connectivity, and create public amenities along a two-mile stretch of the waterfront, from Battery Maritime Building to the Lower East Side. First segment includes passive open space areas with varied seating, game tables, native plantings and trees, a “Look-Out” (stadium-like steps leading to the water) and a new dog park.

Size: Approx. 62,000 sf

Date of Completion (Segment 1):June 2011


West Harlem Piers Park

Description: Waterfront park on the Hudson River between 125th and 135th Streets, includes passive recreational space (benches, lawn spaces, public art), bicycle pathway connecting, water play feature, excursion boat pier, floating barge for ferry landings and recreational pier.

Size: Approx. 80,000 sf

Date of Completion: Fall 2008


Brooklyn Bridge Park – Pier 1 “Pop Up” Park

Description: Temporary sand play area, seating and railings on existing pier

Size: 35,000 sf

Date of Completion: 2010


Waterside Pier

Thank You!


Appendix Slides


Project Overview: Waterfront and UN Consolidation


Vision 2020Action Agenda


Vision 2020Action Agenda

1. Expand public access.

2. Enliven the waterfront.

3. Support the working waterfront.

6. Enhance the Blue Network.

4. Improve water quality.

5. Restore the natural waterfront.

7. Improve government oversight.

8. Increase climate resilience.

WAVES GOALS

8. I aPPeNdIx B


new york's next great waterfront park - urban design

Design

new yorks waterfront

east river greenway

waterfront betweeneast

streetand east

east riverwaterfront

great waterfront park

wonderful new waterfront

east river realty site