In view is East River Park, currently getting gutted in what looks like a construction company parking lot. No grass. No trees. No life.
The latest in the Phase 2 construction, which began last September, required the closure of the northern section of East River Park — basically everything above Houston Street to 15th Street, including the three East Village access points over the FDR, track and field area, and the esplanade.
The timeline for completing this northern section of East River Park was pushed back by a year to the end of 2027, as we first reported here.
The "phased work operations" in East River Park started in November 2021 as part of a billion-plus-dollar East Side Coastal Resiliency project to elevate large sections of the Park by 8 to 10 feet above sea level, aiming to protect the neighborhood from future storm surges.
I was trying to find a pre-construction photo to compare the views... instead, here's a look from 1937 at what would be the FDR Drive and East River Park... before the arrival of the FDR (final section from 14th to 42nd completed in 1966) and Park (opened 1939).
We lost many good slaughterhouses.
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ReplyDeleteI was part of East River Park Action for a long time—in an attempt to save the 1000-odd 80-year-old trees in the park, and saw that these trees—a natural storm barrier and climate buffer—weren't appreciated by the majority of people, who were being fed a lie about ESCR.
DeleteIt was very demoralizing.
https://eastriverparkaction.org/
Great the title has that Duran Duran song stuck in my head now.
ReplyDeleteWorse, I may actually watch the movie later!
DeleteExcited for the park to open soon!
ReplyDeleteI won't forgive Carlina Rivera or Bill de Blassio in supporting and advocating for this monstrosity, which devoured thousands of trees leaving wildlife and nearby residents with no refuge. It will take an entire generation to recover at the very least. Hope the greed, the grift, and the blatant corruption was worth it.
ReplyDelete