Redevelopment plans for the southern section of the
East River Park to
Lower Manhattan has commanded most of the
media’s attention. The seemingly ubiquitous Gregg Pasquarelli of
SHoP architects is involved, after all. But a little further north is a long-delayed and more pedestrian restoration project that has finally gotten underway. The waterfront walkway from
14th Street to the
Brooklyn Bridge was closed off in 2001 due to dangerously unstable bulkheads. An eight-foot chain link fence went up and, well, you know the rest. But
Gotham Gazette reports that recent activity has been spotted to restore waterfront access to the lowly people of the
East Village and
Lower East Side:
Some $54 million is going to the bulkhead construction. The actual building of the promenade with benches, plantings, and lights will cost $13 to $15 million. That part of the project is currently being sent out for bids.
Of course, no one expects the poor folks and the last of the bohemians on the East Side to get anything remotely like Hudson River Park. But a little waterfront access sure would be nice. Completion date is loosely estimated to be 2007 or 2008, but I guarantee it’ll be done sooner than the fancy-pants Lower Manhattan section (see image below).
Photo: Gotham Gazette, above; rendering of East River Park below by SHoP Architects.
Redevelopment plans for the southern section of the 
